![]() ![]() Now, finally take your harvested mushrooms and create a delicious mushroom meal. After the straw ceases to produce mushrooms, it can be fed to livestock or composted. ![]() If you find your mushrooms with long stalks and small caps, they may not be getting enough light, also high CO 2 levels can also lead to small deformities (allow for more fresh air). After harvesting a few crops, we found it helpful to stack the mounds of straw, which seemed to help increase the yield. When harvesting, remove the mushroom completely, by twisting firmly at its base. You may harvest the mushrooms at any size, however, once a mushroom has reached its full size, you will notice it will begin to dry, turning a yellowish colour (they taste great, even dry). You should expect three or more crops, each taking around a week or so to mature. Pleurotus ostreatus (winter), 10☌ to 20☌ (~50☏ to 70☏) Pleurotus pulmonarius (summer), 16☌ to 28☌ (~60☏ to 80☏) Remember to constantly monitor for pests, such as flies and mice, as they can quickly ruin a crop. Temperatures can now be higher than for the initial pinning stage. As before, allow air to flush through the growing area prior to spraying (oyster mushrooms require a consistent source of fresh air). If any mould is found, either remove the infected straw or the entire mound from the growing area.Īs the mushrooms begin fruiting, it is important to keep the humidity high (85-90% is recommended). Keep a close eye on flies and spray when needed. As you maintain the humidity levels this will regenerate. Pleurotus ostreatus (winter), 10-15☌ (50-60☏) Pleurotus pulmonarius (summer), 10-24☌ to 30☌ (50-75☏) You may notice an initial drying out of early stage pinning, as you remove the plastic. If you can, regulate the temperature accordingly. To prevent excessive CO 2 levels, allow the growing area to flush with clean air before spraying. As our climate is very dry, we only managed 60% at best, dropping down to 40%, by spraying 5 litres of water 2 - 3 times a day (even at these humidity levels a good result can be achieved). You can also wet the floor and leave open containers of water in the room (95-100% humidity is recommended). Increase the growing room humidity by regularly spraying with a water sprayer (avoid spraying directly on the mushrooms). Pinning naturally occurs as humidity increases, low levels of light appear and temperature levels fall. Once pinning has started, it is time to remove the substrate from the bags. Finally, as the bags become fully colonised, the initial stages of fruiting (or pinning) may be seen. At this early stage, it is better to simply remove infected bags, as you want to prevent its spread. Up to a 10% loss due to contamination is generally regarded as acceptable. Green moulds are common and can be caused by contaminated spawn (ineffective grain sterilisation), high moisture / low spawn levels and ineffective straw sterilisation. You may also notice sprouting straw and the appearance of unwanted mushrooms such as the ink cap (see pictures). Black mould found within the straw may indicate ineffective sterilisation. Regularly check bags for any mould contamination and remove any infected bags from the growing area. You may want to spray some surfaces to deter flies and other insects from setting up home, mesh any windows and keep doors closed. However, the best policy for fighting both contamination and infestation, is prevention. While the straw is still in the bags, you shouldn't have a problem with insects or mice. It is important to monitor the bags for any sign of unwanted moulds and pests. ![]()
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