Growing champignons as a business first developed in Europe, and somewhat later appeared in Russia.

You can grow champignon mushrooms not only for commercial purposes, but also for yourself.

Knowing the principles of their cultivation, you can earn good money, quickly develop your own business and reap a good harvest.

Not only industrial but also home conditions are suitable for growing champignons. You can plant the mycelium (mycelium) of champignons at the dacha, in the vegetable garden, garden, garage or shed.

This article will tell you how to do this correctly.

Where can you grow champignons?

Planting mycelium (mycelium)

Sowing the mycelium (mycelium) of champignons is carried out in different ways, depending on the place chosen for planting.

For example, in bags for storing mycelium, special holes are made over the entire surface area. About 15 kg of compost is poured into bags, and then the mycelium is planted.

Advice! When sowing mycelium, monitor the temperature in the room (it should not exceed 25 ºC) and the humidity level (should be about 70%).

To ensure a large and good mushroom harvest, only high-quality mycelium is selected for sowing. There are two types of mycelium known in mushroom growing:

• Compost, characterized by low yield and low susceptibility to negative external influences. The consumption of compost mycelium is 500 g per 1 sq.m.
• Grain - it is packaged in plastic bags, the consumption is 400 g per sq.m.

The mycelium is buried 5-7 cm into the substrate, after which it is covered with a layer of substrate (about 10 cm thick) and the fungal spores are laid again.

It is recommended to plant in a checkerboard pattern, leaving about 20 cm between adjacent sections of the substrate. A week after planting, the mycelium will grow and its cobweb-like threads will already become noticeable in the substrate.

During this period, it is very important to maintain an optimal level of humidity in the room where the champignons are grown. Mycelium appears on the surface of the substrate 2-3 weeks after planting.

About 5 days before this time, you need to prepare a cover soil mixture. It can be made from chalk (1 part) and peat (9 parts).

If mushrooms are grown in a too damp room, it is advisable to prepare a covering mixture from a mixture of sand (1 part) and loam (2 parts).

They apply it on top of the layer of substrate with sprouted mycelium, maintaining a thickness of 3-5 cm (about 4 buckets per 1 sq.m. of substrate area).

4 days after adding the cover soil, it is necessary to slightly adjust the temperature in the room where the mushrooms grow. A good harvest of champignons will be obtained if they grow at a temperature of 14-17 ºC.

How to care for champignons

Caring for planted champignons requires regular watering of the substrate and maintaining optimal humidity and temperature in the room.

In general, this procedure must be performed carefully and carefully, since the water must remain in the upper, covering layer of the substrate, and in no case penetrate into the compost (otherwise the mycelium will rot and quickly disappear).

The humidity in the room where mushrooms grow should be maintained at 75-80%. To achieve such indicators, special shelves are installed there and several basins with water are installed on them.

A high concentration of carbon dioxide will be detrimental to mushrooms, so the room must be ventilated at least once a day.

How to collect champignons

Active fruiting of champignons can last from 2 to 4 months, and the whole process proceeds unevenly.

Active growth of mushrooms lasts 3-4 days (the first harvest will appear 30-35 days after sowing the mycelium), then a week of calm, and after that there is a peak in yield again.

Most of the total harvest can be collected in the first three waves of active growth of champignons (there can be up to seven such waves in total).

You can determine the maturity of mushrooms by the film connecting the stem of the fruit and its cap (it should darken, but not yet be torn).

Ripe champignons are collected very carefully so as not to damage the rudiments of the fruiting bodies located nearby. To do this, you need to wrap your fingers around the stem of the mushroom and, carefully turning the fruit, remove it from the substrate.

This must also be done very carefully so as not to damage the mycelium, on which the further harvest of champignons depends.

When the entire mushroom crop has been harvested, the spent compost is removed, and the room must be treated with a bleach solution (4%) to kill microbes.

You can learn more about the features of growing champignons at home from this video:

Champignons today have become the type of mushroom that is available for growing at home. The period between planting the mycelium in the substrate and receiving the first fruits is minimal. Growing champignons does not require special conditions. It is enough just to provide a cool room with high air humidity. A basement or cellar is quite suitable.

Champignons can be grown both for personal use and for sale. But it is important to know that the substrate for their growth, when wet, emits a rather strong odor. It is not advisable to keep it in a residential area.

Where and on what do mushrooms grow?

The very first and most important step in successfully growing mushrooms is proper preparation of the substrate. It must be prepared with high quality in compliance with all stages.

The substrate for champignons consists of:

• 25% compost (wheat and rye straw)
• 75% horse manure

There is experience in growing champignons based on chicken manure or cow manure, but you should not expect high yields in this case.

