What are the key points for winter cultivation of shiitake mushrooms? A must-read for growers

Shiitake mushrooms are crisp and tender in texture, delicious in taste, rich in nutrients, and highly profitable. Among mushroom farmers there is a saying: "Plant shiitake on one mu of idle land, and become a ten-thousand-yuan household that same year." The key points of winter management are briefly introduced as follows:

The climate characteristics of late autumn and early winter are low temperatures, large temperature differences between day and night, and humidity that is easy to control. Under normal circumstances, the mycelium grows slowly, fewer mushrooms emerge, and the fruiting bodies also grow slowly. Under such conditions, keeping the mushroom bed warm and preventing the intrusion of cold wind are key factors among the many growth factors, so attention should be paid to weather changes, and the covering and the timing of uncovering should be reasonably adjusted. Ventilation and air exchange should be arranged at warm noon.

Summarizing practical experience, the issues that need attention in production are: preventing frost and cold wind damage, controlling temperature, and avoiding excessive water spraying, which can prevent the death of small mushroom buds. Snowy days and snow-melting days are conducive to the formation and development of fruiting bodies. The covering can be removed to naturally regulate the temperature and humidity differences and stimulate the production of more high-quality winter mushrooms. In particular, when the water content of the mycelium is relatively low and the climate conditions are dry and cold, flower shiitake mushrooms can be induced to form. When the mushroom buds grow to 2-3 cm, the film can also be opened at night to let cold air invade the mushroom bed, artificially creating dry and cold air conditions, causing the surface growth of the mushroom cap to be blocked. Meanwhile, the cells of the mushroom flesh are still dividing and growing inside the fruiting body and accumulating nutrients. In this way, the contradiction between the blocked growth of the internal cells causes asynchronous internal and external growth. The epidermis cracks and the mushroom flesh is exposed, so exposed strips of mushroom flesh appear on the cap. The white flesh divides the brown cap into chrysanthemum-like or tortoise-shell-like patterns. This is what we commonly call flower shiitake mushrooms. The commercial value of flower shiitake mushrooms is particularly high, generally 5-10 times higher than ordinary shiitake mushrooms.