Edible Mushroom Cultivation Methods: Four Key Points for Supplementing Nutrition

1. Pay attention to the supplementation method:

The methods for supplementing nutrition in edible mushrooms include spraying, pouring, and soaking. The most commonly used method is to prepare a nutrient solution of a certain concentration and spray it on the mushroom bed or mushroom blocks while supplementing water. When spraying during the young bud stage, be careful to spray the nutrient solution on areas without mushrooms or near small mushroom buds, and after spraying, rinse the fruiting bodies with clean water. It is best to spray the nutrient solution when the flush is ending. For mushroom blocks, mushroom sticks, and logs, the soaking method can also be used for supplementation, that is, letting them absorb enough of the prepared nutrient solution and then taking them out, generally after each mushroom flush is harvested. On the mushroom bed, the pouring method can also be used for supplementation, that is, scraping open the casing soil on the surface of the mushroom bed, inserting a funnel into the growing substrate, pouring in the nutrient solution, and then covering it again. Generally, the distance between liquid-pouring holes should be about 10--15 cm, and about 5 ml of nutrient solution should be poured into each hole.

2. Pay attention to balanced supplementation:

When supplementing nutrients, attention should be paid to supplementing different nutrient solutions alternately or in combination, trying to maintain nutrient balance so as to meet the different nutritional needs of edible mushrooms. If only one kind of nutrient is supplemented over a long period, it is difficult to achieve the expected yield increase. On mushroom beds, generally a nutrient solution that adds nutrition should be applied first, and then a high-efficiency nutrient agent should be applied, as this is beneficial to the growth of fruiting bodies. If the hormone method is used to stimulate the growth of edible mushrooms, the hormone should be used after supplementing the nutrient agent.

3. Pay attention to appropriate amounts:

The amount of nutrient solution used must be appropriate. If too much is supplemented at one time, the growing substrate will become too wet, which is instead extremely unfavorable to mycelial growth. Therefore, when supplementing, it should be applied appropriately according to the moisture of the growing substrate. If the substrate moisture is relatively high, the concentration of the nutrient solution should be appropriately increased and the amount of water used reduced; after application, ventilation should be increased to dissipate moisture.

4. Pay attention to the environment:

Generally, when the air temperature is above 20°C, mushroom mycelium finds it difficult to form fruiting bodies, and liquid supplementation should be stopped. Glucose solution, soybean milk, human feces and urine liquid, etc. are all unsuitable for application when the air temperature is above 18°C. If the mushroom bed (block) has already been infected with contaminating microorganisms, liquid supplementation can only be carried out after it has been treated.