Growing champignons at home - step by step technology. How to independently breed and grow champignon mushrooms at home yourself. How to grow a rich harvest of champignons with your own hands without special expenses

Even a novice mushroom picker can grow it; you just need to find out what conditions are important to create for growing such mushrooms.

Breeding

You can breed champignons different ways, but taking into account the following features:

The mycelium should be added to the substrate at a compost temperature of about +25+27 degrees.
For the incubation period, the temperature is maintained at 22 to 25 degrees Celsius, and for the period of mushroom appearance, a temperature of 14 to 17 degrees is needed.
Ventilation is not needed during the incubation period, but during fruiting it is very important to ventilate the room, since champignon is quite sensitive to excess carbon dioxide.
Champignons do not need lighting.
The collection of champignons is carried out by extracting the mushrooms along with the roots. Unscrew the mushroom and carefully separate it from the soil. Such collection will not cause depletion of the mycelium.

Tools and materials you will need:

Storage containers
Shovel
Polyethylene film
Sprayer
Scissors
Sapka
Irrigation hose
Urea
Compost
Superphosphate

Mycelium

Most often, mycelium is purchased from trusted suppliers. It can be compost (more resistant to external factors) and grain (better quality). You can also purchase ready-made mycelium from companies that sell mycelium.

You can prepare raw materials for planting champignons yourself from overripe mushrooms. They are filled with water and left for a day so that the spores enter the liquid. The soil is evenly watered with this liquid and sprinkled with a 1-centimeter layer of soil.

You can also use wild mycelium for sowing, taking it from places where champignons grow in nature. The mycelium is mined in September - after removing 1-2 centimeters of soil, they take out pieces of soil (a square with a side of 10-30 cm) with mycelium threads, dry them a little and send them for storage in a cool room until spring. In spring it can be planted on summer cottage. This mycelium can also be propagated in a greenhouse or basement.

On the beds

The most inexpensive and simple method planting champignons, suitable for many mushroom pickers, is to grow them on ordinary horizontal beds, representing soil with fertilizers. Such beds are arranged in greenhouses, basements, shallow mines, old vegetable stores and similar premises.

An important condition for such premises there is high humidity, and temperature regime is considered a minor factor that can be influenced by the use of heaters.

The method is considered quite profitable, therefore it is in demand among most farmers.

Its advantages:

No need to buy trays.
The beds are made very quickly.
The usable area is used rationally.

But there are also many disadvantages:

There is a high probability of infection (the premises cannot be cleaned, so infections are often brought from the street and on clothing) and its rapid spread throughout the garden.
The bed is at an awkward height.

Stages of growing mushrooms in garden beds:

Laying compost. Must be placed on a flat floor plastic film so that it retains moisture. Compost is spread onto this film, creating a layer about 30-40 cm thick.
Sowing mycelium. Furrows are made in the compost and seeded with the acquired mycelium. You can also simply scatter the mycelium evenly on top, covering it with compost (a layer of about five centimeters).
Watering. After sowing, the compost should be watered regularly and abundantly. Only with enough moisture will you get good growth mycelium.
Collection. The champignon fruiting bodies, ready for harvest, appear after ten to twelve weeks.

At home

More modern techniques Champignon cultivation is a shelf system, which is also called the Dutch method. It is based on the use of shelves and drawers. At rational use area with such a system, high-quality care is provided.

The main disadvantage of growing on shelves is the need to use fairly expensive equipment. Such mushroom cultivation will be profitable only if you use good varieties with abundant frequent harvests. And it is precisely this high yield that makes the method quite profitable, because the labor costs for such cultivation will be two to three times less than when using horizontal rows.

The substrate is placed in plastic containers, which are laid out in rows. The method also provides drip irrigation, preventing infections from entering the lower containers from the upper rows.

In the basement

Growing mushrooms in basements is very convenient, because underground rooms have a relatively stable microclimate. In addition, it is much easier to create in basements optimal conditions than in greenhouses.

You can grow champignons even in an ordinary basement. It is desirable that such a basement should have:

concrete walls;
concreted or cemented floor;
good ventilation.

To prevent pests from infecting mushrooms, ventilation holes It is recommended to cover them with nets, and treat the ceiling and walls with lime. If the basement is spacious enough, it can be divided into two zones - in one the incubation period of cultivation will take place, and in the second the fruiting bodies will be received. To maintain high humidity (85-90%), the floor in the basement is moistened.

In bags

Another method of growing champignons in the basement is the technology by which oyster mushrooms have been grown for a long time. It consists of using plastic bags. This method is practical and gives a good harvest, but does not require significant material investments.

Stages of growing champignon in bags:

Substrate preparation. To get excellent raw materials for growing mushrooms, mix horse manure (15 kg), black soil (5-6 kg), straw (3 kg), mullein and sunflower husks (2 kg each). If you fill this mixture with water, you will see that it will heat up to a high temperature and burn out. Leave it for 20 days, then spread it out thin layer for drying.
Sowing mushrooms. Having filled the bags to the top with the substrate and poured water on top of them, then you need to make holes in the polyethylene with a diameter of about ten centimeters. To avoid tearing the bag, such holes are made in a checkerboard pattern. Mycelium is placed in each cell.

With this technology, you save on containers, but at the same time get all the advantages of growing mushrooms on shelves.

If an infection gets into one bag, it needs to be disinfected or simply thrown away so that the bacteria does not get into neighboring bags.

The disadvantages include the rather labor-intensive first stage of cultivation, because a lot of manual labor is required to prepare the substrate, stuffing bags, moistening and other work.

You can also grow champignons in briquettes. They are compressed blocks based on manure, sawdust, husks, peat and other components in the required proportions, placed in polyethylene.

The undoubted advantage of this method is that there is no need to waste time and effort. The farmer receives the finished material in the form of rectangular or cylindrical briquettes. They can be placed in containers or hung on ropes.

