Detailed Guide to Autumn Cultivation and Management Techniques for Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushroom, also known as flower mushroom or winter mushroom, is rich in calcium, amino acids needed by the human body, and other trace elements. Among what people traditionally call the “treasures of the mountains and delicacies of the sea,” the “treasures of the mountains” refers to the shiitake mushroom. Shiitake mushrooms have plump and tender flesh and a delicious flavor; they can be used medicinally and also have excellent dietary therapeutic effects. Below is an introduction to the autumn cultivation and management techniques for shiitake mushrooms.
1. Indoor Spawn Running
The cultivation and growth process of shiitake mushrooms, from inoculation to maturity, takes about 60 days. In autumn and winter, attention should be paid to controlling room temperature. The temperature of the spawn-running room should be controlled at around 25 degrees, and the relative humidity of the indoor air should be kept below 70%. After inoculation, shiitake mushroom bags should be promptly moved into the spawn-running room for cultivation.
From 1-6 days after inoculation of shiitake mushrooms, the room temperature of the spawn-running room should be controlled at 28-30 degrees. At this time, the shiitake mycelium is at the germination stage, so care should be taken not to turn the mushroom bags, not to ventilate, and not to provide light.
From 7-10 days after inoculation of shiitake mushrooms, the room temperature of the spawn-running room should be controlled at 26-28 degrees. At this time, the shiitake mycelium begins to grow and colonize the substrate, so good ventilation conditions should be ensured, ventilating 2 or 3 times per day. At this stage, care should be taken to turn the stacks once every 7 days, that is, to swap the positions of the upper and lower mushroom bags, so that every mushroom bag can be managed under the same conditions.
2. Color Change of Mushroom Bags
After the shiitake mycelium grows and matures, its color changes from white to reddish-brown, and yellow water droplets appear. The quality of the color change of the shiitake mycelium is directly related to the yield of mushrooms, and the timing of the color change directly determines the timing of mushroom emergence. When the shiitake mycelium reaches the color-change stage, ventilation should be strengthened so that the carbon dioxide concentration in the indoor air is below 0.1%. Attention should also be paid to increasing indoor diffused light; exposure to diffused light affects the growth of shiitake primordia. In addition, the plastic film of the mushroom bags can be covered and uncovered alternately, making the growth environment of the mycelium alternately dry and moist, which can promote mycelium color change.
3. Outdoor Mushroom Induction
Shiitake mushroom is a low-temperature mushroom species. When the color change of the mushroom bags is complete and they have become covered with a reddish-brown mycelial film, the bags should be moved to a shaded outdoor location. The tops and bottoms of the mushroom bags should be covered well with wheat straw to ensure a certain temperature. Next, water can be sprinkled to maintain moisture. When sprinkling water, care should be taken not to spray it directly onto the mushroom bodies, otherwise bacteria are likely to breed and cause softening and rot. Use the method of covering with film at night and uncovering it during the day; after continuing this for 4 or 5 days, simply cover with plastic film for a mushroom-stifling treatment.
4. Mushroom Emergence Management
Low-temperature weather is more favorable for mycelium growth. In autumn, as the temperature gradually drops, good climatic conditions are created for mushroom emergence. Use a small knife to slit the plastic film of the mushroom bags after the mushroom induction treatment, and then the next step, mushroom resting, can be carried out. The mushroom resting period generally lasts about 10 days, during which no film covering is needed. When the young mushrooms grow to the size of a peanut, the next step, flower induction, can be carried out.
When the mushroom bodies grow to 2 or 3 cm, the growth of the fruiting bodies can be accelerated by splashing water on the ground surface to speed up temperature changes. An alternating dry-and-wet method can be adopted, that is, uncovering the film at night to let cold air in, then covering the film again; repeating this several times can promote the mushroom caps to split into patterned flower mushrooms. At this point, mushroom emergence of shiitake mushrooms is complete, and the next steps are harvesting and storage.
The above is a brief introduction to the autumn cultivation and management techniques for shiitake mushrooms. Shiitake mushroom cultivation has low cost and good economic benefits. Friends who are interested in cultivating shiitake mushrooms may wish to use this as a reference.