Oyster mushroom cultivation: methods and technology growing

Methods for growing oyster mushrooms several: the most acceptable of them – on stumps at a summer cottage plot. Using this method of breeding oyster mushrooms, you You can provide delicious mushrooms to your family. But if you think about how to grow oyster mushrooms for sale, you have to get a greenhouse or a special room. Well, for starters, Of course, study the process technology.

The technology of growing oyster mushrooms in an extensive way: breeding on stumps

For growing oyster mushrooms on stumps mumps infected with mushrooms, can be picturesquely installed or dug in a garden plot. First fruits on thick logs can be expected no earlier than in a year. The thickness of the blocks for the cultivation of oyster mushrooms on the stumps should not be less than 10 cm and a length of 40 cm. On segments of thick logs fruiting lasts 5-7 years.

Before growing oyster mushrooms, you need to prepare lumps. Cut down trees for harvesting logs during dormancy, which begins in the fall after leaf fall and continues until the beginning movements of wood juice in spring. Suitable for extensive way birch and other deciduous trees, except oak and stone fruit. Logs can be stored in late autumn and winter, but not in summer. Dead wood and trees infected with stem rot for growing oyster mushrooms on cottage on stumps are not suitable! Logs are cut into pieces convenient for placement on the garden plot of shape and length. Further operations – drilling holes and sowing logs – produce on a clean plastic wrap! Retreating 20 cm from the upper end of the stump, milling cutter 20 mm in diameter is made around the circumference of the hole with a depth of 6 cm. The distance between the holes is 4-7 cm.

In preparation for growing oyster mushrooms extensively in stumps drill holes in a circle. If the stump is cut off by the ground itself, drill holes from the end diagonally, starting drilling near bark. The mycelium spreads rapidly along wood fibers, and in other directions – slowly. With clean hands, fill the holes with mycelium and compacted so that 1 cm remains to the edges. the mycelium did not spill out, the holes were closed with garden var. It is necessary to create a high concentration of carbon dioxide inside the wood gas. For the best development of mycelium fungus wood is advisable for six months place the sown log in a plastic bag with small slots.

Another option for growing oyster mushrooms on stumps is immediately dig a block of wood into the ground. Mushrooms on rooted logs better tolerate periods without rains. Choose a place shaded on three sides plants and open from the west or east. Better choose a place in gully, lowland, where the humidity of the earth and air is higher. At need to plant additional plants that will provide wind protection.

Of all the oyster mushrooms that grow in Russia in deciduous forests on latitude south of Moscow, the most delicious – oyster mushroom ordinary. The natural forms of this fungus require cold shock to fruiting. Therefore, they bear fruit in late autumn. More often fruit hybrid varieties. Hybrid variety of oyster mushrooms NK-35 frost-resistant, tasty and does not require cooling for the beginning of fruiting. NK-35 mushrooms that are grown in an extensive way outdoors, have brown hats, light at high air temperature and very dark at low. The more light, the more intense the brown color of the cap of this varieties.

To decorate the garden when growing mushrooms, oyster mushroom on stumps can be settled on logs or stumps exotic varieties: lemon yellow (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) and pink (Pleurotus djamor). They are very beautiful, but less tasty.

How to prepare mushroom blocks for growing oyster mushrooms in the country on the stumps

For the preparation of one substrate block for growing oyster mushroom with a volume of 6 liters take 6 liters of wood chips from freshly ground branches or dried wood chips. Instead of chips, you can take 6-7 liters of chopped straw or husks from sunflower seeds. Add 200 g of barley, oats or pearl barley. Bring the mass of the substrate to 3000 g with water. Add in the substrate, a teaspoon of slaked lime – Ca (OH) g.

For the manufacture of small blocks of 3 l during cultivation oyster mushroom in the country it is necessary to reduce the amount of all ingredients in 2 times.

Before growing oyster mushrooms from mushroom blocks weighing 10-20 kg, after thorough mixing, fill the substrate in polypropylene bags with a volume of 8 liters or 4 liters. Then paste in the throat of the bag and tie with twine made of cotton wool or pure sintepon plugs with a diameter of 2-3 cm.

