When is the planting and harvesting season for reishi mushrooms?

Generally speaking, there are certain patterns in the growth of crops, and these growth patterns are not immutable. Once the natural environment provides conditions suitable for seed germination, the crop can germinate smoothly. However, temporary satisfaction of conditions does not mean that the subsequent environmental conditions will still be suitable. Clever farmers use their own eyes to summarize these experiences, which then become established customs.

When is reishi mushroom planted

Reishi mushroom takes about 50~60 days from inoculation to harvest. Under current artificial cultivation conditions, there is no fixed planting time. As long as a suitable living environment for reishi mushroom can be provided, it can be helped to grow normally.

The growing environment of reishi mushroom

1. Temperature

The primordia of the reishi mushroom fruiting body can form in large numbers at 25-30°C, form less and grow slowly below 22°C, and although they can form above 34°C, after the primordia form they easily develop tumor-like protrusions and stop developing. The reishi mushroom cap grows relatively quickly at 28-30°C, with sparser concentric rings and a lighter surface color. At 24-26°C, the growth period is longer, more active ingredients accumulate, and the texture is harder, so reishi mushroom grown at this temperature has better quality. In order to balance growth time and fruiting body quality, the room temperature during the primordium differentiation and growth stage should preferably be controlled at (28±1)°C, and during the cap growth stage preferably at (26±1)°C.

2. Humidity

The reishi mushroom fruiting body's demand for temperature is characterized by high humidity and constant humidity. The suitable relative humidity is 90%-95%, and it is required that from the appearance of the primordia to the maturity of the fruiting body, the humidity should remain relatively constant, so that the fruiting body can grow normally and evenly. However, because the fruiting body growth period is long, the air temperature is high, and water evaporation is large, to achieve the required humidity, water must be poured on the ground or in trenches 3-4 times a day, combined with misting water into the space. If the humidity is normal, the top of the young reishi mushroom or the growing part at the edge of the cap is rounded and regular in shape and dark white. When the air is dry, this part turns grayish white, then yellow, while the surface becomes rough or uneven and loses its luster. Based on this, it can be judged whether the fruiting body lacks water. If water shortage is found, mist water directly onto the fruiting body, combined with watering (sprinkling) on the ground (trench). During the spore release period, avoid directly spraying the cap, and lower the indoor relative humidity to a relatively low level of 85%-90%.

3. Aeration

The reishi mushroom fruiting body is very sensitive to the carbon dioxide content in the air. According to measurements, during the primordium stage the fruiting body can differentiate normally when the carbon dioxide volume fraction is less than 0.1%. When the carbon dioxide volume fraction in the air is within 0.03%-0.06%, cap differentiation is relatively fast and development is normal. When the carbon dioxide volume fraction reaches above 0.1%, it is difficult for the cap to differentiate and form, and the stipe can elongate and branch into an antler shape. Therefore, during the formation and development of the fruiting body, good ventilation conditions should often be maintained indoors. To resolve the contradiction between ventilation and heat preservation, it is generally better to ventilate at night or early morning, or to maintain a slow airflow for ventilation all day.

4. Light

The reishi mushroom fruiting body is also very sensitive to light and has the characteristic of growing toward light. Light intensity and light source direction both have a great influence on fruiting body growth. According to measurements, when the light intensity is 4000-6000LX, the fruiting body develops normally, the stipe is thick and strong, and the cap is thick and large. When the light is stronger, the stipe is thin and small, and the cap does not differentiate or forms a small and thin cap. After the primordia of the fruiting body form, the direction of the light source must not be changed arbitrarily, nor should the position of the cultivation bag be moved, otherwise normal growth of the fruiting body will be affected and deformed reishi mushrooms will easily form. If cultivation is in upright bags, in order to allow the fruiting body to develop normally, generally after the primordia form, light is first admitted from the top surface so that the stipe extends upward. After the cap differentiates, the top surface is shaded, and light is admitted from one side instead, so that the cap grows horizontally toward the light source. In this way, a regular fruiting body can be formed with the stipe perpendicular to the cap and the cap fan-shaped.

Main producing areas of reishi mushroom

Reishi mushroom is native to eastern Asia, and in China it is most widely distributed in Jiangxi.

Producing areas: cultivated in most parts of the country, with Mount Lu in the south being the most famous.

Reishi mushroom is produced in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and eastern Asia. It is widely distributed in China, but mostly south of the Yangtze River, in the high-temperature and rainy areas south of the Yangtze River. The specific provinces are: Anhui, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi.

The species of the Ganodermataceae family in the world are mainly distributed in the tropical and subtropical zones of Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas, with a few distributed in temperate zones. Europe, located in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, has only 4 species of the Ganoderma genus, while North America has about 5 species. China spans from the tropics to the cold temperate zone, and has many species of Ganodermataceae with a wide distribution.

Harvesting and processing of reishi mushroom

Cut it off from the middle of the stipe with a small knife, without breaking the cut, then spread it out to air-dry, or dry it at low temperature. If collecting spore powder, place clean plastic sheeting or smooth clean paper under the fruiting bodies on the cultivation rack, collect with a board brush, and after the spore powder is sun-dried and dried, store it in plastic bags for medicinal use.

Reishi mushroom in a natural growing state will germinate once it encounters an environment suitable for its own growth. For reishi mushroom cared for artificially, no matter what season it is, people will provide light and temperature suitable for growth according to its growth characteristics, so there is no need to deliberately pursue a planting time.