After collecting 3-4 crops, the blocks are replaced with new ones. The yield of this method is quite high and stable.

The only disadvantages include the costs of the briquettes themselves.

In the country

You can grow champignons at your dacha in different places: in greenhouses, in the basement, and even just in beds in open ground. The location is not so important; it is much more important to achieve the conditions necessary for the appearance of mushrooms - a certain temperature, sufficient humidity, access to air and the absence of direct rays of the sun.

In the garden and in the garden

To grow mushrooms in the garden, it is important to choose a shaded place for them, in which nothing is grown.

Nice place there will be a north side of the site, for example, behind the house, where little sun gets and the humidity lasts longer. The beds are covered with a canopy, which serves as protection from rain and sun. With such cultivation, ventilation of the mushrooms will be natural, so the mycelium in the ground will not rot.

Significant expenses for growing mushrooms in the garden are not required. It is only important to properly prepare the compost, the basis of which will be manure (chicken or horse). Urea is added to manure and hot water, after ten days it is shaken up, mixed with chalk and compacted a little. Another ten days after adding superphosphate, the manure is well compacted and waited for maturation (it should become light brown and crumbly).

A layer of manure 35 cm thick is laid on the prepared bed, dividing it into sections (squares with a side of 20 cm). The mycelium is planted at an air temperature of about +20 degrees to a depth of about 5 cm, after which it is sprinkled with a little compost, watered with water and covered with newspaper or polyethylene.

When the mycelium appears (after about 20 days), the cover is removed and a 3-centimeter layer of turf soil and peat is poured onto the bed. Expect the first mushrooms in 25 days. Collect them in a timely manner and water the beds with a watering can using warm water twice a week.

In the greenhouse

Champignons are considered unpretentious mushrooms that have a fairly high growth rate. These parameters allow them to be grown in greenhouses. From one square meter in a greenhouse you can collect up to 30 kilograms of mushrooms at a time.

In a greenhouse, 3-7 harvests can be obtained per year. With this method of growing mushrooms, it is important to control humidity and temperature, use good substrate, as well as ensure the removal of excess carbon dioxide.

To ensure that the mycelium sprouts quickly, after sowing the soil is covered with polyethylene.

You need to water the crops before the first shoots - when they appear, spray the mushrooms twice a day.

At home

In a great way To grow mushrooms at home is to use aerated containers. The Americans created such containers, providing them with the possibility of ventilation.

You can grow mushrooms using this method even in an apartment on the balcony. It is enough to buy a special container that has a tray and a lid. Such containers are filled with the same compost that we described when growing mushrooms in bags. Before laying the substrate, the container must be disinfected by keeping it in an oven at +200 degrees.

The mycelium is sown into the substrate, immersed 4-5 centimeters, after which the soil is moistened and the container is sent to a warm place. This is an effective and convenient technique. As with growing in a bag, it makes it possible to easily localize the infestation. However, the method is extremely rarely used by farmers due to the high cost of breeding (given the industrial scale). But for home use the method is very good.

For more information on growing champignons in a container, see the following video instructions.

For sale (business)

When planning a business based on growing champignons, you need to consider two main issues:

What will be the starting capital?
What will the profitability be?

When calculating how much money you will need, decide on the desired volume of cultivation and your goals. Starting with growing mushrooms on the balcony, you need an investment of 10 to 50 dollars. You don’t need to count on any special income, but the result will be growing experience.

Those wishing to organize a large business need to start with a production volume that will produce 50-100 kg of mushrooms per day. This yield can be obtained on an area of about 1000 m².

The profitability of mushroom cultivation is noted at 30-50%. It is influenced by growing conditions, production volume, energy consumption and other factors. Direct expenses will be the purchase of mycelium, compost, containers, utilities, workers' salaries and others.

At home it is possible, provided there is space where this process will take place. The method of planting and propagating them is simple, but it will require significant labor and financial investments, which, in turn, directly depend on the volume of required products. If you decide to build a business on this, the costs will be impressive, but they will pay off much sooner than you think. When growing mushrooms in small volumes, the costs will be minimal. For what purposes you want to start this process is up to you, our recommendations will help you correctly organize the places for planting champignon mycelium, in video and photos we will show in what ways you can carry out your plan.

Agricultural technology for growing champignons

There are certain requirements that must be observed when growing any plants, these are the choice of planting site, preparation of the growing environment, soil substrate and planting care measures. Let's start, perhaps, from the very beginning.

Selection and preparation of a site

You can sow mushroom mycelium in open ground, in a greenhouse, in basements or outbuildings, the main conditions for the existence and growth of a plantation:

constant air humidity - not lower than 75-80 percent;
temperature - not lower than 18 and not more than 22 degrees;
good ventilation.

Champignons need high air humidity and constant temperature

Support such parameters on outdoors more difficult than in enclosed spaces, but at the same time air circulation occurs naturally, there is no need to spend money on forced ventilation. Planting in open ground also has its drawbacks: you need to maintain the temperature, that is, cover it in the cold season, shade it in the hot weather.

Before determining a place for a mushroom plantation, weigh all the pros and cons, decide where it will be more convenient for you to care for the plantings without spending a lot of effort.

In containers - for small quantity mushrooms, mainly for personal consumption.
In plastic bags - this method is universal, you can use bags on small space and in large greenhouses.
On special racks (Dutch method) - used for production volumes, cultivation in order to make a profit from the sale of champignons.
On plots in open ground, a plot in a greenhouse, a designated area in outbuildings: sheds, cellars, vegetable stores, storerooms.

