Easy Mushroom Cultivation

Varieties

• Oyster mushrooms are reportedly the easiest to grow because they can defend against fungi spores that are present in the air we breathe. These mushrooms grow in straw bales that are pasteurized and then inoculated with the mushrooms spores. Nameko mushrooms also grow using the straw bale method.

Area

• Select a dark area free from drafts in which to place the inoculated straw bale. Mushrooms prefer high humidity. A small, plastic greenhouse works well to maintain moisture and provide an enclosed space that keeps out airborne fungi spores.

Environment

• A mild environment of 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity ranging from 70 to 80 percent are ideal growing conditions for these mushrooms.

Water

• Mushrooms are sensitive to chlorine and must be watered with rain or spring water, or water that comes from a well. The bale must be kept moist for mushrooms to grow.

Harvest

• Once the mycelium have colonized, the straw bale it will produce mushrooms if conditions have been right.