Home Gardening

Outdoor Gardening

Organic Gardening

Modern Gardening

Urban Gardening

Gardening Business

Growing Mushrooms in Greenhouse – A Full Guide

Introduction: Hello gardeners today we are back with a great information on growing mushrooms in greenhouse. A mushroom is a reproductive structure formed by some fungi. It is somewhat like the fruit of a plant, except that the “seeds” and it makes are in fact millions of microscopic spores that form in the gills or pores underneath the mushroom’s cap. The spores blow away into the wind or spread by other means, such as animal feeding.

A step by steo guide to growing mushrooms in greenhouse

Mushrooms are a type of fungus and there are many different kinds of fungi, including molds and crusts, as well as more developed types that have a stalk and a cap. Fungi are distinct from plants as they do not possess chlorophyll, the green pigment that allows plants to manufacture sugar from the sun’s energy. And they want to absorb their food from the environment in which they live.

Mushrooms are a type of fungi and, like several plants, can be grown as food in greenhouses. Unlike most plants, however, mushrooms do not want sunlight to grow. In fact, mushrooms produce best in cool, dark areas. If you have a space like this in the greenhouse, or if you are able to make a few modifications to create such an environment, you may be able to grow mushrooms yourself.

Best equipment and tools for growing mushrooms in greenhouse

If you want to step up your mushroom in the greenhouse, you should consider certain equipment and tools.

4-tier greenhouse

This will be a great method to control the environment for your mushrooms. It is space-saving and can be used indoors, outdoors or in a bigger greenhouse. It can accommodate several blocks or trays. Another advantage of this portable greenhouse is that you can add a humidifier. It can be automated and spares time and effort from spraying many times a day.

Humidifiers

You could install a humidifier inside the greenhouse to control the humidity level. If you don’t have a humidifier with a fan, remember to loosen the cover several times a day to let fresh air inside. The humidifier’s fan can push fresh and moist air into the chamber.

Ultrasonic humidifiers give a noticeable stream of vapor. Cool mist humidifiers use a wick to draw the water up and are not that efficient. Remember to wash humidifier regularly to prevent impurities from growing inside.

Hygrometer

A hygrometer is an important tool in mushroom growing. Using humidifiers can sometimes make too much moisture. Most of the time you want to maintain at least 80% of relative humidity. With a hygrometer, you can keep an eye on the humidity level in order to set up a humidifier right.

Filter patch bags

The mushroom growing method wants serious disinfection. Prevent impurities from getting into the sterilized substrate mainly by using filter patch bags. Without filter patches, it will be hard to manage high-nutrient medium and to make the high output from exotic mushrooms. These bags can endure sanitizing and atmospheric steaming to assure the essential degree of sterility.

Steamer

Absolute sterilization is one of the critical phases of growing mushroom that is why a steamer is very helpful for every mushroom garden. The affordable and convenient process of steaming is atmospheric steam. It efficiently purifies the substrate farming it for the sought after mycelium. You can also use a pressure cooker to sterilize items such as jars.

Grow lights

Mushrooms choose specific light conditions that can be provided by grow lights. Just watch out that it won’t generate too much heat.

Thermal mats

You can purchase and use thermal mats and it helps you keep a consistent temperature. These pads are reusable and economical. They will improve harvest throughout the cooler days or in winter.

Greenhouse conditions for growing mushrooms

You should not miss the How to Make Vermicompost at Home.

Growing Conditions for Mushrooms in Greenhouse.
Growing Conditions for Mushrooms in Greenhouse.

Though a small amount of light will not hurt mushrooms, they are best grown in darkness. To grow mushrooms in a greenhouse, you could need to make a few modifications to a portion of the greenhouse to block out light. You may need to take steps to ensure that the temperature stays fairly stable, somewhere between 55 and 60°F. Keep the air in the greenhouse could be moist, and take precautions against strong drafts which can be fatal to develop mushrooms. Use a thermometer to get the right and steady temperature. Starting mushroom to a colder temperature and clean air is a huge help for their maturity.

Mushroom trays or logs

Two of the most common methods to grow mushrooms are in trays or logs. Mushroom trays are at least 2 feet long and 10 to 12 inches deep, and they can be purchased prefabricated or built from scrap wood. Fill the trays with growing medium, and then treat with mushroom spawn. If you plan to grow a relatively small quantity of mushrooms, you may choose to use a log instead. The log must be 4 to 6 inches in diameter, at least 40 inches long and cut from an oak or some other hardwood tree during the late winter or early spring. To use the log, drill several holes into the log and then plug the holes with mushroom spawn.

Planting mushrooms in greenhouse

  • Start by setting up growing trays inside the greenhouse system. These trays should be 8 inches deep and between 6 to 8 inches long.
  • Fill the trays with about 6 inches of compost, peat moss, and mushroom spores.
  • Cover the trays with newspaper to maintain it moist and dark until the whitish mycelium appears on the surface of the compost.
  • When you spot the mycelium, add about 2 inches of damp peat moss over the existing substrate and then cover this with a fresh layer of newspaper.
  • After about 2 weeks, remove the layer of the newspaper once the little whiteheads start emerging from the compost.