Favorable environment for mushrooms

After choosing a suitable place, you should arrange it for a comfortable and successful growth mushrooms

On beds and earthen plots, protect against evaporation and loss of water into the soil. For this you can use PVC film, covering the entire surface of the future bed with it. Next, lay the substrate 35-40 cm thick, sow the fungal mycelium in the grooves, or simply scatter it on the surface, sprinkle 5 centimeters of soil on top, and water generously.
When using containers, it is also necessary to prepare lids and trays, decontaminate and disinfect them, fill in soil substrate 4-5 cm thick, sow mycelium, and water. You can even store them in your apartment: on the windowsill, near heating radiators, in the pantry.

Most often, champignons are grown in a specially designated room.

Using plastic bags to grow champignons, proceed as follows: fill the bags to the top with substrate, lightly compact them, pour water to completely moisten the soil, make cuts in the walls (8-10 cm in diameter) in a checkerboard pattern, and put mushroom mycelium into the holes.
Growing champignons using Dutch technology means using vertical space, that is, placing special containers on shelves, which takes up much less space in the room, but significantly increases the amount of products (mushrooms).

In all cases, as we have already said, it is necessary to maintain a certain humidity and air temperature. These conditions are provided according to the chosen location and method of planting, in some cases it will be expensive, in others it will be cheaper.

Preparing earthen substrate for planting champignons

The earthen mixture for mushroom mycelium consists of components that every gardener can find: rotted cattle manure (horse manure is possible), fresh hay or straw, additives in the form of chalk, bone meal, superphosphate and others. This side of the matter will not be financially burdensome; the main thing is to know the proportions of each component.

By purchasing champignon mycelium from a responsible manufacturer, you get detailed instructions on growing these mushrooms at home. Study her recommendations and confidently begin to implement your plans.

Approximate ratio of components for compost: per 100 kilograms of manure you will need

fresh straw - 25-30 kg;
ammonium sulfate or superphosphate - 330 g;
chalk (or plaster) - 15 kg (respectively 30 kg).

It is very important to buy high-quality mycelium

Compost preparation in three stages:

Moisten 100 kg of manure by adding sulfate, cover the top with straw and wrap the pile with covering material (polyethylene, pieces of roofing felt).
After five days, add gypsum or chalk and mix.
Check the condition of the compost after a few days (7-10), it should be dark brown in color, the straw should disintegrate and break easily, and the smell of ammonia should not be strong. If
The compost meets all these requirements, which means it is ready and the mycelium can be planted.

Attention! To speed up the composting process, you can use organic catalysts, these include: a solution of yeast with sugar, an infusion of nettle with yeast, or effective microelements.

Place the finished compost (substrate) in prepared containers or bags, sow the mushroom mycelium and wait for the harvest. There will be no problems with caring for mushroom plantations. Having planted the mycelium, ensuring regular watering and air circulation, all that remains is to occasionally clear the plantings of weed Make sure there are no diseases or pests.

The cultivation of any mushrooms begins with sowing the mycelium, the quality of which will determine the volume of the harvest. You can grow champignon mycelium at home, following the advice from this article. You will learn what champignon mycelium looks like, how to properly grow, propagate and sow it into the substrate.

You will also learn how to properly prepare soil for champignons at home from straw, manure and other organic ingredients.

How to grow champignon mycelium with your own hands

Novice mushroom growers are interested in how to make champignon mycelium at home. You can buy a mycelium, but then you will not be sure that it was created in sterile conditions, so it is better to grow the mycelium with your own hands.

You should know that for this you need to maintain sterility and use special equipment. It is also necessary to prepare several separate rooms, where the mycelium will be prepared, seeded and matured.

Cultivation stages

The technology for growing champignon mycelium includes several stages. Most often, pieces of mature fruiting bodies are used for this purpose (Figure 1).

Growing champignon mycelium at home is carried out as follows:

Part of the fruiting body is grabbed with tweezers and placed in a test tube with a nutrient medium (oatmeal or carrot agar);
The test tube is sealed with cotton wool or gauze and placed in a thermostat for two weeks. The device maintains a constant temperature of +24 degrees, which promotes the development of mycelium;
During this period, a mother culture is formed in a test tube, which is transplanted into Petri dishes and stored until sowing at a temperature of +2 degrees.

Figure 1. Stages of cultivation of champignon mycelium

Subsequently, sterile jars filled with boiled grain are used to sow the mycelium. The mycelium is carefully laid out on the surface of the grain and again placed in a thermostat and kept at a temperature of +24 degrees until the grain is completely overgrown with mycelium. In the future, the reproduction procedure is repeated if necessary.

What does mycelium look like for champignons?

Champignon mycelium, grown with your own hands or purchased in specialized stores, looks about the same.

This is a white fluffy coating that almost completely covers the surface of the nutrient substrate. Small white threads are clearly visible on the mycelium - parts of the mycelium that spread throughout the compost and ensure a high yield.

Reproduction of champignon mycelium at home

The easiest way to propagate champignon mycelium is from a mother culture. This is a small part of the mycelium from a test tube or Petri dish, which I propagate in jars.

For mycelium propagation glass jars sterilized and 2/3 filled with boiled grain (wheat or oats). This nutrient medium is best suited for the growth of mycelium.

The royal mycelium is carefully transferred into jars with tweezers, the neck is sealed with gauze or cotton wool, and the containers are placed in a thermostat. Mycelium growth occurs at a temperature of +24 degrees. It must be stable, and the containers must be monitored all the time in order to replant the mycelium when it completely covers the surface of the mushrooms.

Where to get champignon mycelium

How to obtain champignon mycelium at home is a question of interest to many novice mushroom growers. But in fact, this process requires knowledge, experience and special equipment. In addition, sterile conditions must be observed so that pathogens or pest larvae do not enter the mycelium.

If you are just starting to grow mushrooms, it is better to buy ready-made mycelium from a trusted seller. This way you are guaranteed to receive high-quality and sterile mycelium, which you can propagate yourself.

How to properly transplant champignon mycelium

Inoculation (introduction of mycelium) is carried out only when the temperature of the substrate decreases after pasteurization to 24-25 degrees. After this, active reproduction of microorganisms begins, and the temperature rises slightly. This is normal, but if the reading is above 30 degrees, the spores may die.