The substrate is prepared in an open space on the street or in a well-ventilated room, since during its fermentation ammonia, carbon dioxide and moisture will be released. Additional additives per 100 kg of substrate are:

• 2 kg urea
• 2 kg superphosphate
• 5 kg chalk
• 8 kg gypsum

As a result, we get almost 300 kg of finished substrate. This mass can fill a mycelium with an area of ​​3 square meters. m.

If you decide to prepare compost based on chicken manure, then the proportions will be as follows:

• 100 kg straw
• 100 kg litter
• 300 l water
• Alabaster

The procedure for preparing the substrate is as follows.

1. The straw is soaked in a large spacious container.
2. Straw is laid alternating layers with manure. There should be 3 layers of straw and 3 layers of manure.
3. The straw is wetted with water during the laying process. Three layers of straw (100 kg) will take about 300 liters.
4. While laying the layers, urea (2 kg) and superphosphate (0.5 kg) are gradually added in small portions.
5. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add chalk and the remainder of superphosphate, gypsum.

The resulting substrate is left to undergo the smoldering process. In this case, the temperature in the mixture will rise to 70 degrees. After 21 days, the compost will be completely ready for further use.

Planting material

There is no need to save when purchasing planting material. Therefore, they purchase mycelium (mycelium) only of the highest quality. It must be grown under special laboratory conditions. Manufacturers of myceliums today present two types of planting material:

• Compost mycelium
• Grain mycelium

Grain mycelium is produced in plastic bags. It is stored for about 6 months at a temperature of 0 to 4 degrees. Grain mycelium is used at the rate of 0.4 kg per 100 kg of substrate (mycelium area 1 sq.m).

Compost mycelium is sold in glass containers. Its shelf life depends on temperature. At zero degrees it can last for about a year, but if the temperature is at 20 degrees, then the mycelium must be used within 3 weeks. Compost mycelium is used at the rate of 0.5 kg per 1 sq.m of substrate. Its yield is much lower than that of grain.

A properly prepared substrate will certainly spring back when pressed. Before placing mycelium in it, it must undergo a pasteurization (heat treatment) process. After heating, the substrate cools down to 25 degrees. About 100 kg of substrate is placed in 1 sq.m of mycelium in a layer of approximately 30 cm.

Take a piece of mycelium the size of a chicken egg and bury it about 5 cm into the substrate. Each portion of the mycelium is placed at a distance of 20 cm from each other. A staggered arrangement is used for planting.

Another method involves uniform distribution (sprinkling) of mycelium over the entire surface of the substrate. It also needs to be buried no more than 5 cm.

Further actions are to provide the necessary conditions for the establishment and germination of the mycelium. Air humidity should be maintained at around 90%. The substrate must also be kept constantly moist. To prevent it from drying out, the mycelium can be covered with sheets of paper. Watering the substrate is carried out through paper. An important condition for the establishment of mycelium is a constantly maintained substrate temperature of 22 to 27 degrees. Any temperature deviations from the norm must be adjusted immediately.

The mycelium germination time is approximately 7 to 14 days. After this period, the substrate needs to be covered with a covering layer of soil of about 3 cm. It is prepared independently from one part sand and nine parts peat. Approximately 50 kg of cover soil will be needed per square meter of mycelium.

The covering layer is kept on the substrate for three days, then the air temperature in the basement or cellar is reduced to 15-17 degrees. The cover soil is moistened with a spray bottle, and the room is constantly ventilated. Drafts are not allowed.

Harvesting

The process of growing champignons yourself in a cellar or basement is not too complicated or time-consuming. The period from planting to harvesting the first harvest is 120 days. Only those mushrooms in which the plates under the cap are not yet visible are suitable for consumption. Those mushrooms that are large in size, overripe, and the plastic ones are dark brown in color are prohibited from being used as food. They can cause poisoning.

The mushroom should not be cut, but carefully plucked with a twisting motion. The resulting depression is sprinkled with a covering substrate and moistened.

The mycelium will bear fruit for about 2 weeks. The number of harvests collected during this period is 7. Up to 14 kg of crop is harvested from one square of area.

To grow champignons in large quantities for sale through retail chains, I use polymer bags. This method has gained recognition in many countries. With its help, a large harvest is obtained.

1. A polymer film is used to make the bag. The capacity of each bag ranges from 25 to 35 kg.
2. The bags should be of just the right volume to make them convenient to work with. In addition, the correct location of the bags affects the number of grown champignons. They are usually arranged in a staggered or parallel pattern.
3. So, when installing bags with a diameter of about 0.4 m in a staggered arrangement, only 10% of the usable area will be lost, while their random installation results in losses of up to 20%.
4. The height and width of the bags may vary. You need to take into account their conditions and ease of work, as well as the physical capabilities of the basement (cellar).