Sterilize or pasteurize the substrate directly in the bag with one of ways. Then, making sure that the substrate has cooled to a temperature below +30 ° C, pour 50 to 100 g of grain mycelium into the neck of the bag oyster mushrooms. Place the bags vertically with the cork up in the room with temperature from +16 ° С to +26 ° С for incubation of mycelium in the substrate. After 3-4 weeks, the substrate will overgrow with mycelium and turn white. Time overgrowing depends on temperature: at +24 ᵒС it is minimal, and at +16 ° С it can increase significantly. Make in a bag for growing oyster mushrooms with a chisel of 6-8 incisions 3-4 cm long. Put a package in the room for fruiting.

You can prepare the substrate for oyster mushrooms more economical, so called the “Chinese” way. For a block weighing 1.5 kg, take 3 l substrate base, add 100 g of grain or cereal. Bring water the mass of the substrate is up to 1500 g. Add a teaspoon of slaked to the substrate lime – Ca (OH) 2. Fill the substrate with a volume polypropylene bag 4 l Sterilize or pasteurize the substrate directly in an unclosed package one way. After cooling the substrate below +30 ° C Tie the bag with twine completely tight. On a clean table with clean hands, mash the grain mycelium.

Use a chisel or knife to make 6 vertical equally spaced friends from each other 4 cm slots in the side of the bag with substrate. Put 1 teaspoon of grain in each slot mycelium. Tape the slots in the bag with tape. For incubation mycelia in the substrate, place packets vertically at room temperature 16-26 ° С. After 4-7 days, make sure that the mycelium formed white spots of overgrowth around glued slots. After make cross slits in an adhesive tape measuring 2 x 2 cm, on that the same place where they were and put the bags back in the room incubation. After 20-40 days, depending on the quantity introduced mycelium and from air temperature, substrate block for oyster mushrooms will turn white and will be ready for fruiting.

How to grow oyster mushrooms from mushroom blocks and video distillation

Before growing oyster mushrooms, put packages on shelves or to the ground in the garden vertically. The fruiting bodies of the mushrooms will bear fruit from incisions in the lateral surface. Optimum air temperature during this period + 13— + 17 ° С, air humidity 70-90%. Such conditions in nature are only in autumn or rainy summers. Especially few moisture is contained in the air in winter in a heated room. For increase air humidity mushroom blocks for growing oyster mushrooms You can’t just cover with a bag: because of the high concentration the carbon dioxide under the packet will grow an irregularly shaped mushroom. You can make a small cultivation chamber with polyethylene ventilation. Commercially Available Ultrasonic Humidifiers (“cold steam”) can blow fresh wet with their fan air into the fruiting chamber. You must also purchase an electric timer, which will include a humidifier for 5 minutes every hour. In the presence of such a humidifier in the autumn and winter, you can grow a good oyster mushroom on a glazed loggia.

In summer, at elevated temperatures, the appearance of primordia when breeding mushrooms oyster mushroom in an extensive way can to linger. In this case, it is necessary to arrange for the mycelium “cold shock “. Place the bag with mycelium for 3 days in the refrigerator or in cellar with a temperature from 0 to +10 ° C, and then return the substrate blocks to the place of their future bearing. Most likely there quickly there will be numerous rudiments of fruiting bodies inside perforated bag. Now the main condition for growing oyster mushrooms – high air humidity at a low concentration of carbon dioxide gas. Such a microclimate happens among dense vegetation in the shade. For fruiting oyster mushrooms, you must choose a place protected from the wind and from direct sunlight. To increase air humidity, you can water surrounding plants and soil. And after the appearance of fruit bodies need watering for mushrooms.

In the garden you can put the mycelium in the shaded from the south side greenhouse and moisten the air with regular watering. If in the greenhouse there are green plants, and there are few substrate blocks with oyster mushroom, high-quality mushrooms will grow. With a large number of blocks a lot of carbon dioxide is released, and the mushrooms will be ugly, lethargic, with an elongated leg. To create the right growing conditions oyster mushrooms must be removed from the room carbon dioxide, I for regularly ventilate the room or install ventilation system.