Material for growing champignons can be laid out in boxes, plastic bags and racks. Beds are also made using molds from boards.

Note: The volume of grain mycelium per ton of compost is 5-8 kg. Accordingly, one ton of compost can be added to a standard bed with a height of 20-25 cm and an area of 10 square meters, and 500-800 grams of product will be required per 1 square meter of area.

If the mycelium was stored in the refrigerator before inoculation, it is heated for 24 hours in a warm, but not hot, room. After this, it is crushed and placed in a nutrient mixture. Too many spores will lead to a strong increase in temperature, and the mycelium will die. However, if you add too little, pathogenic molds will begin to develop in the free space.

Figure 2. Arrangement of beds for champignons

The beds for growing mushrooms should be prepared in advance. Examples are shown in Figure 2.

Subsequently, manual inoculation is carried out as follows::

Make small holes 5-8 cm deep, into which pieces of mycelium are placed (the size approximately corresponds to a chestnut fruit);
The recesses are 20 cm apart from each other in a checkerboard pattern;
You can mix 85% of the mycelium with the top layer of compost and distribute evenly in the container;
To prevent drying out, the beds are covered damp newspapers. Periodically, the paper is moistened, but so that the liquid does not fall directly on the soil. The top of the beds is covered with a film that will prevent moisture loss.

During growth, the temperature in the room is kept stable - 24 degrees, and ventilation is reduced to a minimum and carried out only when necessary, since a high concentration of carbon dioxide has a beneficial effect on the mycelium.

About a week after inoculation, the condition of the mycelium is checked. To do this, the substrate layer is raised in several places. By this time, the established material will have grown by several centimeters. As a rule, the period of active growth takes about two weeks. After this, the film and paper are removed and gobting begins (adding wet cover soil).

Experienced mushroom growers know that gobitrovka, or adding moist soil, promotes fruiting of champignons. Without this procedure, fruiting bodies are formed weakly or not at all.

The covering layer performs several functions:

Stimulates the formation and growth of fungi;
Prevents drying out by retaining water reserves;
Normalizes carbon dioxide content;
Maintains an optimal microclimate.

The acidity of a high-quality coating mixture is approximately 7.4-7.6 pH. If this indicator is lower, crushed limestone, chalk or dolomite chips are added. In addition, it should not contain pathogens, and the amount of organic substances should be minimal.

Figure 3. Applying casing soil to champignon mycelium

As a rule, peat is used as a cover soil, but since its acidity is too low, chalk is added to it (proportion 4:1). To determine acidity, indicators or litmus strips are used.

Peat can be replaced with other mixtures:

Sifted loam or turf;
Earth from the garden, supplemented with chalk and dolomite chips;
Waste paper shredded into crumbs mixed with chalk.

In France, there is a patented technology in which the beds are covered with a special fibrous fabric material. Its humidity is constantly maintained, which stimulates the formation of fruiting bodies.

The coating mixture must be free of pests or pathogens. To do this, it is taken from the layers located below the places where microorganisms spread. But it is much easier to disinfect it by keeping it under hot steam for several hours (at a temperature of 70 degrees - 3 hours, and at 60-68 - 5-6 hours). You can also treat the mixture with formaldehyde. To do this you need (Figure 4):

Spread the soil on concrete floor layer up to 20 cm;
Prepare a solution: 40% formalin is diluted 20 times with water and take 12-14 liters of the resulting liquid per square meter soil;
After processing, cover with film and leave for 2-3 days.

The temperature in the room for soil disinfection should be above +15. Otherwise, formalin evaporates slowly and does not perform its disinfecting functions. The finished soil is shaken so that the remaining formaldehyde is removed and used within 3-4 days.

If necessary, the prepared primer is moistened before application. Apply a layer of 3-4 cm, evenly distributing over the surface. Further care includes:

Regular watering, which begins 3-4 days after application;
The boundary between the compost and the top layer should not be allowed to dry out;
Watering should be fractional (no more than 1 liter per square meter);
The mycelium is periodically loosened, after which watering is carried out.

Within 7 days after adding the casing soil, mycelium will appear on its surface. During this period, loosening is carried out with a special tool (small wooden plank with sparse teeth). This removes excess carbon dioxide from the compost and increases yield.

It is important to constantly maintain the level and moisture of the cover soil. If its layer is less than 2 cm, the yield will decrease.

Figure 4. Diagram and drawing of the structure of the pile and the temperature regime of the substrate layers inside it

Instead of cover soil, inoculum (special mycelium) is sometimes used. It is a mixture of soil and compost with sprouted mycelium. The inoculum helps accelerate the development of fruiting bodies. They grow clean and of the same size, and there is no need for loosening during the growing process. Nutritional supplements (for example, Millie Champ) also help speed up fruiting and increase productivity. They are introduced during gobting. More practical recommendations You will find information on growing champignons in the video.

Substrate for champignons at home

A properly prepared base is one of the most important factors productive cultivation of champignons at home. Initially, horse manure was taken for these purposes, but later it was replaced with feces of other animals or chicken droppings. IN modern world it is prepared from a whole complex of substances useful for mushrooms.

The preparation area is covered with concrete or asphalt. The future substrate should not come into contact with ordinary soil, as spores of pests and diseases may enter it, which in the future may destroy the crop. IN summer time it can be prepared in an open area by building a rain shelter. If year-round production is planned, a separate workshop with a stable atmosphere (10-12 Celsius) and supply and exhaust ventilation will be equipped.

Note: To soak a ton of straw, an area of 20 square meters is required, and to produce the same amount of substrate - 10-15 square meters.

The first step is soaking. In two days wheat straw can absorb water up to 2.5 times the original weight of the product.