The method of growing mushrooms in bags is less expensive, as specially mounted shelves or containers are not required for their placement. If there is a need to use the space of the room as efficiently as possible, then a multi-tiered system can be created to arrange the bags. The advantage of this method also lies in the speed of combating emerging diseases or pests. An infected bag can be easily removed from healthy neighbors and destroyed, whereas if the mycelium becomes infected, its entire area will have to be removed.

It is important to remember that growing mushrooms is a rather labor-intensive process. If champignons are grown for sale, then it is impossible to do without the use of agricultural machinery to make the work easier for workers.

Experienced mushroom pickers can list a large number of methods they have tested for independently growing champignons in a basement (cellar). Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The main thing is compliance with growing technology, strict adherence to all instructions and requirements. The result is achieving the desired result and obtaining a rich harvest of mushrooms.

How to grow champignons at home (at home)

The main difficulty in cultivating champignons is the need to strictly observe all the required conditions. These mushrooms require a substrate with high nutritional properties, are vulnerable to infections, and are picky about humidity and temperature. The classic technology of growing champignons at home may be too complicated for beginners, but the market offers many opportunities to simplify this procedure - ready-made substrate, special containers with an established microclimate. But this mushroom has a high yield and is a valuable food product.

Preparing the premises

Having decided to start cultivating champignons, a novice mushroom grower must imagine the whole process from beginning to end, determine, after assessing his capabilities, a suitable option for placing the mycelium and preparing the substrate, and draw up a program of action. Planning is the first place to start, since growing champignons from scratch will require a lot of preparatory work.

Champignons can be grown both outdoors and indoors. The second method is more reliable, since it allows you to control the climatic conditions to which these mushrooms are quite demanding. In this case, a basement or cellar is ideal.

Premises requirements:

• purity
• high humidity
• good ventilation
• ability to regulate temperature

On a note!

Champignons can grow in complete darkness. Lighting that will allow a person to carry out work caring for the mycelium will be sufficient.

These mushrooms love dampness, and during the incubation period they will require especially high humidity. In view of this, it is preferable to grow them underground. The most effective solution would be to install equipment to regulate the microclimate, but you can increase the humidity with homemade techniques - installing water tanks, regularly spraying surfaces with a spray bottle.

But ventilation will have to be organized in any case - ordinary exhaust pipes will not be enough. Compost, which is used as a substrate for growing champignons, intensively releases carbon dioxide. It has a bad effect on the “well-being” of mushrooms and is dangerous for humans. At the same time, mushrooms cannot tolerate drafts.

The temperature that mushrooms require is not the same at different stages of their life cycle, so it is necessary to provide the ability to adjust this indicator.

See also: “How to grow oyster mushrooms at home from scratch: the easiest way.”

A remedy that makes plants grow by leaps and bounds! Just water your plants with this...

Mycelium equipment

There are several approaches to organizing mycelium.

1. Cultivation in briquettes is the easiest way to grow champignons at home. You just need to purchase a container with a ready-made substrate and place the mycelium in it. From one such briquette you can harvest 4 crops, after which it becomes unusable. A significant drawback is the inability to independently control the quality of the substrate.
2. Growing in beds is a cheap and simple method, requiring only a room with suitable conditions. The floor in such a room is covered with plastic film, on which the substrate is laid out in an even layer. The disadvantage of this approach is the high risk of infections due to the inability to regularly clean the premises. In addition, due to the location of the crops at the same level, the infection will quickly spread throughout the entire mycelium.
3. Growing in bags is a very convenient way. The substrate is compacted tightly into durable plastic bags and then filled with water. The mixture should be as moist as possible. Several holes are cut in the bag, in place of which mycelium is introduced into the substrate. Stir the bags at a distance from each other so that the mushrooms have room to grow. It is especially convenient to place bags on racks.
4. Cultivation on shelves allows you to save space. The substrate is placed in boxes, which, after laying the mycelium, are placed on shelves. The method is considered expensive due to the need to install a drip irrigation system. Irrigation using overhead sprinklers is undesirable because it promotes the spread of infections from the upper drawers to the lower ones.
5. Growing in containers is a simple but expensive method. The usual substrate is placed in specially equipped containers equipped with ventilation and humidity maintenance systems. This method is suitable if there is no suitable room - in such a box you can grow champignons at home on the balcony.