Harvest as they appear, while the edges of the hat are still bent down, not straightened completely. Mushrooms neatly break out from the slots of the substrate block, swinging them down and up.

Watch the video “Conditions for growing oyster mushrooms and distillation mushroom blocks’ to better understand technology process:

How to grow oyster mushrooms from blocks on non-sterile technology

Oyster mushroom has a set of active enzymes that allows grab the substrate in the bag and create a high concentration there carbon dioxide before mold and anaerobic bacteria. Non-sterile technology can be implemented if the substrate not very infected with mold. This substrate may be ground Fresh branches of willow or birch.

Technology for growing oyster mushrooms in a non-sterile way pretty simple. Place 6 l of fresh wood chips in the basin milled willow branches in a garden shredder. Scatter on the chips slaked lime (1 teaspoon). Using this growing method oyster mushroom, chop 200 g of grain mycelium in your hands and add it to stirring chips. Pour the substrate mixture in such an amount water to bring the mass of the substrate to 3 kg.

Make a 7 L polyethylene bag content. Make a synthetic winterizer plug for him. Traffic jams are needed to protect mycelium from mushroom mosquitoes and to make oyster mushroom I have not begun to bear fruit before you want it.

To make a synthetic cork, it is enough to cut a piece synthetic winterizer and twist it in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 4 cm and a length 6 cm. For giving a stopper from a synthetic winterizer a cylindrical form wrap it with thread like a ball of knitting.

Pour the mixture into a plastic bag. Better if the height of the bag will be greater than its width. Lower the cork so that the bag was packed tightly with the substrate. Pull off the throat of the package twine.

As you can see in the photo, when growing oyster mushroom you need to give the substrate block is rectangular in shape by gluing the “ears” with tape bag to its bottom so that it stands firmly on the shelf with a cork up:

For incubation, place the unit in a room with a temperature of + 20— + 24 ° C. A week later, inside the package, white spawn mushrooms will appear, which grows near grain mycelium particles. First at the top parts of the block where there is more oxygen, and then white appears at the bottom spots. After 3-4 weeks, the entire substrate block will turn white. From this moment we can assume that the substrate block is mastered by mycelium and that the substrate itself has already turned into a full-fledged substrate mycelium. His can be used to drive mushrooms or to plant new lots substrate.

For the cultivation of oyster mushrooms from the obtained blocks with mycelium it is necessary to make six vertical in the side wall of the package 3-centimeter cuts with a knife and put the block in a shady place garden for fruiting. Mushrooms will grow from these cuts.

You can do it easier – cut the throat of the bag along with the cork, then the mushrooms will grow on top. Place bags on shelves or on the ground. in the garden upright. Optimal conditions for this stage cultivation of mushrooms – air temperature + 13— + 17 ° C, humidity air 70-90%.

Now watch the video “Growing oyster mushrooms by non-sterile technology “:

Oyster mushroom mycelium distillation during mushroom cultivation

Mycelium for growing oyster mushrooms in an amount of 2 to 5% by weight the substrate is introduced into the substrate in a clean room: poured into plastic bags and seals. Optimum substrate density 0.4-0.5 kg / l. You can use plastic bags in advance perforated with round holes. Optimum weight substrate block 15 kg. The bag is tightly tied with twine on top. Prepared substrate blocks are placed on transport trolleys and transported in small quantities to the incubation site.

With a multi-chamber system for growing oyster mushrooms, all phases of development occur in climate controlled chambers. First 20 days in a chamber with equipment for growing oyster mushrooms air +24 ° C, optimal for incubation of mycelium in the substrate, and fresh air ventilation is turned off. Then sharply lower air temperature up to +15 ° С and serves fresh air in full volume to initiate the beginning of fruiting. 10 days later pick the first wave of fruiting mushrooms, then regulate the conditions, so as to accelerate the appearance of the second wave. In order to mushrooms grew evenly on the days of the week, there should be a lot of cameras.

Two-zone, or two-chamber, has become more widespread. growing system. One third of the cultivation area is reserved for an incubation chamber where the mycelium assimilates the substrate. The rest of the area – under the fruiting chamber, where fresh air is supplied and where constantly maintained temperature +15 ° С and relative humidity 80%, optimal for bearing oyster mushrooms.