Next, the dried cereal stalks are mixed with manure and mineral supplements and placed in a high pile (heating container). The size of the collar: height up to 2.5 m, width 1.5-2.5 m, length - arbitrary. After laying, the pile will become hotter due to natural biochemical processes. After a week, the mixture is interrupted (stirred), since the heating and humidity in the pile are distributed unevenly and the fermentation will be uneven. It is important to consider that if less than 100 kg of wet straw is placed in the pile, fermentation may not begin. During the first interruption, gypsum and water are added. The structure of the pile and the temperature of the different layers of the substrate inside it are shown in Figure 4.

Note: The temperature of the outer part of the collar is approximately +30. Further (about 30 cm from the surface) there is an aerated zone with an indicator of 40 degrees, the soil from which is best suited for champignons. In the center of the pile this figure can reach 80 Celsius. When interrupting, mix the material so that its outer is on the inside and vice versa.

For small volumes, mix the material with a pitchfork, breaking up lumps and adding extra water. In industrial settings, interleaving machines are used. The second mixing is carried out after 3-5 days. As a rule, they interrupt 4-5 times with an interval of 3-5 days. It will be completely ready 4 days after the last procedure. The correct substrate is dark brown, has no ammonia odor and is soft.

An important step is pasteurization. In small household plots without pasteurization chambers, the procedure is carried out as follows:

After the last stirring, the mixture is allowed to warm up to 60 degrees and not touched until the smell of ammonia completely disappears;
Then the material is cooled to 25 degrees and spores are introduced.

On an industrial scale, the substrate is laid out in boxes and placed in a fermentation chamber. It maintains a consistently high temperature and is constantly ventilated. After about two days it is increased to 60, and then it begins to gradually decrease. After the smell of ammonia disappears, the soil is cooled, taken out of the chamber and spores are introduced. If the smell of ammonia does not disappear during the pasteurization process, it is removed manually by stirring immediately before adding the mycelium.

Wort agar

Wort agar based substrate is easy to prepare at home. To do this, you need to take a liter of beer wort and 20 grams of agar-agar (special jelly). The components are mixed and cooked over low heat until the agar dissolves (Figure 5).

While the mixture is hot, it is poured into test tubes, filling a third of the containers, the neck is covered with cotton wool or gauze and sterilized for half an hour at a temperature of 100 degrees.

Figure 5. Stages of preparing wort agar

After this, the test tubes are placed on the table at the maximum possible angle so that a large area of the nutrient medium is formed inside. It is important to take into account that there must be at least 3 cm of free space between the surface of the agar and the neck of the test tube.

Oat agar

This nutrient substrate contains oatmeal, water and agar (proportion 30:970:15). The components are mixed and boiled for an hour, stirring constantly.

The finished mixture is filtered and poured into test tubes. Further technology of use is the same as in the case of wort agar.

Carrot agar

To get carrot agar, you need to take fresh carrots, chop them, add water in a ratio of 2:5 and cook for half an hour.

The finished mass is filtered, mixed with water and agar in the proportion of 400 ml of carrots, 600 ml of water and 15 grams of jelly.

What is the humidity of the substrate for champignons?

The germination of champignon mycelium and the growth of fruiting bodies is possible only if a certain level of humidity is maintained in the substrate.

In the room where mushrooms grow, air humidity should not exceed 85%, since if this indicator is exceeded, condensation will begin to form on the mushroom blocks. During sowing of the mycelium, the humidity level should be 55-60%, and during the formation and ripening of fruiting bodies it drops to 50%. If the substrate is too dry or wet, the mushrooms will not grow well.

You can maintain substrate moisture by periodic watering, installing a humidifier and regular ventilation.

Composition of the substrate for champignons

The basis for growing champignons is manure, which is supplemented with straw. Wheat or rye is better, but if such a product is not available, it can be replaced with any cereal (barley, oatmeal or even rice). It is this material that is the main source of carbon and improves the synthesis of fungal nitrogen proteins (Figure 6).

Note: The straw must be fresh, of high quality and golden in color. If you take rotten or rotten mushrooms, the champignons will not produce a harvest.

Additionally, the composition includes mineral supplements:

Gypsum enriches the soil with calcium and gives it structure;
Chalk, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate and urea act as nutrients;
Water to moisten components.

Figure 6. The procedure for preparing the substrate for champignons: 1 - preparing the components, 2 - mixing straw with manure, 3 - ready-rotted compost, 4 - adding the substrate to boxes for planting champignons

Check in advance how much moisture, calcium, potassium and phosphorus are contained in certain components. The volume of mineral supplements will depend on this. For example, the moisture content of horse manure is 70-75%, and it contains 1.86% nitrogen, 1.11% phosphorus and 2.14% potassium. There is no calcium. The moisture content of winter wheat straw is 13-16%, and minerals are contained in the following proportions: 0.54 (nitrogen), 0.30 (phosphorus), 1.05 (potassium), 0.33 (calcium). The calculations are shown in the table in Figure 7.

Note: A base prepared from horse manure mixed with other manure is called semi-synthetic, and if only the feces of other animals were taken, it is called synthetic.

But to receive good harvest It is not enough to simply mix the ingredients. An important stage is composting - a special biochemical process that results in the formation of the best nutrient medium intended specifically for champignons. Detailed information about preparing the substrate is given in the video.

Creating sterile conditions

A more modern method of fermentation is the use of silos. With their help, compost can be prepared at any time of the year, and most of the nutrients are preserved. There is no interruption in the bunker, which significantly improves the quality of the finished product.

Figure 7. Main components of compost for champignons

The bunkers also use hot steam, but provide a constant flow of clean air. As a rule, air is supplied through pipes with nozzles located under the floor. However, such a system is used mainly in large industrial enterprises and it’s difficult to arrange it at home.

Growing champignons at home today has become not only an exotic hobby, but also a popular way to earn extra money. The interest of private manufacturers in such a business is explained by high demand and the lack of large investments. To obtain stable yields, you should study the features of home cultivation of champignons and provide them with appropriate conditions.