Substrate preparation

A properly prepared substrate for growing champignons provides half the success of the business. Regarding the substrate, champignons are very demanding mushrooms. The ideal mixture should have an acidity of 7.3-7.5 pH, contain 2% nitrogen, 4% calcium, 1.5% potassium and phosphorus each, no more than 0.1% ammonia, and also include a large proportion of polysaccharides and proteins (it is due to them that the fruiting bodies of mushrooms are formed).

Time and place

The procedure for preparing the substrate takes 22-24 days, so first of all you need to provide a suitable space for this.

Do not allow the substrate to come into contact with the soil (this will help avoid contamination by spores of other fungi and prevent loss of nutrients), dry out in the sun or be irrigated by rain. Based on this, laying the substrate is best done on a concrete or asphalt area protected by a canopy. If there are no such conditions, you can lay polyethylene on the ground, having previously compacted the soil. Polyethylene can also be used to cover the heap, but only on top, without fixing the edges on the side, so as not to impede the flow of air into the mixture.

The working area should be larger than the planned size of the pile, so that there is space for work on “breaking” the compost.

The fermentation processes that will occur during the “ripening” of the substrate require a temperature of at least 10°C during the daytime. Therefore, in the middle zone it is not worth starting this procedure before April; in the southern regions it can be carried out as early as March. When laying the substrate, it is important that the required temperature is maintained only for the first time. Subsequently, under the influence of the vital activity of microorganisms, the temperature in the compost heap can reach 70°C. At this stage, lowering the air temperature will no longer have an effect.

Substrate volume

To activate fermentation processes, a certain volume of material is required. The width of the compost heap must be at least 1.8 meters, and its total mass must be at least 2.5 thousand kilograms. Based on this, its length and height are calculated, depending on the shape of the site. For example, if the length of the pile is two and a half meters, then its height should also be 1.8 meters.

On a note. Not every mushroom grower requires such a volume of substrate - the remainder can be used to fertilize the garden. The substrate already used for growing champignons is also suitable for this purpose.

In warm autumn and spring, mushroom lovers go to the forest to stock up on protein products for the whole winter. When picking mushrooms, people enjoy the process itself and praise themselves for being able to prepare a useful product for the winter. Of course, you can go to the store and buy half a kilogram of oyster mushrooms or champignons, but the cost of mushrooms is very high. Not everyone can afford to eat mushrooms all year round. What can be done in this case? There is a way out - you can grow your own champignons.

Most mushroom lovers really want to learn how to grow them at home, but they have heard about this difficult process and therefore do not dare to start. This is a troublesome and complicated task - this is what those who have not tried to grow champignon mushrooms say with their own hands. But if you have a great desire, then it is quite possible to achieve your plans.

A few words about the benefits of mushrooms

Champignons are a healthy, tasty and nutritious product that many of us love. You can buy mushrooms at the grocery supermarket. The cost, of course, does not allow you to prepare various dishes from mushrooms, but it is quite possible to cook soup, fry potatoes with mushrooms, or marinate a few mushrooms.

Champignons are harmless mushrooms that are widely used in the cuisines of different nations of the world. We can talk about the benefits of this beautiful and fragrant mushroom for a very long time.

We list only the main advantages:

• high protein content;
• low calorie content;
• presence of fatty acids;
• large amount of carbohydrates;
• the content of minerals, amino acids and vitamins helps improve memory;
• dietary product;
• reduces the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

This mushroom can grow anywhere. Champignons can be found even in big cities on the roofs of houses, in basements and in the courtyards of multi-story buildings. Of course, such a product cannot be eaten, since mushrooms accumulate harmful substances very quickly. To eliminate the risk of poisoning from goblin meat, you should not collect champignons in unfamiliar places. In addition, for those who go into the forest to collect a harvest, remember that at an early stage of development, the forest mushroom is very similar to the pale toadstool.

Home growing champignons

Champignon lovers have dubbed these beautiful white round mushrooms “forest meat” and they are absolutely right, since mushrooms contain a lot of protein. In order to prepare different dishes from mushrooms all year round, you can grow your own champignons. You don’t need to be a professional, the main thing is to study the technology of growing champignons and adhere to some rules.

Rule one - you need to grow mushrooms only in a damp and dark place. A damp cellar, basement, pantry or closet is ideal.

Rule two - you can use different bases, but it’s best if you manage to get horse manure. You can add a little lime, gypsum or urea to it.

Rule three - the humidity in the room should be at least 55%, and the air temperature +20 o C.

