Latest Key Points for Winter Cultivation and Management of Oyster Mushrooms Explained

Oyster mushroom is one of the common edible fungi in daily life. Autumn and winter are the fruiting seasons for oyster mushrooms, and the quality of management during this time directly affects their yield, quality, and returns. So how should cultivation be managed at this time? Let's take a look at the key points for winter cultivation and management of oyster mushrooms.

1. Light should be strong rather than weak

Light is an important way to increase the greenhouse temperature in winter, and it is also an important means of increasing yield and improving the quality of the fruiting bodies. The light intensity and duration should be determined according to the insulation conditions of the greenhouse and climate changes. If the greenhouse has good insulation performance and the nighttime temperature can be maintained above 5 degrees, then the straw mats can be uncovered early and covered late, extending the daytime light period as much as possible; otherwise, the daytime light period should be shortened. Light intensity directly affects the yield and quality of oyster mushrooms. In mushroom greenhouses with stronger light, the fruiting bodies of oyster mushrooms are darker in color, the caps are thicker, the mushroom slices have better toughness, and the yield can also increase by about 20%.

2. Water should be less rather than more

In winter, the temperature is low, evaporation from the greenhouse floor and the substrate is low, the respiration of the mycelium is reduced, and the water consumed is correspondingly reduced. In addition, winter is mainly focused on keeping warm, and the greenhouse is often closed, so water vapor is difficult to release. Therefore, in winter, the greenhouse should be sprayed with less water, not too much. For mushroom greenhouses that are relatively large, have fewer mushroom bags placed, or have good ventilation and are relatively easy to warm up, spraying once every 1-2 days is generally appropriate; otherwise, spray once every 3-4 days. Spraying should not be done with the greenhouse closed, as this will cause the caps to curl upward, or even wither and die, causing physiological diseases.

3. Ventilation should be frequent rather than heavy

Ventilation and air exchange can increase the oxygen content in the greenhouse, but at the same time, cold air will also enter the greenhouse during ventilation, lowering the greenhouse temperature. Therefore, in winter, under the premise of ensuring sufficient oxygen in the greenhouse, the ventilation time should be reduced as much as possible. For mushroom greenhouses with good ventilation conditions, a short-duration, small-ventilation method should be used for air exchange, that is, ventilate 3-4 times a day for 30 minutes each time; otherwise, ventilate 8-10 times, for 20 minutes each time.

4. Heating should be economical rather than extravagant

Temperature is an important factor affecting the formation and normal growth of young oyster mushroom buds in winter. If the greenhouse temperature is too low or the temperature difference is too small, mushroom buds are difficult to form. After budding, if the greenhouse temperature is too low, the fruiting bodies basically stop growing and will not differentiate; even if they differentiate in time, deformed mushrooms will form, with low commercial value. Therefore, after the mushroom buds form, appropriate heating is needed, and the greenhouse temperature should be maintained above 5 degrees to help keep warm and widen the temperature difference, promoting the formation of mushroom buds. After budding, the greenhouse temperature should be controlled at around 8°C to ensure normal growth of the fruiting bodies.

  The above is an introduction to the key points for winter cultivation and management of oyster mushrooms. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.