After inoculation and manufacture of substrate blocks, they are moved into the incubation chamber. Vertical placement of blocks provides better air convection inside the unit, but more often they are located horizontally to save space. For starting acceleration of development substrate mycelium sometimes blocks perforate with a chisel only 2-3 days after their placement in the incubation chamber. This trick allows to increase the carbon dioxide content in the substrate at the beginning incubation.

Optimum substrate temperature in the center of the substrate block during incubation is + 25— + 27 ° C. Limit values ​​from +16 to +35 ° C. Air temperature + 20— + 24 ° С.

Depending on the technology chosen for growing oyster mushrooms relative humidity should be 70-95%, concentration carbon dioxide is high (over 2000 ppm). In the incubation phase, fresh air is not supplied to the cultivation chamber. This is necessary placement of substrate blocks so that they are all in identical conditions and could freely give their biological heat to avoid overheating of the substrate. When tiered placing blocks to cool them may require a system blowing blocks with recirculating air flows. Light not required, but permissible. After the emergence of mushroom primordia on some blocks with the same manufacturing date the entire batch of blocks transferred to the fruiting chamber.

Growing oyster mushrooms in a room with a laminar flow air

When growing oyster mushrooms in a room with a laminar flow air racks for placing blocks must be made so that the blocks stood vertically in a row in the form of one continuous wall. The distance between the walls is 1 m. The distance between the tiers in height is 70 cm. To prevent falling of blocks to the side the passage at the mid-block level is placed on hooks removable reinforcing bar. Vertical racks must be installed through every one and a half meters along the length of the rack. Each rack at growing oyster mushrooms in a room with a laminar flow of air fastened by at least two metal dowels to the floor and two to the ceiling. On one side of the rack, reinforcing bars are welded to supports, on the other hand, they are placed on hooks welded to the supports. For a while placing the substrate blocks, the corresponding bar is removed and placed temporarily on another tier.

For permanent removal of carbon dioxide from oyster mushrooms and to activate the evaporation of water from the surface of fruiting bodies provide air movement near fruit bodies at a speed not less than 0.05 m / s. Subject to high relative humidity permissible high speed blowing mushrooms (up to 5 m / s).

For high quality fruit bodies in the chamber cultivation should be constantly fed at least 200 m3 / h of fresh air per one ton of substrate in the chamber. Winter air with street must be heated and humidified, which is expensive thermal energy. Electric heating is especially costly expensive.

The quality of the mushrooms and the harvest also depend on the method of blowing mushrooms air in the chamber, from the method of air recirculation. The worst the solution is to supply heated and humidified air to the chamber, which, after a single pass through the camera, is removed to exhaust window with an exhaust fan. It is necessary that the air first it passed through the fungal growth zone many times and only after of this, “collecting” carbon dioxide from mushrooms and blocks, went to the street.

One such air recirculation system is blowing mushrooms. laminar flow of air.

Walls with blocks are placed along the long side of the chamber on 1 m from one another. Leave a corridor unoccupied by mushrooms (passage) parallel to the racks with mushrooms and fenced off from them light partition. Axial fans are installed in the corridor high performance heaters and humidifiers. Such a corridor is called a “climate corridor”. They serve there Fresh air. The air of the chamber is driven by fans along the corridor, there it moistens and heats up, and returns through the placement zone walls with substrate blocks. The air circulates many times blowing mushrooms. Once saturated with carbon dioxide, it is removed in exhaust window under the pressure generated by the supply fresh air fan less than axial fans in the corridor.

Here you can watch the video of mushroom cultivation. oyster mushroom in a room with a laminar flow of air:

Growing oyster mushrooms in a room with a vortex system air recirculation

Bags with the substrate in the chamber are placed in the form of high vertical solid walls perpendicular to the long side cultivation cameras. Distance between adjacent racks 1 m. The area with mushrooms is separated from the walls on all sides passages. The width of one passage is 2 m, the remaining three – 1 m. The climatic corridor is a longitudinal two-meter passage, not fenced off from a zone with mushrooms. It installs an inkjet fan. Above the air stream created by the jet fan, suspend the right amount of fine humidifiers (aerosol generators type AG-1). Fresh air is supplied to the chamber. through the window. It displaces the exhaust air along with the exhaust air. carbon dioxide mushrooms through the exhaust window in the ceiling of the chamber. At moderate outdoor temperatures separate fan directly from the street. But in winter the air must be preheated. Pre-system fresh air preparation includes a radial fan average pressure in an amount of at least 200 m3 / h per every ton of substrate.