Briefly, you can describe in a few words the entire technological process of growing mushrooms: racks or boxes are suitable for myceliums. The infused substrate with additives is placed in boxes, then the mycelium is placed there (it must be purchased in stores or at the market). Then, when the necessary conditions are created, the mycelium will grow within 3 weeks. How do you know that the process is progressing? A whitish coating will appear on the ground. As soon as you see it, the plaque is sprinkled with earth (from a greenhouse) and moistened with a sprayer. As the soil dries out, it must be constantly sprinkled with water.

After about 30 days or 1.5 months, the mycelium will begin to bear fruit, but it is still very early to harvest. Only after 3 months will it be possible to remove the first mushrooms. It is important not to miss the moment of aging, so as not to deplete the mycelium. Mushrooms are collected very carefully, and the place where the mushroom “sat” is sprinkled with earth (a thin layer).

You may prefer this method of growing mushrooms, when the compost is not placed in boxes or racks, but placed in plastic bags and hung indoors. This method is more suitable for small businesses and individuals who do not have the ability to steam compost. The affected bag can be removed from the room at any time without loss or contamination of the remaining mycelium.

In addition, growing mushrooms in bags allows you to save space in the room and use it as efficiently as possible. But there are also negative aspects: it is labor intensive, because you need to manually fill bags with compost and then hang them on hooks from the ceiling. It is also necessary to manually transfer and install the bags back, updating the mixture. It is difficult to mix various additives into ready-made compost.

Champignon mushrooms. Photo:

How to prepare the substrate

Making the right nutrient mixture is the key to a good harvest. It is important to maintain certain proportions here.

The main component of the substrate is compost. It can be made from horse manure (ideal). Then you need to take this nutrient mixture - 80%. Wheat or rye straw (winter straw only) is also suitable for compost. If it is not possible to purchase horse manure, it can be replaced with cow or even bird manure, but then the yield will not be as high.

It is best to prepare compost outside, in calm, sunny weather. If the weather is bad outside, you can prepare the substrate indoors, but only then it is important to ensure good conditions - the room must be well ventilated. This is very important, because when the components of the substrate begin to ferment, not only moisture will be released, but also carbon dioxide and ammonia.

Proportions for preparing compost:

• straw – 100 g;
• urea – 2 kg;
• superphosphate – 2 kg;
• chalk – 5 kg;
• gypsum – 8 kg;
• manure – 80%.

You should have 300 kg of nutrient mixture for laying mycelium, with an area of ​​up to 3 m 2.

For those who decide to use bird droppings, the proportions change: for 100 kg of droppings, take the same amount of straw, 300 liters of water, 7 kg of gypsum and 5 kg of alabaster.

Substrate preparation:

1. Soak the straw in water for 24 hours. You need to allocate a spacious tank for these purposes.
2. Next, the manure and straw need to be laid in 4 layers: a layer of straw (additionally moistened with a spray bottle), then a layer of manure, again a layer of straw, and so on.
3. Add 300 liters of water to the mixture.
4. All components then need to be mixed 1 time, add gypsum, mix 2 times - add superphosphate and when you mix 3 times - add chalk. Finally, stir the mixture one more time and leave it alone.

After stirring the mixture, the reaction begins. Already on the 3rd day, the temperature inside will rise to +70 o C. To enhance the combustion process, it is necessary to “build” the substrate correctly: the height and length of the stack is 1.5 m, width – 1.2 m.

After 20 days (+- 2 days), the substrate for planting mycelium will be ready. In the meantime, in order not to waste precious time, you can start arranging a place for growing champignons, building shelves or boxes. Their height should be from 10 to 20 cm.

How to grow champignon mushrooms

For your efforts to be fully justified, it is important to buy high-quality mycelium. It is best if the mycelium is grown in a laboratory under sterile conditions. On sale you can find 2 variants of mycelium: compost mycelium and grain mycelium. The first is sold in glass containers. It will be stored for up to 20 days at a temperature of +20 o C, and at a temperature not exceeding O 0 C - for a year. This is a resistant mycelium that is not negatively affected and is economical. For 1m2 you will need only 500 g. There are also negative aspects - the yield will not be as high as that of grain mycelium.

Grain mycelium is sold in plastic bags. Shelf life is up to six months at temperatures from 0 to +4 o C. It is characterized by high yield. For 1m2 (this is approximately 100 kg of substrate) you need to purchase 400 g of mycelium.

Before introducing the mycelium into manure, it is necessary to perform heat treatment or pasteurization. After which the substrate, subject to all preparation rules, should spring slightly (if you press on it with your fingers). Then the mixture must be cooled to a temperature of +25 o C and placed in an even layer in boxes (the height of the mixture is 30 cm).

