In supermarkets today, mushrooms are outrageously priced. Many people enjoy mushrooms and consider them to be a delicacy. To fight the inflated prices, a growing number of people have begun to grow their own mushrooms indoors at home. One of the easiest and most productive to grow is the oyster mushroom. Oyster mushrooms can be used fresh or they can be stored for future use by freezing or drying them. They have a rather mild flavor that enhances many recipes.

How to Get Started

There are several techniques for growing mushrooms such as using a starter kit. These kits come complete with everything needed to grow the mushrooms. Another technique for producing oyster mushrooms indoors using spawn follows:

• Mushroom spawn are simply spores and seedlings and can be purchased from many gardening stores, nurseries, or even online.
• Choose an area in the home that is dark and cool in which to grow the mushrooms.
• Cover the bottom of a pan with straw.
• Maintain the temperature of the room at seventy degrees.
• Spread the spawns throughout the straw. Roots of the spawn will attach to the straw after three to four weeks.
• Once the roots have formed and attached, the temperature should be lowered between 55 to 60 degrees F.
• Use a high grade of potting soil to cover the spawn. Sprinkle the soil over the spawn until it is an estimated inch thick.
• Cover the entire pan with a damp not wet cloth.
• Maintain moisture in the cloth by using a spray bottle.
• Check the soil to make sure it is moist at least every two days. Never let it dry out. Spray the soil until it is damp.
• Always use non-chlorinated water such as rain, well, or spring water.
• Never fertilize the spawn or mushrooms.

After about a month, mushrooms should start to appear. Oyster mushrooms will be ready for harvesting when the caps are spread out fully. The caps will be open and will separate away from the stem of the mushroom. To harvest simply cut the stem flush with the soil. With most varieties of mushrooms, harvest will come in waves. Harvesting mushrooms when they are ready will help to boost the growth of other mushrooms. After harvesting, oyster mushrooms usually begin to turn bad within three or four days. Be sure to properly store mushrooms. Blanching oyster mushrooms that have been fresh cut before placing them in a freezer aids in killing enzymes so they do not lose their consistency and flavor. Most individuals who have raised mushrooms at home report that their mushrooms have much more flavor than those that are offered in supermarkets and grocery stores. Growing mushrooms is not only cost effective but a very relaxing and enjoyable activity for most.

By: Jackson Forrest

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