Mushroom growing medium

  • Most plants thrive in soil and mushrooms, however, demand an unusual set of growing medium. While many edible plants and vegetables can grow in soil, mushrooms want a different kind of growing medium. They produce organic substances with loads of natural sugars and nitrogen. Horse manure combined with straw offers an exceptional growing medium as it is moistened and nutrient-rich.
  • You can also use compost that is made with corn hay, straw, peat moss, and water.
  • If you want to make a large number of mushrooms, creating your individual growing medium may not be effective. Most people choose to buy mushroom kits that have growing medium and spawn included.

You may also like the Small Vegetable Garden Ideas.

Types of mushrooms you can grow in a greenhouse

Some of the mushroom types grow in the greenhouse are;

  • Culinary mushrooms
  • Oyster mushrooms
  • Shiitake
  • Portobello
  • Lion’s mane
  • Morel
  • Wine cap mushroom
  • Champignon mushrooms
  • Reishi mushrooms
  • Chaga mushrooms
  • Cordyceps mushrooms

Preparing the compost substrate

You will want 45 pounds of well-rotted fertilizer for a 100g spawn. The recommended high-grade compost for mushrooms is horse manure which is readily collected from stables. Prepare compost pile in an open shelter or shielded by some kind of wrapping. A tough polythene layer will do and be sure that your compost is free from worms, or invertebrates, which will consume the spawn. The compost will be clean if composting temperature ranges are attained.

Be sure it is very well soaked. Fork into a pile and then press down tightly. In a few hours, the temperature in the center of the stock must increase and become hot. Shift the heap every 2 days for 2 to 3 weeks by forking the external cooler compost into the middle and moisten every time. Your compost is set when it has displayed a dark brown color and has a sugary smell; it must be quite moist to be able to pinch out a few droplets of water.

Mushroom spawn

Mushroom spawn comes in different forms, and the type you need may depend on the growing method you select. Two of the common forms of mushroom spawn are bricks and flakes. When using flake spawn, then mix it directly into the growing medium at a rate of 1 quart per 15 feet of growing space. Break brick spawn into golf ball-sized pieces and plant them 1 to 2 inches deep in the growing medium, and spacing the pieces 6 inches apart. During the weeks after being planted, the spawn will begin to produce mycelium, the web-like root system used by mushrooms to retrieve nutrients from the growing medium.

Watering for growing mushroom in greenhouse

Mushrooms want a lot of water. So ensure you water the trays between 5 to 7 inches every two days. Though, you have to ensure the substrate is merely damp and not wet. Prepare a good kind of water. Chlorine water is not appropriate for mushrooms.

Water mushrooms regularly during the cropping season. It is wasted throughout the evaporation and transpiration. The mushroom takes up water toward its cells and it is restored after watering the casing sheet. The rise in the weight of the mushroom from pinning to growing is linked to the active uptake of water from casing and fertilizer.

Lighting conditions for growing mushrooms in greenhouse

Growing mushrooms do not have chlorophyll. It means that they do not receive nutrients and strength from the sun. During spawning, the greenhouse area wants to be as dark as possible. The area must be sheltered from direct light. Mushrooms want total darkness because any amount of light causes them to grow dark brown caps. However, they want dim light when they start forming heads. During this stage, light from a fluorescent lamp or indirect sunlight could be sufficient. Greenhouse kits that can offer this type of lighting are ideal.

Caring for Mushrooms

Several weeks after planting the mushroom spawn, the growing area must become covered in a white web of mycelium. To encourage growth during these weeks, raise the temperature in the greenhouse to between 55 and 60°F. Watering is important during this stage to keep the spawn moist and mist the trays or logs with water twice a day for the best results. Once the mycelium forms drop the temperature range back down to 60°F and cover the trays or logs with a thin layer of garden soil or damp newspaper. After another few weeks, tiny mushroom heads must begin to appear.

Incase if you miss this: How to Start a Vegetable Garden from Scratch.

Harvesting Mushrooms in greenhouse

You can pick mushrooms when they are small, in the “button” stage, or when they grow to maturity. To harvest mushrooms in the greenhouse, use a sharp knife to cut the stem at the base. You may harvest the mushrooms by hand, pressing down the soil around the stem with one hand and gently twisting the mushroom to separate it from the compost. Once your first batch of mushrooms appears, new growths must appear every 10 to 12 days until the compost becomes exhausted of nutrients. After harvesting mushrooms, mist the compost twice a day until new growths appear. Do not spray developing mushrooms with water as they will most likely turn brown and die.

Critical phases for growing mushrooms in a greenhouse

One of the most critical phases on grow mushrooms in a greenhouse is implementing the best fruiting conditions. You want to maintain a sufficient temperature, moisture, and airflow or your mushroom will dehydrate and will not bear fruit.

Supplying enough airflow as keeping high humidity at the same time is challenging. Several mushrooms have their unique environmental demands, once you own a basic grow space you can customize it to a particular species you are attempting to produce.

Some mushrooms do not develop entirely in the darkness and want a specific level of light to generate healthy fruits while some species grow best in dark areas. If that’s the case, you are required to do some adjustments to a part of the greenhouse to prevent the light.

You may be interested in Tomato Blossom Drop Causes, Control Methods.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here