Topic: Mushrooms

[Slaine]

Hi

I'm thinking of growing mushrooms in a well shaded part of my plot behind my shed.

what is the easiest way of doing this and what is the yeild like?

I'm think of growing just normal button and maybe chestnut mushrooms as we use them the most in cooking.

Ta

George

[Columbus]

Hi Slaine,

I tried growing mushrooms last year using a kit from the farmers market in my allotment shed. I didn`t get a single mushroom. B&Q sell bags of spore-stuff with their plant seeds. About £4 I think. (Someone correct me on the price if you can please)

I`m planning a similar idea as you for this year - starting them off around my water barrels, on the shady side of  the shed.

Best of luck, Col

[Slaine]

I wonder what they grow best on, i have heard of using loo rolls & old logs, i can dedicate 2m x 2m patch to this lil project.

so i'm wondering what is the best way to get the most out of that area, I was thinking if of old logs planted upright and try towerblock growing but i dont know if this would work.

But since i have limited time to spend on the plot as my daily commute to work is 5- 6hrs a day, i have to grow what what saves me the most money at the supermarket ;)

[Apple Dumpling]

You spend 5-6 hours just getting to work each day?  YOUCH!! You poor thing.  :(

May I offer a couple of suggestions?
1. Change your job.
2. Move home.

Take it easy - Apple

[Slaine]

I wasnt happy moving from Newcastle to the midlands, there's noway i'm moving to London, tis a bit too far south for me.

As for the job it pays the bills and keeps the bairns fed so till the mortgage is payed off or a decent payed job comes up in Nottingham or Leicester i'm stuck.

But at least i have a job so i'm happy :)    (well until i have to hand the money over to the missus anyway!)

[ajb]

Button mushies grow on well rotted strawy manure but then you have to cover them with a "casing" which is a mix of chalk and peat.

Since I don't use peat I think I'll just have a go covering with compost.

I believe the log-growing kind are oyster mushrooms (and probably others). You buy innocculated dowels, drill holes in logs then stuff the dowels in and cross your fingers. You can buy fungi logs but they are expensive!

[loz]

Good grief Slaine , you must be kna*****d by the time you get home!  You've got my admiration tho, I only have to travel 1/2 hr, and that is too much!

Anyway you can try button mushroom kits from the garden centre, but they are quite small.

I think commercially buttons are grown in temperature stable environments, so perhaps growing them outside is risky.

I think the dowel types are the best bet for outside, you inoculate logs and then bury them, but they do not produce until the following year.

Good luck!

Loz