Detailed Guide to Mushroom Cultivation Techniques: Growing Methods and Management Essentials

There are many varieties of mushrooms; here we introduce the cultivation techniques for shiitake mushrooms. First, choose a suitable location as the mushroom yard. Then, prepare the raw materials and sow the spawn in spring and autumn. Mix 2/3 of the spawn evenly with the growing substrate and sow it within the plastic film, sow 1/3 of the spawn on the surface, press it firm, place grass bundles, then cover with plastic film, and then cover with soil. Finally, just carry out the mushroom yard management work well.

1. Mushroom yard setup. First, choose a gently sloping site sheltered from the north wind, facing the sun, with good resources, close to a water source, with tree shade, plenty of gravel, and slightly acidic soil as the mushroom yard; then, prepare the raw materials, which can include hardwood sawdust, some softwood sawdust, wood shavings, paper scraps, cottonseed hulls, waste cotton, sugar beet pulp, rice straw, corn stalks, corn cobs, wheat straw, sorghum hulls, peanut shells, rice husks, etc.

2. Spawn sowing. Shiitake cultivation methods include log cultivation and substitute substrate cultivation; the commonly used one is substitute substrate cultivation, and the cultivation time is generally in spring and autumn. When sowing, mix 2/3 of the shiitake spawn evenly with the growing substrate and sow it within the plastic film, sow 1/3 of the spawn on the surface, press it firm so that the mushroom bed is level with the ground, then place grass bundles on the bed surface, then cover with plastic film, and afterwards cover with 5-10cm of soil.

3. Mushroom yard management. More than 50 days after sowing, the mycelium can fully cover the mushroom bed; at this time, promptly pack the beds, remove the soil covering the plastic film, open the plastic film, remove the rice straw, and after covering the plastic film again, immediately set up arches and put on blinds, keeping them undisturbed for 7-10 days to promote mycelium recovery and growth. 7-10 days after packing, uncover the grass blinds and open the plastic film every morning and evening for ventilation, promptly use a sponge to absorb standing water on the bed surface, remove diseased blocks, carry out disinfection treatment well, and after ventilating for 2 hours, cover the plastic film and grass blinds again to promote mycelium color change. The color change period generally lasts more than 20-30 days, and when the bed surface turns into a brown mushroom skin, it can enter the fruiting period.