Air is taken from the street through a mosquito net, passes through the air pre-heater until positive temperatures, then enters the mixing box, where can mix with chamber air. Adjustment valve in mixing box allows you to adjust the amount of air by relative to the air from the chamber. Between the mixing box and the fan installs the main electric air heater or heating heat exchanger. The ventilation system has fresh air heats up to the desired temperature and enters the “climatic corridor through a window. The total heat output of two heaters can be roughly estimated at the rate of 2-3 kW for every 200 m3 / h fresh air supplied. Fresh air heating and time aerosol generators are regulated so that the air temperature in the chamber was +15 ° C at a humidity of 80%. At lack of outdoor air coolers in summer, fresh air may have a higher temperature but aerosol generators reduce it by several degrees.

The powerful and narrow air stream created by the jet fan, organizes the circular movement of air around the shelves with mushrooms. The jet itself and these streams in accordance with Bernoulli’s law create in chamber pressure gradient, which provides air movement the aisles between the shelves, washing the mushrooms. In the near to the fan the aisles air moves to the “climatic corridor”, and in the distant From him.

The circular movement of air around the shelves with mushrooms leads also to air circulation near mushrooms. Such a vortex system air recirculation improves the removal of carbon dioxide from fungi and from slots in bags.

The air stream in the central passage also performs the function good mixing of the chamber air with warm air from fan, with steam and water spray.

Watch a video on how to grow oyster mushrooms indoors with vortex air recirculation system:

Growing oyster mushrooms on substrate briquettes

In large industries, equipment is used for growing oyster mushrooms in the form of automatic briquetting Italian production with a capacity of about 360 briquettes per hour. After cooling the substrate in the tunnel, it is unloaded electric winch on the conveyor belt of briquetting machine, where the mycelium dispenser is installed and the substrate is inoculated. Then the inoculated substrate enters the press chamber, where the briquette formed and packaged in a perforated film.

Parameters of the finished substrate for oyster mushrooms: humidity = 70-74%, pH = 7.5-8.5, total nitrogen (1 \ 1total) = 0.7-1.0%, Color uniformly brown, substrate density 0.45-0.50 kg / l. Overall dimensions of briquettes of oyster mushroom substrate 35 x 55 x 22 cm, weight 20-22 kg.

The following is an example of a simple, practical options for the forcing of mushrooms from briquettes. The substrate is placed in briquettes on four four-tier racks. The chamber holds 20 t substrate. The specific load of the substrate is 180 kg per 1 m2 camera floor. In winter, the air is heated by steam batteries heating. Fresh air enters the fruiting chamber through window leaves. Fresh air volume and air temperature regulate the degree of opening of the windows. Air flow passes through shelving with mushrooms and removed by an exhaust fan. Air in the chamber is moistened with one aerosol generator of the type AG-1, which suspended from the ceiling of the chamber in the central aisle. Front axial fan suspended by aerosol generator with a productivity of 1700 m3 / h. It creates a stream of air that captures the “fog” from the generator and mixes the air in the chamber. Fine atomizer AG-1 and fan are switched on together by a timer.

An exhaust fan with a capacity of 5000 m3 / h is mounted in the wall of the chamber opposite from the window. Fans turn on a timer every half hour for 5 minutes. In summer, the system is excellent It works and allows you to get good quality mushrooms. In winter period has to limit the air supply due to insufficient power of the heating system. In winter, during exhaust operation fans frosty fresh air enters through the window. but mushrooms do not have time to freeze and grow well enough. During mycelial incubation windows are closed, exhaust fans do not work. They open the windows and turn on the exhaust fans briefly only in if the temperature in the center of the block rises above +35 ° С. After that, the temperature in the chamber is maintained from +13 to +20 ° C. Productivity for two waves of fruiting reaches 20% by weight substrate.