The principle of “replanting” mycelium is very simple: take a handful of mycelium and deepen it to 5 cm. To do this, you can use a peg to raise the substrate. The location of the recess (hole) must be placed in a checkerboard pattern so that the gap between the holes is 25 cm. If you use grain mycelium, then it is simply scattered over the surface of the substrate, and then sprinkled with a thin layer of the nutrient mixture.

To grow champignons, you can use not only boxes; it is also possible to place mycelium in racks, then the layer of manure is up to 45 cm or an “earthen floor” is arranged. The size of the area is 50 x 50 cm or a little more, the substrate layer is 45 cm, it must be well compacted in order to obtain a manure thickness of up to 30 cm. You can use a shovel for this. The color of the finished substrate is dark, brown, the straw should tear easily in your hands.

A good harvest is produced by 2 varieties of champignons - white and gray two-spore.

For planting, you can also use natural mycelium, that is, wild. It is taken in places where there are large concentrations of champignons. These can be manure or compost heaps, landfills, greenhouses, barnyards. Myceliums are dug very carefully and only in those places where there is a fruiting body of champignons (white cobwebs in the ground). The mycelium should have a pleasant mushroom aroma and not be damaged by diseases and pests.

How to care for champignons during the growth period

The incubation period when growing champignons is no less important than preparing the substrate and adding mycelium. It is necessary that the air humidity does not fall below 70%. Optimal indoor humidity is from 70 to 95%.

Fulfilling this condition is not so difficult. You can cover boxes and shelving with paper or burlap and spray them constantly with a spray bottle. It is very important that water does not get on the mycelium and manure.

In addition, it is necessary to control the temperature in the room, the maximum permissible norm is +27 o C. If the temperature in the room rises above this mark, you can open the doors to ventilate the basement or vice versa - then you need to turn on the heater.

12 days after planting the mycelium, the mycelium will begin to grow and then soil (4 cm thick) must be placed on the substrate. The covering mixture is prepared as follows: take 4 parts of soil from the garden, 1 part of limestone or chalk and 5 parts of peat. For 1m2 you will need 50 kg of soil. Treat the soil from your garden with boiling water to get rid of pests and prevent the formation of mold and bacteria in the soil. Champignons are very sensitive to negative factors and pests.

3, maximum 5 days after you lay the soil on top, you need to try to reduce the temperature in the basement to +15-17 o C. Also try to moisten the upper part of the soil as often as possible, but only so that moisture does not fall on the substrate and mycelium. Provide ventilation. The main thing is to prevent drafts from appearing. After 30-40 days, the first mushrooms will appear.

How to harvest

You can grow your own mushrooms in just a few months. Harvesting should begin when the thin film on the mushroom cap has not yet had time to tear (the film connects the edge of the cap to the stem).

Brown mushrooms that are devoid of moisture or flabby cannot be used for cooking, as they can even cause poisoning.

Mushrooms should not be pulled out or cut; simply unscrew the fungus and sprinkle the area with covering soil and do not water it abundantly.

The fruiting period can last from 1 to 3.5 months. During this period, it is important not to miss the 7 “waves” of champignon harvesting.

As a result, from 1m2 you can collect from 5 to 10 kg of mushrooms and even more! Between each “wave” there may be a short break, from 4 to 7 days. The first two waves are the most successful, since during this period up to 70% of the total harvest can be collected.

As you can see, the result of painstaking work will be fully justified, these mushrooms will be enough not only to feed your family, you can treat your friends, family and even sell some champignons to recoup the costs.

How to grow champignons, watch the video:

Growing mushrooms in private households, in country houses and even in apartments is becoming fashionable today. Firstly, in the store mushroom products are not sold at a low price. Secondly, homemade mushroom, grown without the use of unknown chemicals, is environmentally friendly and safe for consumption. Thirdly, mushroom growing can be made a profitable business, or at least a good source of additional income. Fourthly, this is a very interesting and exciting hobby. You take a substrate, place mycelium in it, and create conditions. And he begins to grow “like mushrooms.”

You need to think carefully and weigh your desire and capabilities on two scales. If they are approximately at the same level, it is worth taking the risk. Information for beginners: growing champignons at home is a more labor-intensive process than growing oyster mushrooms. But less long-term and more effective than growing porcini mushrooms.

Certain costs will be required for the purchase of materials, arrangement of the premises, as well as patience and certain skills. Provided that you already have a suitable room and you just need to create favorable conditions in it.