The best varieties to grow

Modern selection provides the market with ever new varieties of champignons. Today there are already about 50 varieties. Hybrid varieties They differ from wild ones by having higher yields and good adaptation to artificial conditions.

The nutritional value of all home-grown champignons is approximately the same. Slight differences between varieties are observed in the intensity of fruiting, features of care and appearance: color, size.

To grow homemade champignons for commercial purposes, choose productive and easy-to-care varieties:

Hauser A15. A high-yielding young hybrid, most in demand among farmers in America and Europe. It is distinguished by a large cap, dense pulp, and is not prone to the formation of scales. The strain is suitable for growing on various composts.
Somicel 608 and 512. Strains popular in Europe. They produce many waves of harvest and are characterized by stable fruiting. Champignons are medium in size and require strict adherence to growing conditions.
Silvan 130. Universal hybrid American selection, which can be grown in home nurseries in beds, in bags, on pallets or shelves. The variety is characterized by rapid germination and high fertility. Suitable for preservation.

To learn how to grow the crop at home, novice mushroom growers can use purchased mycelium of ordinary white champignon.

How to grow champignons at home

Mushrooms are grown in dachas, in greenhouses, and special champignon farms are built, but some home premises can also be adapted for such production. The main thing is to ensure the landings required humidity, temperature, be sure to provide ventilation. Most often, a basement or cellar meets all the requirements.

There are several ways to place home plantings:

on racks - when the soil is poured directly onto shelves with sides;
in separate boxes that can be installed arbitrarily;
beds piled on the floor in the basement;
in bags of various capacities.

With any method, growing champignons is subject to the same rules, including the principles of preparation, laying the substrate and observing the parameters necessary for the culture.

Indoor lighting

An advantageous fact when growing homemade champignons is their ability to develop almost in the dark. Light is needed only for work and does not affect productivity in any way.

Direct Sun rays undesirable for champignons. When grown indoors with large windows or on home balconies, the glass needs to be darkened or curtained.

Ventilation

Access to fresh air is one of the main rules for growing champignon mushrooms at home. Without proper ventilation, fruits do not germinate well, become sick, and pests and mold may appear in home compost. During growth, champignons emit a lot of carbon dioxide, its stagnation leads to deformation of the body, the legs of the mushrooms are stretched.

At home growing all ventilation vents must be covered with fine mesh. This way it is possible to protect the plantings from insects and reduce the risk of drafts, which are harmful to champignons.

For large home cultivation volumes, the air supply is arranged more carefully: with fans above each box, cleaning and filtration systems.

Temperature and humidity

The technology for growing champignons involves several temperature regimes with consistently high humidity - not lower than 65%. Moreover, it is advisable not to water the substrate excessively, and air humidity can be increased to 90%.

The best home harvests come from being able to regulate the temperature according to the mushroom's developmental phase. So, when the mycelium ripens, it will require +25 °C, and to grow the mushroom body - about +14 °C.

If the ability to regulate the temperature is limited, you should place the champignons in a room where it is constantly between +16 and +20 °C.

Room division

Growing champignons at home requires compliance with two fundamentally different stages: the incubation period and the period of forcing the mushroom body.

Large basements or special buildings can be conveniently divided into two zones. In one of them, the mycelium will mature in a special compost at a temperature of +20 to + 25 °C.

The second part will be occupied by containers with mushrooms. Homemade champignons quickly grow a fleshy body when low temperatures– from +14 to +18 °C, which depends on the characteristics of the variety.

Having two zones can guarantee a year-round supply of crops. You just need to move boxes or bags from one part to another in time.

Disinfection of the premises

Methods of preventive treatment:

Whitewash with copper sulfate in the ratio: 2 kg of lime + 100 g of copper sulfate, diluted in 10 liters of water.
Irrigation with bleach solution: 400 g of disinfectant per 10 liters of water.
Treat all surfaces with formaldehyde (4%) using a sprayer.
Fumigating a room with sulfur smoke using a smoke bomb.

Attention! All household disinfection work is carried out wearing a protective mask, gloves and overalls.

After any type of treatment, the room needs to be ventilated until the smell of chemicals disappears and all surfaces are completely dry.

Substrate preparation

Creation of quality soil mixture for forcing champignons at home is half the success. Therefore, if there is a lack of time or materials to prepare compost, it should be purchased from a trusted supplier. Farmers who grow champignons often lay in a large supply of substrate and sell off the remainder.

The preparation of the fertile composition is accompanied by elevated temperature and rapid release of harmful gases with an unpleasant odor. All work is carried out outdoors.

The best homemade champignons are grown in horse manure mixtures. Other types of organic matter reduce yields by 25%. You will also need straw cereal crops(oatmeal, rye). The ratio of plant residues to manure is maintained at 1:3.

Additives are prepared for 100 kg of mixture:

urea – 2 kg;
superphosphate – 2 kg;
chalk and gypsum in total about 10 kg.

The straw is pre-soaked and the compost is laid according to the scheme.

The layers of straw are watered abundantly, sprinkled with additives. After laying, you need to wait about a month for the mixture to “burn out” and form compost. Every week the stock is mixed with a pitchfork. The readiness of the compost is indicated by the absence of an ammonia odor, a decrease in the temperature of the compost, and the homogeneity of the humus. The substrate for growing mushrooms is pasteurized at temperatures above 70 °C, this will destroy infections and pests.

Comment! For home planting of champignons, the soil is laid in a layer of at least 25 cm. To prepare an area of 1 square meter for growing. m, you will need up to 40 kg of finished compost.

Introduction of mycelium

On sale, the mycelium (seed material) of champignons can be of two types:

Compost - stored for up to 12 months at 0 °C. Material consumption per 1 sq. m – 500 g.
Grain is more productive and easier to plant. For the same area for sowing, take up to 350 g. Shelf life in the refrigerator is 6 months.

