Oyster mushrooms come in several colors, like yellow. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.
For mushroom lovers, the idea of growing these fabulous fungi at home can be exciting and intimidating. Shiitake mushrooms and oyster mushrooms are two great types for the beginning home mushroom grower to try. Shiitake mushrooms, while often found in stores, are much cheaper to grow at home. Oyster mushrooms are less common in stores because of their delicate, hard-to-ship nature.
Purchasing a mushroom cultivation kit is the easiest way to start growing your own mushrooms at home. Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) or Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) are great choices for first timers because they are delicious and are some of the easiest to grow.
How you grow your mushrooms will depend on the kit you buy. But don’t worry; they should come with instructions to help you get started.
A little about mushrooms
The parts of the mushrooms that we eat are actually the fruiting (reproductive) bodies of fungi. Growing mushrooms is quite different from growing plants. Since mushrooms are not capable of photosynthesis and producing their own food like plants, mushrooms depend on a substrate, material on which the mushrooms grow. Logs, straw, or other cellulose sources are some examples. The mushrooms take nutrients from the substrate as it decomposes. Growing mushrooms indoors is generally preferred since it will provide you more continuous and predictable fruiting.
Oyster Mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms are delicate, with a flavor that is milder than Shiitakes. You aren’t likely to see these in stores simply because they don’t ship well. Colors will vary with the different strains but you can have oyster mushrooms that are tan, cream, grey, pink, or yellow.
Generally, oyster mushroom growing kits will come with a mass of sticky white mycelium (the thread-like, non-reproductive starter part of mushrooms) that has colonized a tower of straw inside of a perforated plastic bag. After soaking, mushrooms will form on the outside and should be ready for harvest in just about a month.
Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms have a full, smoky flavor and a dense texture that holds up well for cooking. They're easily found in stores, but you can likely grow them much more inexpensively at home. Growing Shiitakes at home is rewarding. It might take a bit of time to get started, but once you’re going they can produce sporadic flushes. Choosing your substrate is a very important part of growing Shiitake mushrooms. If growing on hardwood logs, Shiitakes can be produced for 3 to 5 years once the wood has been inoculated with mushroom spawn.
Shiitake mushrooms growing on a log substrate. USDA photo by Lance Cheung.
Once you get the hang of growing mushrooms you can try your hand at purchasing spawn that will grow on other materials, such as sawdust and even shredded paper. You may even want to try some different—and potentially more challenging—mushroom types like chanterelle (Chantharellus cibarius), “yellow” morel (Morchella esculenta), and field mushrooms (Agaricus campestris).
For more information on growing your own mushrooms, contact your local County Extension Office.
Also on Gardening Solutions
More from UF/IFAS
FAQs
There are three primary ways to grow mushrooms at home: Using a box kit inoculated with spores. In a bucket using sawdust spawn and a substrate.
What are the 5 steps to growing mushrooms? ›
The six steps are Phase I composting, Phase II composting, spawning, casing, pinning, and cropping. These steps are described in their naturally occurring sequence, emphasizing the salient features within each step. Compost provides nutrients needed for mushrooms to grow.
What needs to increase in the mushroom house for the mushrooms to grow? ›
Here's a summary: Temperature stability – mushrooms need things stable – some like it hot, some like it cold, but they all like it consistent, once they're fruiting. Which can be tricky to maintain in a home growing context. High humidity – mushrooms need about 90% humidity to fruit really well.
How do you grow mushrooms efficiently? ›
The mushroom log-growing method summed up:
- Obtain mushroom sawdust spawn and tools for outdoor growing.
- Harvest compatible logs.
- Drill holes in logs.
- Fill holes with mushroom spawn.
- Seal the holes with wax.
- Set logs in a place they will stay moist.
- Monitor for colonization of logs by spawn.
- Harvest and enjoy!
Can I grow mushrooms at home? Yes. Though it depends on what type of mushroom you want to grow and how much dedication you have. The growing conditions for mushrooms can vary widely from species to species, and some aren't really viable at a small scale.
What makes mushrooms grow the best? ›
The ideal growing conditions for mushrooms are around 70 degrees Fahrenheit and greater than 90% humidity.
What conditions are needed for a mushroom to grow? ›
Mushrooms like dark, cool, and humid growing environments. When you're growing mushrooms at home, a place like your basem*nt is ideal, but a spot under the sink could also work. Before you start growing, test out your spot by checking the temperature.
What materials are needed for mushroom cultivation? ›
The substrate on which button mushroom grows is mainly prepared from a mixture of plant wastes (cereal straw/ sugarcane bagasse etc.), salts (urea, superphosphate / gypsum etc), supplements (rice bran/ wheat bran) and water. In order to produce 1 kg. of mushroom, 2.2 kg of dry substrate materials are required.
What is the cheapest way to grow mushrooms? ›
Another easy, inexpensive option for growing mushrooms at home is inoculated sawdust in a plastic bag. These come in kit versions, but you can also make them yourself. Store them in a bathroom where it is dark and moist and you'll start to see flushing pretty quickly.
What stimulates mushroom growth? ›
Physical damage to the hypha stimulates fruit body formation in mushrooms [8,10]. The other explanation involves the activation of enzymes. Some enzymes are activated by applying a high voltage, and consequently, mushroom fruit bodies develop abundantly [5].
Gypsum is a mineral that helps speed up the mushroom growing process in small amounts.
What supplements increase mushroom yield? ›
Supplements such as wheat bran have been used as a source of carbohydrates and nitrogen to the main substrates [20], since most of the substrates do not have enough nitrogen required by mushroom [21]. Hence, it has been established that wheat bran supplement improves yield/productivity of P. ostreatus mushrooms [18].
Where is the best place to grow mushrooms? ›
Mushrooms are best grown under-cover, where temperature and moisture can be controlled. A shed, garage, garden cold frame or cellar will work well – anywhere out of the sun where it's possible to give mushrooms their optimum growing temperature of around 15°C (the temperature shouldn't go below 10°C or above 20°C).
Can you grow and sell mushrooms from home? ›
Navigating the Regulations
Most states differentiate between "Intentionally Cultivated" and "Wild Harvested" Mushrooms for regulatory purposes. Generally, simply selling mushrooms you grow in a designated space as a fresh produce item means you can sell with little or no regulation, at least a smaller scale.
How do mushrooms grow in houses? ›
Missing grout in the shower cubicle, lack of sealant around the tap spindles to provide a waterproof seal, a leaking pipe in the wall and a failure in the laundry taps. All of these elements combined to provide sufficient moisture to support the growth of the mushrooms inside the house.
Can you grow mushrooms from store-bought mushrooms? ›
The best variety for home growing is oyster mushrooms, though you can use any type. Store bought mushroom propagation is quite easy, but you should choose fungi from organic sources. Propagating store bought mushrooms from the ends just requires a good fruiting medium, moisture, and the proper growing environment.
How do mushrooms grow in backyard? ›
Prolonged periods of wet, humid weather, such as we have had over the past few weeks, cause fungi to send up fruiting structures. Fungi disperse to new areas via windblown spores. When the spores land in a suitable location they develop into new fungi which will grow mushrooms given enough time.
