Growing Guide

Growing mushrooms indoors requires several essential items, such as a monotub or grow tent, substrate, mushroom grow bags containing spawn, and a grow light.

To begin, sterilize or pasteurize the substrate and inoculate it with mushroom spawn or spore syringe. Once colonization is complete, transfer the substrate to a fruiting chamber and provide the required humidity, temperature, and light conditions. A grow light can simulate natural daylight and encourage fruiting. A clean and contamination-free growing area is crucial for healthy mushroom growth.

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Mushrooms eat nutrient rich substrate, which is a bulk organic material that provides the necessary nutrition and energy for mycelium to grow and eventually become mushroom fruiting bodies.

Common substrate options for growing mushrooms include straw or hay, hardwood sawdust, coconut coir, peat moss, and other organic materials such as coffee grounds, worm castings, horse manure, chicken manure, and cow manure.

To prepare the substrate for mushrooms properly, they need to be hydrated and supplemented with additional nutrients such as gypsum, sulfur, nitrogen, or calcium. Subsequently, they are sterilized or pasteurized before being inoculated with colonized substrate, grain spawn, liquid culture, agar plate, agar slant, or spore syringe.

The mushroom mycelium grows and decomposes the organic material in a process known as colonization. Once the fully colonized substrate has hyphal knots visually appearing on the surface, the mushroom mycelium will begin pinning on top of the fully colonized bulk substrate, leading to the development of mushroom caps, gills, and eventually mushroom fruiting bodies.

To improve mushroom growth and the yield of mushroom substrate, several additives are recommended such as gypsum, nitrogen, calcium, agricultural lime, coffee grounds, peat moss, straw or hay, coconut coir, and worm castings. However, it is crucial to use these mushroom substrate additives in the correct amounts to prevent damage to the mycelium.

Gypsum, an excellent source of sulfur and calcium, is an ideal additive and should be used at a volume of 5-10%. Chicken manure is rich in nitrogen but can cause damage to the mycelium and should not exceed 5% volume. Coffee grounds and worm castings can be added in higher volumes of around 10-15% and 10%, respectively.

For further insight, we recommend reading this informative thread on the Shroomery forum about mushroom substrate additives and mushroom supplement additives.

It is possible to grow mushrooms in coffee grounds, which are a common ingredient in many mushroom substrate recipes. Coffee grounds are an excellent substrate for mushroom growth since mycelium thrives on them. Because coffee grounds are rich in nutrients and contain high levels of nitrogen, this leads to the development of robust hyphal knots, followed by strong pinset and fruiting mushroom caps forming a massive canopy.

To use coffee grounds as a substrate for growing mushrooms, it is necessary to sterilize or pasteurize them before adding grain spawn. The recommended spawn to substrate ratio is approximately 1:5. Proper humidity and temperature levels must be maintained when growing mushrooms in coffee grounds.

It is also essential to ensure that the bulk substrate is adequately colonized, and hyphal knots are visible before fruiting. Using a fruiting chamber and growing shrooms monotub style can significantly improve the yield and quality of the mushrooms.

One popular recipe for a mushroom monotub substrate using coco coir is the Casing Layer Recipe. This recipe involves mixing 650g of coco coir, 10 liters of vermiculite, 5 liters of pasteurized straw, 5 liters of pasteurized horse manure, and 2 tablespoons of hydrated lime thoroughly. Add water as necessary to achieve the desired texture, and then fill the monotub with the substrate.

Finally, inoculate the substrate with mushroom spawn, and allow it to colonize before transferring it to a fruiting chamber.

The Shroomery is a valuable resource for growers worldwide, providing a platform for sharing experiences, troubleshooting problems, and connecting with other growers from around the world. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced cultivator, you'll find a wealth of information, resources, and support on the site. From forums and tutorials to cultivation guides and a shroom calculator, the Shroomery offers everything you need to grow mushrooms and other fungi successfully.

How to Use the Shroom Calculator?

The Shroom Calculator is a useful tool for calculating optimal dosages of dried mushrooms based on factors such as mushroom type, body weight, tolerance, and desired effects. The Shroom Calculator functions as a mushroom dose calculator and can help prevent over consumption and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Keep in mind that individual sensitivity can vary.

In addition, the Shroomery community provides a platform for sharing experiences, troubleshooting problems, and connecting with other growers from around the world. It's a valuable resource for anyone interested in mushroom cultivation.

Creating a monotub fruiting chamber requires a rubbermaid container or a grow tent, an inexpensive submersible water heater, a temperature and humidity controller, a fan, and a spray bottle or mister.

Start by drilling several holes 2 inches apart throughout the container's sides and bottom for proper air circulation and drainage. Next, fill the container with your substrate mixture and inoculate it with mushroom spawn, spores, or live mycelium. Place an aquatic submersible water heater in a container filled with water and set it to maintain the desired temperature range. Use a temperature and humidity controller to keep the environment consistent and a fan on low to circulate air and maintain proper FAE. Finally, mist the substrate with a spray bottle to maintain optimal humidity levels.

Humidity and Temperature Control for Monotub Fruiting Chambers

Please note that while high range optimal growing temperatures will increase yields, they also increase the chances for bacteria growth and contamination. Growing at a lower optimal temperature may produce similar yield sizes, with a 90-95% probability of low to no contamination.

A monotub fruiting chamber is a controlled environment for the fruiting phase of mushroom growth. To create one, begin by drilling several holes two inches apart throughout the container's sides and bottom for proper air circulation and drainage. Next, fill the container with your substrate mixture and inoculate it with mushroom spawn, live mycelium, liquid culture jars or spores.

Humidity and Temperature Control for Monotub Fruiting Chambers

After inoculating your substrate, place an aquatic submersible water heater in a container filled with water and set it to maintain the desired temperature range. Use a temperature and humidity controller to keep the environment consistent, and a fan on low to circulate air and maintain proper fresh air exchange (FAE). Finally, mist the substrate with a spray bottle to maintain optimal humidity levels.

Please note that while higher optimal growing temperatures may increase yields, they also increase the chances of bacteria growth and contamination. Growing at a lower optimal temperature may produce similar yield sizes, with a 90-95% probability of low to no contamination.

If you're looking to grow mushrooms, one popular recipe for a mushroom monotub substrate using coco coir is the Casing Layer Recipe. To create the mixture, combine 650g of coco coir, 10 liters of vermiculite, 5 liters of pasteurized straw, 5 liters of pasteurized horse manure, and 2 tablespoons of hydrated lime thoroughly. Add water as necessary to achieve the desired texture, and then fill the monotub with the substrate.

After filling the monotub with the substrate, it's time to inoculate it with mushroom spawn. Allow the substrate to colonize before transferring it to a fruiting chamber to grow your mushrooms.