Important! High-quality mycelium for growing homemade champignons is homogeneous, white, without colored inclusions, and springs when pressed.

The mature compost is laid out in boxes, molds, or racks in a layer of about 30 cm. top scores gives sowing in warm compost (about 25 °C). Germination of mycelium at home actively occurs at temperatures from 20 to 28 °C. An increase or decrease in these indicators provokes the death of planting material.

If grain mycelium is used for cultivation, it is simply sown on the surface and covered with another layer of substrate (up to 5 cm). When a compost type of mycelium is used, it should be broken into small sections and each one should be buried 4–5 cm deep into the soil mixture. The distance between planting sites is maintained at least 20 cm.

To maintain the required humidity, the substrate is sprayed or the containers are covered with a wet cloth or paper.

Forcing fruiting bodies

The incubation period for growing champignons lasts 12 days. The compost is covered with thin threads of mycelium, which now permeates the entire soil layer. With any method of growing champignons at home, after this period the temperature should be reduced. Now you will need to maintain from +12 to +16 °C.

For mushrooms to appear, you will need another layer of soil. The covering soil for forcing homemade champignons can consist of turf soil with the addition of peat, sand, and limestone. The main requirement for soil is sterility and lightness of composition. The required layer is 3 cm.

The fruiting bodies of champignons are grown in top layer. The first domestic mushrooms will appear in 30–50 days, depending on the characteristics of the strain and the conditions created.

Throughout the growth of champignons, the room should be regularly ventilated and the substrate humidity should be maintained at 60–65%. The air should be more humid than the soil.

Harvesting

One home planting can bring up to 8 waves of harvest and bear fruit for more than a year. The most abundant are 3 initial period growing.

The champignons are collected at the stage when the lower part of the cap is covered with film and completely covers the brown plates. Do not cut homemade mushrooms, but, turning them slightly, carefully remove them from the soil. The resulting pit is filled with substrate for further fruiting. On once contaminated soil, re-growing champignons is unacceptable.

Advice! It is unacceptable to leave champignon residues on the soil surface. Their rotting provokes diseases and attracts pests.

How to store champignons at home

Fresh champignons, even refrigerated, do not last long. Their tender flesh quickly deteriorates under the film, dries out in open form. You can extend the shelf life of home storage by packaging mushrooms according to paper bags and placing it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. This way they will remain fresh for up to 5 days.

After a week in the refrigerator, mushrooms become unfit for consumption, even if they look fresh. For long-term storage At home, it is better to use freezing.

When growing mushrooms for sale, their fragility should be taken into account and supply arrangements should be made in advance.

Disease Control

Champignons are very sensitive to bacterial, viral, and fungal soil infections. Infection of plantings during home cultivation most often occurs from low-quality compost. The mycelium or an insufficiently prepared room may be infected.

A strong, uninfected mycelium, subject to the rules of ventilation, moisture, and temperature, can suppress the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. If you find affected fruits or mold spots on the soil, you can remove the diseased fruits from the surface and sprinkle the soil thickly with salt. But, most likely, the entire container will have to be taken out of the nursery and the substrate thrown away.

Champignons are grown at home to obtain a pure product that does not contain pesticides or poisons. Therefore, the main way to combat diseases and pests is to maintain cleanliness, disinfect all equipment, and timely sanitize the premises.

How to grow champignons in an apartment

Without a dacha, cellar or garage, you can grow champignons right in your apartment. Having calculated right time plantings, homemade mushrooms can be cultivated on the balcony. They will need to be protected from sunlight and maintained at the required humidity by covering the containers with wet paper.

The easiest way to grow champignons at home is to plant them according to all the listed rules in small but deep plastic trays. When choosing containers, they are guided by the availability of free space and the ability to maintain the necessary microclimate.

Growing champignons at home is possible in small plastic bags, which makes them easier to carry and dispose of when infected with diseases. Select bags of sufficient depth to comply with planting rules.

Some mushroom lovers take it to the apartment large areas for planting champignons. It should be remembered that growing such domestic crops requires isolation from residential premises. For mushrooms large quantities better fit basements or special buildings. Growing champignons requires specific conditions, and the spores, gases, and odors released by plantings do not contribute to comfortable living.

Conclusion

Growing champignons at home is a difficult but exciting activity that requires patience and skill. Once you have gone through all the necessary stages and received a harvest, you can evaluate the cost and profitability of such an enterprise. Many beginners, starting with growing domestic mushrooms in small quantities, become owners of entire champignon farms, turning their hobby into a profitable business.

Mushrooms are not only a healthy and nutritious product, but also very tasty. Therefore, since ancient times they have been used to prepare various dishes. Mushrooms are used to make soups, stir-fries, salads, pates, snacks and much more. Of course, you want to pamper yourself with such delicacies all year round. Then home-grown mushrooms come to the rescue. This option is suitable for those who do not like to go to the forest, stock up for the winter, or simply prefer to eat fresh. Since champignons are the most common mushrooms, in this article we will consider the question of how to grow champignons at home.

Useful properties of champignons

Excellent aroma, spicy taste - this is how you can describe champignons in a few words. However, these mushrooms are distinguished not only by their excellent taste, but also by their beneficial properties. So, what are champignons rich in, what is included in their composition?

Protein. An important component thanks to which cells are renewed and built.
Various amino acids. They have a beneficial effect on many functions of the human body, including thought processes and memory. It turns out that if you know how to grow champignons at home, you can provide yourself with a year-round supply that makes our minds work.
Vitamins A, B, C, D.
Phosphorus. Since champignons are rich in this element, they can easily replace fish if you don’t like it.

The juice of these mushrooms can also be used as an antiseptic to quickly heal cuts, wounds and ulcers. These are the most basic beneficial features that champignons have.

