What precautions are there for cultivating lion's mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus)? Master the key growing points
What should be noted when cultivating lion's mane mushroom? Please give guidance. The Zhongdi Network has compiled the key points for cultivating lion's mane mushroom, listed below for netizens' reference. Note 1: Reasonable selection of materials and scientific formula. The raw materials for cultivating lion's mane mushroom are extremely wide-ranging, such as cottonseed hulls, sawdust, corncobs, bean stalks, wild grass, distillers' grains, etc., suit...
What should be noted when cultivating lion's mane mushroom? Please give guidanceThe Zhongdi Network has compiled the key points for cultivating lion's mane mushroom, listed below for netizens' reference.
Note 1: Reasonable selection of materials and scientific formula
The raw materials for cultivating lion's mane mushroom are extremely wide-ranging, such as cottonseed hulls, sawdust, corncobs, bean stalks, wild grass, distillers' grains, etc. Adding an appropriate amount of auxiliary materials such as wheat bran and cornmeal, and mixing them in a suitable ratio, allows the lion's mane mushroom to grow well. If a small amount of minerals such as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium is added to these culture materials, growth will be even better. Each region can choose an economical formula according to its local advantages in material sourcing: (1) Sawdust 78%, rice bran or wheat bran 20%, white sugar and gypsum 1% each. (2) Cottonseed hulls 90%, gypsum and white sugar 1% each. (3) Corncob or bean stalk powder 80%, wheat bran 18% and white sugar 1% each.
Choose any one of the above formulas, mix thoroughly, and bring the water content to 60%. The pH value is 4-6. Note: the selected materials must be fresh, free of mold and free of insect damage; the materials must be mixed evenly; the filling must be done quickly, entering the sterilization stage in the shortest possible time.
Note 2: Choose a suitable cultivation season
According to the biological characteristics of lion's mane mushroom, the optimum temperature for its mycelial growth is about 25°C, and the mycelium cultivation time is 30-40 days. The suitable growth temperature for the fruiting body is 16-20°C. One cultivation can yield 3 flushes and takes about 2 months. Therefore, in our region, production is generally suitable from September to November. Each region can arrange the production time reasonably according to local climatic conditions.
Note 3: Choose a suitable cultivation method
1. Bag cultivation method for lion's mane mushroom
Choose low-pressure polyethylene tube material of 15-17 cm × 26-33 cm × 0.04 mm. Evenly fill the mixed cultivation material into the bag, keeping it suitably firm, consistent from top to bottom. The bag opening can be fitted with a neck ring or tied tightly. After filling, sterilize immediately; for normal-pressure sterilization, the requirement is to rise rapidly to 100°C within 46 hours and hold for about 10 hours. After letting it sit overnight with the heat off, move the material bags into the inoculation room while hot, and start inoculation once the bag temperature drops to 28-30°C. Inoculation must be carried out in an inoculation box or under sterile conditions, and can be done by inoculating both ends or by punching a hole in the middle. After inoculation, move them into the culture room for culturing.
2. Bottle cultivation method for lion's mane mushroom
Canning jars, spawn bottles and liquor bottles can all be used, but liquor bottles are better. If using liquor bottles, the bottle neck must be cut off by 5-7 cm, the bottle brushed clean, filled with cultivation material, plugged with a cotton plug, and the cotton plug wrapped with a layer of kraft paper; canning jars are sealed with polypropylene film. Sterilization and inoculation are the same as for bag cultivation. Then begin the mycelium cultivation.
Note 4: Cultivation and mycelial growth
Set up cultivation racks, with each tier 30-40 cm high. Disinfect the room in advance, either by spraying with 3% Lysol, or by fumigation with potassium permanganate and formaldehyde. Use 10 ml of formaldehyde and 6 g of potassium permanganate per cubic meter, mix them to produce vapor, and close doors and windows. Place the inoculated bottles or bags on the racks, keep the room temperature at 20-26°C, and the relative air humidity at 70%. After about 25-30 days the mycelium can fully colonize. During mycelial cultivation, keep it shaded and well ventilated; darkness or weak light in the room is sufficient.
Note 5: Management of lion's mane mushroom during the fruiting period
1. Opening the spawn bags
During fruiting body cultivation there must be openings for fruiting. For bottle-cultivated lion's mane mushroom, pull out the cotton plug or remove the kraft paper and cut a round hole 2 cm in diameter in the center of the sealing plastic film. For bag-cultivated lion's mane mushroom, remove the cotton plug inside the neck ring or peel off the adhesive tape over the inoculation hole, cover the bag with plastic film, and lift the film once every 2-3 days to promote the formation of mushroom buds. When the buds are 2-3 cm in diameter, remove the film.
2. Temperature and humidity control in the mushroom house
The temperature of the mushroom house should be kept between 12-20°C, with around 18°C being most suitable, and the relative air humidity controlled at 85-90%. Spray water into the room with a sprayer 3-4 times a day. During high temperatures, necessary cooling measures should be taken, such as covering the top, ventilation and air exchange, and increasing water spraying; during low temperatures, heating and insulation measures should be strengthened.
3. The mushroom house should be ventilated appropriately
The growth of lion's mane mushroom fruiting bodies requires fresh air and good ventilation; the fruiting bodies will then be large, firm in texture, white in color, fast-growing and high-yielding, with spines of moderate length and good marketability. Otherwise, yields will be low and deformities may even appear. Therefore, attention should be paid to ventilation and air exchange in the mushroom house, opening the vents at set times each day. During high temperatures, ventilate mostly in the morning and evening, about 30 minutes each time; during low temperatures, ventilate at noon, always keeping the air in the mushroom house fresh.
4. Light for lion's mane mushroom
Although lion's mane mushroom fruiting bodies can form under dark conditions, deformed mushrooms often appear. Moreover, strong light is also unfavorable for fruiting body formation. Generally, a light intensity of 200-300 lux is suitable. Usually, a certain amount of scattered light in the mushroom house is sufficient.
Note 6: Harvesting lion's mane mushroom
Lion's mane mushroom should be harvested before the fruiting body fully matures. The standard is: the fruiting body has basically reached full size, is firm, the spores have not yet been released, and the spines are 1-1.5 cm long, at which point it can be harvested. If harvested too late, the flesh becomes loose and the bitter taste is strong, which is unfavorable for processing and also affects the formation of the next batch of mushrooms.
When harvesting, press down on the cultivation material with one hand, and with the other hand gently pull off the fruiting body or cut it off with a small knife. After harvesting, promptly clean the surface of the material, gently scratch the mycelium to let it rejuvenate. Under suitable conditions, a second flush of mushrooms will appear successively after 15-20 days. Generally, 2-3 harvests can be made. From inoculation to the end of harvesting takes about 3 months. After harvesting, fresh-keeping must not exceed 12 hours; a small amount can be sold fresh, and a large amount can be sun-dried or dried at 60°C, then sealed and stored in double-layer plastic bags.
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