Allotments 4 All

Hi

Having managed to get most things growing along nicely I look for a new challenge 'Mushroom'.

I got some seeds on the internet, but unfortunately they came with no instruction. 

I was wondering if there was someone who could point me in the right direction, still a novice at gardening.

Thanks

ACE

I fancy mushrooms.......................... mind you i'm such a beginner i just want to grow everything.................. wish i could grow more time as in tick tock time!!!!!lol!

I thought mushrooms had spores / spawn - virtually invisible.

What did you actually get? Do they look like little bits of dowelling?

Thats exactly what I got, how did you know?

Thought about growing them last year, but didn't go ahead. Here's the advice from one seller.....

"Supplied as wooden 'spawn plugs' - all you need to do is find some freshly cut logs, drill holes in them and push them in. Cropping commences after 4-10 months and continues 3-5 times a year for 3-5 years."

Another specifies hardwood logs and adds:

"Please note that these dowels are available all year, however the logs should be cut during the trees dormant season, between leaf fall in autumn and early spring, and it is recommended that the dowels are planted in the log no longer than 6 weeks after the log has been cut"

- so why do they supply them all year round?

I'm sure there are some plugs you can bung in straw bales, you have to prepare the straw, not sure how  ???

I think on straw you use dried spawn instead of plugs.

It depends on the type of mushrooms you are growing, hardwood logs are used for most mushrooms although oysters will grow on softwood too, some types will grow on sawdust/woodchips/straw/corncobs etc...

Try the instructions here, this is one of the better companies around for mushroom spawn.
http://www.annforfungi.co.uk/shop/how-to-/cat_12.html

Traditional British mushrooms grow in decayed horse poo.

poo, what's poo.  Do you mean manure/nuts?

I think I should cart off on to the pedants site ;D

valmarg

Actually its poo poo :P

Smelly brown stuff which comes out of the animal's rear.