Conditions for growing champignons

The technology for growing champignons requires compliance with some important conditions.

Lack of sunlight.
Moderate warmth. It is important to observe the temperature regime; changes are extremely undesirable when growing champignons.
Uniform and good ventilation.
High humidity.
A specific microclimate required at each stage of mushroom growth.

To meet these conditions and successfully grow mushrooms, special equipment may be required. We will return to this issue later, but for now we will consider the places most suitable for growing mushrooms.

Places for growing champignons

As mentioned above, several conditions must be met in order to successfully grow champignons all year round. At home suitable place can become a basement, cellar, balcony or garage, while mushrooms are planted in boxes or pallets.

Champignons are very unpretentious mushrooms, so they can be grown even under open air in garden beds or greenhouses. But in this case, the harvest can be harvested only in the warm season.

How to grow champignons in the garden?

It is good to grow mushrooms in the garden because they will be on fresh air. But on open ground it is more difficult to create the necessary conditions for champignons, and this must be taken into account, so it is better to cover them with a tarpaulin or make a canopy or greenhouse. It will be great if there is the most humid and shaded place on your site. Compost is laid out on the garden bed, and then everything is done the same as when growing champignons at home.

Equipment for growing champignons

Substrate for growing champignons

This is considered the most difficult stage in growing champignons. You may end up with a poor harvest if the substrate is not composed correctly. So, how should it be compiled?

For the substrate you will need compost for champignons, which includes: manure and straw from rye or wheat. Horse dung will give high yields, but you can also use cow or bird droppings. It would be a plus if you add fallen, non-rotten leaves and some organic waste, since champignons are very “gluttonous.” Also used as nutritional components are beet tops, sunflower seed shells, urea, chalk, gypsum, bone meal, bran and superphosphate. When compiling the substrate, the following proportion is observed: 75% manure and 25% compost.

How to grow champignons at home small area, 1.5 square meters? You can use the following compost formula.

Straw - 50 kilograms.
Urea and superphosphate - 1 kilogram.
Plaster - 4 kilograms.
Chalk - 2.5 kilograms.
Manure - 150 kilograms.

In total you will get a little more than 200 kilograms of substrate.

The straw must first be soaked for a day, then laid in layers with manure. It is better to moisten each layer of straw with urea and superphosphate. Then everything is mixed and other nutritional components are added. Now the substrate should sit for about 20 days. We can talk about complete readiness when it disappears bad smell ammonia.

You don’t have to stick to this formula; there are other recipes for growing champignons at home.

When preparing the substrate, you need to be prepared for the fermentation process to begin, which is accompanied by specific odors of ammonia and carbon dioxide, so it is better to do this not in indoors, but in the fresh air. The compost should be covered with a canopy to protect it from rain and sunlight.

Planting champignon mycelium

At home, it is better to grow sterile mycelium obtained in laboratories. They take root easier and reproduce faster. Champignon myceliums come in different varieties, one type is consumed more, the other less. So, 1 square meter of substrate will require 400 grams of grain mycelium, and dung mycelium - 500 grams.

When we decided on the quantity consumables and bought it, you can start direct disembarkation. First, you should measure the temperature of the substrate; the most optimal temperature for champignon mycelium is considered to be about 25 degrees.

So, how to grow champignon mushrooms? It is recommended to make the holes in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other. The mycelium needs to be broken into small pieces and planted to a depth of 5 centimeters. The grain variety can simply be laid on the surface.

Caring for mycelium of champignons after planting

After replanting the mycelium, the conditions mentioned above must be observed. This high humidity and fairly moderate warmth. Moreover, these conditions must be met not only indoors, but also in the substrate. To keep it constantly moist, you can cover it with newspaper and spray it from time to time - then the compost will not be dry.

After about a week, the mycelium will begin to grow, then the substrate should be sprinkled with 3-4 centimeters of soil on top. The technology for growing champignons suggests that during this period it is necessary to slightly lower the temperature of the substrate to about 20 degrees, and in the room - to 12-17 degrees. Do not forget about good ventilation in the room, but drafts should not be allowed. In principle, that’s all there is to caring for mycelium.

Champignon harvest

It’s not enough to know how to grow champignons at home; harvesting also has its own nuances.

With good care, champignons bear fruit in waves for up to two months, during which time you can get mushrooms many times. You can start harvesting the first harvest after 30 days.

Champignons are not cut as Forest mushrooms, and are twisted out of the substrate. Then the empty hole is covered with soil and moistened to create conditions for the emergence of a new crop. Not all mushrooms are collected, but only “ripe” ones - these are those that have a stretched white film under the cap, connecting the stem and the edges of the cap, and the plate has a pale pink color. Champignons with brown plates are not recommended for consumption. If the film bursts, then the mushroom is considered old. This should not be allowed, as it greatly depletes the mycelium.

Growing champignons - a business idea

Growing champignons was popular back in the 18th century. European countries and not only, most often in Italy, France, America, Germany, Sweden, England and Belgium. In Russia home production The cultivation of these mushrooms began only in the 19th century, because our forests are already rich in edible gifts of nature.

Today, growing champignons is a business with good profits. If you make simple mathematical calculations, you can get up to 6 harvests in one year. Of course, there will also be costs for equipment, electricity and heating. But in general, you can get a good income from selling champignons; you just need to know who to constantly sell the resulting harvest to.

It is not surprising that today such a niche as growing champignons has already been occupied by entrepreneurs, because these mushrooms bear fruit abundantly, they are easy to grow, and the necessary raw materials (essentially waste) can be purchased for almost nothing. Of course, you can try to break into this business, but you will have to make a lot of effort to get a solid profit from it in the first months.

Now you know how to grow champignons at home, and what equipment is required for this. You can engage in production on a large scale, or you can plant these mushrooms for yourself, for your soul, to enjoy them all year round. In any case, growing champignons is an easy and even interesting task.