Growing mushrooms using the Myco-Farm .

Stage One: Inject the bag The first stage involves growing the white mushroom mycelium on a bag of sterile rye grain. We use rye as it is easy to mix and allows the mushroom to spread quickly through it. This method is suitable for many different species of mushroom. Temperatures may vary depending on the species grown. 

Everything you need to get started: Myco-Farm, alcohol swab and syringe

Wipe injector site and needle with swab

Inject 2-3 mL of edible mushroom culture. You can store the leftover syringe in the fridge.

Stand the plastic up vertically. Incubate at 25-30^oC in the dark (airing cupboards are good).

White mycelia grows through bag. After 7-10 you can speed things up by gently mixing the bags contents. It should be fully white (or "colonised") within about 20-30 days.

Stages of growth. The bag on the right is fully colonised (i.e. completely white). When the bag is completely white move on to Stage Two: Casing

Stage Two: Casing the bag "Casing" is a term used by mushroom growers to describe the addition of a top layer. Although not all mushrooms need this layer, it is worth adding as it greatly increases yields. It does this by protecting the grain from drying out and also providing a good habitat for baby mushrooms to form and develop. Our casing is a dry mixture of vermiculite and polymer in a bag. This mixture requires the addtion of hot water before use.

Simply boil the kettle and add a mug full of very hot water to the bag (careful not to burn your fingers).

Close the bag and stand upright for about 30 minutes until it cools. Shake to mix the expanded contents.

Cut the top off the white grain bag (from Stage One) about half way up.

Pour the casing layer on to the top of the grain and shake gently to even out.

This picture shows the soil type casing layer which some of you may have.

Fold over the top of the bag and add a couple of clothes pegs. Then cover the whole thing in foil - you should end up with something like this. Put it back in the airing cupboard at 25-30^oC for 5-7 days. Go to Stage Three

Stage Three: Producing mushrooms Mushrooms are the fruitbodies of the mycelium - a bit like the apples on an apple tree. To let the mycelium know it is a good time to produce mushrooms we need to give it three signals: light, air exchange and a reduction in temperature.To do this we place the bag from Stage Two at a lower temperature in a humidity tent which allows light and air in.

During the last week, the mycelium will have started breaking through the casing layer. It is easy to see in this kit with a darker soil layer(it might not be so obvious with the polymer casing).

Roll the sides of the grain bag down. Moisten the perlite in the large humidity tent with 500mL of tap water. Place the grain bag inside of the tent on top of the perlite. Peg the top of the humidity tent.

Place the whole thing in indirect light at 20-24^oC and wait 7-14 days. Near a window works well but not in direct sunlight. You can occasionally open the humidity tent and mist the inside with a hand-sprayer full of clean water if you have one.

After a couple of weeks you should see the formation of baby mushrooms (called "pinheads") on the top of the bag. They are usually white (but here you can see the pink pinheads of Pleurotus djamor growing through polymer casing.

The mushrooms usually develop fully in 5-7 days. You can pick them by washing your hands and carefully twisting and lifting. Each crop of mushrooms is called a "flush". Using the Myco-Farm^TM several flushes of 150g+ each are common.

Once each flush is harvested you will boost future crops by spraying heavily for a few days to replace the lost moisture in the casing layer. Check out these recipes and enjoy! You can ask questions at www.mushroomforum.co.uk