Room

It should be moderately cool, such as a cellar or basement. If there is neither one nor the other, it is difficult to advise anything. Perhaps a garage or greenhouse will do (during the cold season). In spring and early summer, before the onset of extreme heat, champignons can be grown without any room at all. The main thing is that the air temperature should not be higher than +20°C. Indoors, in the case of year-round cultivation, the temperature should be constantly maintained in the range of +12°C... 18°C, and humidity in the range of 65-85%.

Substrate

The most important item on the list of prerequisites for the successful cultivation of champignons can be called the substrate (or as it is also called for its composition - compost). The following composition is generally accepted as a fruitful version of compost.

1. Horse or cow manure (or pig or bird droppings, which can be taken, but is not advisable).
2. Alabaster flour.

Table. Proportions of components for making compost from mullein or horse manure.

Component	Image	Quantity (kg)
		10
		5
		0,2
		0,2
		0,7
		0,5

Table. Proportions of components for making compost from bird droppings.

Component	Image	Quantity (kg)
		10
		3
		0,2
		0,7
		0,5

By the way! To cover an area of ​​one square meter with mushroom compost, you will need compost made from 40 kg of straw base (other components, according to proportions).

Video - How to disinfect mushroom substrate

How to compost

It is better to carry out this procedure in the air or, as a last resort, in a regularly ventilated room. During the process of ripening compost in a heap, where the straw is layered with manure and watered, the heat can rise to +70˚C. There is an intense release of carbon dioxide, water and ammonia vapor into the atmosphere. Of course, a person should not breathe this mixture for long.

It is good to place the compost site in the sun (the higher the temperature inside this “layer cake”, the faster and better the compost will ripen). But it is worth providing shelter from rain, since heavy rain can wash out from the compost all the useful components necessary for the growth of future mushrooms.

Advice! If it is not possible to protect the compost heap with a canopy from precipitation, cover it with roofing felt or thick film before the rain. Be sure to lift the film from the sides, leaving the sides open.

The straw for the substrate must be fresh, dry, free from mold and other defects. Before laying, the straw is soaked in a large tank of water for a day. If there is no such reservoir, spread the straw on polyethylene and water it generously several times a day, without letting it dry out.

Laying the compost heap

The straw and manure prepared in this way begin to be laid in layers.

The first layer is straw. Then - manure or droppings.

Each layer of straw is sprinkled with ammonium nitrate and urea in the proportions indicated in the table.

Each layer of straw is watered abundantly with water.

In total there should be at least 3-4 layers of straw and, accordingly, the same amount of manure.

You need to finish the laying with straw.

Give everything a final watering to keep the compost heap moist at all times.

The height of the pile must be at least a meter. Length and width are arbitrary.

Preparing compost for growing
champignons

For a week the multilayer structure basks in the sun. Then comes the moment of the first shake-up. The procedure is carried out with a pitchfork. Shaking out a compost heap is no easy task. But it cannot be neglected, since for speedy composting it is necessary to ensure oxygen access inside.

During the first shaking, gypsum is added. It will improve the structure of the compost.

The second shake-up is carried out without waiting for the next week, 3-4 days after the first. This time superphosphate and chalk are added.

Important! If the pile in the sun is slightly dry, it is watered generously. You cannot let the compost dry out; its formation will stop.

The third and fourth shaking is carried out after four subsequent days. After three weeks, the compost heap will lose its pungent ammonia smell and turn a pleasant chocolate color. The straw in the compost will acquire a soft structure and will be torn with your fingers.

A high-quality compost substrate, completely ready for use, does not stick to the palm, springs in the fist when squeezed, and leaves a wet but not dirty mark on the skin.

Advice! If you have over-moistened the pile, and moisture literally flows out of the compost when compressed, it should be spread out to dry (but not dried, just reduce the humidity to 60%), adding half the amount of chalk.

The finished substrate is filled with racks, boxes or other containers where champignons will be grown. The temperature of the substrate must be reduced before introducing the mycelium.

The process of laying compost for germination

If you plan to grow mushrooms in a room specially designated for this enterprise, for example, on the earthen floor of a cellar, compost is poured directly onto the floor in a layer of 70 cm, forming beds with an area of ​​½ m² or 75x75 cm.

1. If you have installed racks in the basement on which future mushroom harvests will carefully grow, they must be equipped with sides, and then the compost can be laid directly on the racks in a layer of 45 cm.
2. If cultivation is planned in boxes, which can be placed in stacks in the same basement or cellar (no more than two meters in height), because champignons do not need light for development, compost is poured into boxes. Backfill layer – 25 centimeters
3. If you grow mushrooms in open or greenhouse soil, the compost is rammed directly onto the surface of the ground, 25-30 cm high. Planting begins in early spring, when the ground thaws. Canopies are made over the open ridge to protect from precipitation and sunlight that is too intense for shade-loving champignons.
4. The compost is compacted well by hand and the surface is carefully leveled.

