Correct Methods and Techniques for Skillfully Harvesting Edible Mushrooms

Edible mushrooms are nutritious vegetables much loved by urban and rural people, and they are also an important way for farmers to increase income and become wealthy. Therefore, the following techniques should be mastered during harvesting:

1. Grasp the best harvest period. Various mushrooms and wood ear fungi are basically ready to harvest when they mature in July and August, when their appearance is beautiful, their color is fresh and glossy, and they taste good. Take shiitake mushrooms as an example: the signs of maturity in July and August are that the partial veil has broken, the cap has not yet fully opened, and there is still a slight inward curl, forming a "gong rim"; the gills have all elongated and changed from white to yellow-brown or dark brown. This is the harvest period for shiitake mushrooms. Shiitake mushrooms harvested at the right time have bright color, strong aroma, thick caps, soft and resilient flesh, and high commercial value. If harvested too late, the cap opens fully, the flesh is thin, the stipe is long, and the gills change color; at this point, its weight is reduced and its commercial value is low.

2. Pay attention to harvesting techniques. For mushrooms with stipes (shiitake, button mushrooms, straw mushrooms, etc.), harvest must follow the principle of picking the large ones and leaving the small ones. When picking, pinch the base of the stipe tightly with the thumb and index finger, first rotate left and right, then gently pull upward. Never bruise the surrounding mushroom buds, and do not let the mushroom base remain on the mushroom log to rot and mold, which would affect later fruiting. If mature mushrooms are growing densely and the bases are deep, use a small sharp knife to dig them out from the base of the stipe, taking care to keep the mushroom shape intact.

3. Choose suitable weather. Harvesting on sunny days is good for processing. Generally do not harvest on cloudy and rainy days, because the water content is high, it is difficult to dry, and quality is affected. If they must be harvested because otherwise they would age and rot, then they should also be harvested, but processing must be done promptly. For silver ear fungus, black wood ear fungus, and the like, spraying water should be stopped on cloudy days, ventilation should be strengthened, and the ear pieces should be allowed to flatten, then harvested when the weather improves. This is beneficial for drying.

4. Use suitable containers. Freshly harvested mushrooms should be placed in small bamboo baskets or small baskets, and handled carefully and gently to keep the fruiting bodies intact and prevent damage from pressing and squeezing each other, which could affect quality. Freshly picked mushrooms should be separated according to fruiting body size and shape quality, and must not be mixed together. Then they should be placed separately in containers for grading and processing.

5. Stop watering and control temperature before harvest. For products intended for fresh export or dehydration and drying, moisture must be removed or dehydrated during processing. If water is sprayed before harvest, the mushroom bodies have high water content; when processing fresh mushrooms, the gills turn brown, and when dehydrating and drying, the gills turn black, so the product does not meet export requirements. If sold domestically, too high a water content in the mushroom bodies makes them prone to mold. Therefore, water must not be sprayed before harvest, so that the mushroom bodies maintain their original moisture, giving them a beautiful appearance, high commercial value, easy sale, and smooth market channels.