Mycelium

After the preparatory work, the most important moment comes - planting the mycelium. Mushroom mycelium can be planted at a soil temperature no higher than +28°C at a depth of 5 cm. You need to check the temperature with a thermometer. This is important because exceeding even two degrees will kill the mycelium.

The planting material for growing champignons, like other cultivated mushrooms, is sterile mycelium, which is grown in special laboratories. Two varieties of champignons have been selected for cultivation:

• bisporous white;
• bisporous brown.

Their taste and nutritional value do not differ significantly. The only difference is the color of the mushroom, according to its name, white or brown. They sell mycelium or mycelium in bags or jars. Packaging is usually 1-2 kg. The mycelium of both varieties is grown in two ways - on manure and on cereals.

The first, dung mycelium, will be needed for planting 500 g per m² of area. Grain – not 100 g less.

Planting mycelium

The dung mycelium is a rather monolithic lump, which before planting must be divided by hand into small pieces, the size of half a matchbox.

1. The mycelium prepared in this way is laid out on a large tray in one layer. In the soil, a wedge-shaped peg is used to lift part of the top layer so that a piece of mycelium can be placed there.
2. Planting is done in a checkerboard pattern with a cell distance of 20 cm.
3. Part of the mycelium is covered with a substrate no more than 3 cm thick.

Grain mycelium is an ordinary grain on which fungal spores are “planted.” Its sowing is done as you would sow any grain.

1. The top layer of compost, 3 cm wide, is removed from the bed or box.
2. “Mushroom grains” randomly scatter over the surface.
3. The compost is poured back in and lightly pressed down so that there is no void between it and the grains.

By the way! Wild mushroom mycelium is also suitable for growing homemade champignons. If you find a place where champignons grow, take a closer look at the soil. The soil, permeated with a “web” of whitish-gray mushroom spores, is quite suitable for starting your mushroom plantation.

Caring for a champignon plantation

After you have planted, the temperature in the room is maintained high. This is a mandatory condition - the germination of the mycelium will not begin at below +24°C and above +26°C. At this time, in the initial phase of mycelium growth, do not expect immediate “sprouting”. Champignons are not vegetables. They grow deep into the soil, gaining a foothold and forming the future harvest. At low temperatures, growth is insufficient; at high temperatures, the formation of a fruiting body is weak.

Compost humidity should be constantly maintained in the range of 55-60%. As soon as it dries, the mycelium “freezes” and stops growth. The compost is moistened superficially, from a sprayer, so that water does not flood the mycelium, otherwise it will mold and die.

It will take 12 days for the mycelium to grow deeper. After this, the temperature in the room necessarily decreases. Either the heating is turned off, or the transoms and ventilation holes are opened - all methods are good to reduce the temperature to +18°C...20°C.

By this time it is necessary to prepare the soil for backfilling. The mycelium will grow upward not on compost, but from nutritious soil of the following composition:

• turf land;
• loam;
• sandstone;
• fine-textured peat soil.

Any of the listed structural types will do. The main thing is that the soil is not heavy. To add “airiness” and ensure air penetration into the fungal spores, the soil is sifted onto a coarse sieve.

Before backfilling, the soil is moderately moistened. And cover it with a 3-4 cm layer of compost.

Maintaining temperature within specified limits. – +16°С... 18°С, plus or minus two more permissible degrees.

Maintaining humidity in the range of 65-85% (air) and not higher than 60% - earthen layer.

Intensive daily ventilation of the room to remove accumulated carbon dioxide.

You can collect the first homemade mushrooms from your own plantation on the 35-40th day. One fruiting cycle lasts about two months.

Despite all the apparent difficulties and conventions, the growing process, starting from the moment of compost preparation, takes no more than four months. In two months of fruiting, the crop can be harvested 6-7 times. From 5 to 10 kg of mushrooms are collected from a square meter of ridge. The next harvest ripens after 5 days.

Important! Mushrooms must be collected at the stage when the film between the stem and cap is intact and tightly connects them. Opened mushrooms with darkened (for white varieties) plates and damaged film, the remains of which can only be seen on the stem, are best not eaten.

When harvesting champignons, do not cut them with a knife. The mushrooms are twisted out with a gentle hand movement. The holes formed after collection are sprinkled with soil and slightly moistened.

Video - Growing champignons at home (part 1)

Video - Growing champignons at home (part 2)

Video - Harvesting champignons