Preparation of the substrate for the cultivation of oyster mushrooms in the tunnel

In champignon complexes in large quantities produce substrate for oyster mushrooms in the same tunnels as champignon compost. Good quality substrate for oyster mushrooms made in the tunnel on the farm where they make champignon compost is explained by the use of recycled water from the champignon workshop with aerobic microorganisms. On farms where champignons are not produced, they improve the substrate for oyster mushrooms by adding manure to the circulating water in an amount of up to 10 kg per a ton of straw.

Standard technology for preparing the substrate for growing oyster mushroom begins with chopping straw. Chopping straw to particles with a size of 3-8 cm is needed so that later it is easier to pack the substrate into bags. Moisten straw with recycled water on a concrete site 1-5 days, periodically turning over. The humidity of the straw when loading the tunnel should be at the level of 78%. The tunnel is filled with a straw layer up to 2.5 m, so that its surface was flat. After pasteurization, the straw layer settles significantly. To place 1 ton of substrate straw, about 1.5 m2 of area is required the floor of the tunnel.

After loading, the tunnel is closed and recirculated. ventilation to equalize the temperature in the mass of the substrate. Then start adding 1% fresh air. Winter for beginner heating the substrate for growing oyster mushrooms from below with air serve steam. After a while, the rise in the substrate begins microbiological activity. The substrate starts to warm up itself, and less pasteurization is required to maintain the pasteurization temperature steam and more (up to 5%) of fresh air. Temperature increase slowly, heating the substrate takes 12 hours in the summer and up to 24 hours in the winter. The steam generator must provide 25 kg of steam per hour for each ton of substrate.

Upon reaching a temperature of +65 ° C, the process begins pasteurization. During pasteurization, the volume of fresh air 5% of the total recirculation volume, or 10 m3 / h per 1 t substrate. After twelve-hour pasteurization for subsequent fermentation the substrate is cooled to +50 ° C (within 8-10 hours) due to increase in fresh air up to 30%. Then spend fermentation of the substrate at + 45— + 50 ° С from 24 to 48 hours when fed a large volume of fresh air (20%). At the end of pasteurization or fermentation try to cool the mass of substrate quickly fresh air, which at this moment is admitted in a volume of up to 100%. At preparing the substrate for oyster mushrooms, it is cooled to +28 ° C in winter, and in summer up to +24 ° С. The cooling process takes 12 to 24 hours to depending on the season and ambient temperature.

When preparing the substrate for oyster mushrooms, it is unloaded conveyor, winch with a system of moving floors (nets), others mechanisms or manually. Mycelium is introduced into the substrate in a proportion of 2 up to 5% by weight of the substrate. Inoculation is carried out in a clean room, located next to the heat treatment chamber. Mycelium evenly distributed in the substrate and the resulting mixture is Packed in polyethylene bags.

How to make a substrate for oyster mushrooms hydrothermally technology

The most affordable for small-scale production of oyster mushrooms substrate heat treatment technology – soaking the substrate in bags in hot water. Hydrothermal Processing Tank represents a metal tank with electric water heaters in bottom and with a horizontal grid above the heaters.

Before you prepare the substrate for oyster mushrooms on hydrothermal technology, crushed straw in dry form loaded into new or used wicker polypropylene bags in which sugar is usually packed. You can also make a substrate from sunflower husk without additives or from equal parts of wood wood chips and cotton tow. The bags with the substrate are placed vertically, close on top with floaters and cover. Tank filled with water. The substrate in the bags should be 96 fully coated. water. Heating lasts 12-13 hours. Water temperature should not rise above 82-85 ° C. After the temperature will be achieved, turn off the heaters and withstand the substrate in water in for 4 hours. Then the water is drained. And you can unload hot bags from tank on the slatted floor, where to leave overnight. Start in the morning inoculation of the substrate with mycelium in a separate clean room. The substrate is taken from the box in separate bags and shaken on inoculation table. The temperature of the substrate during inoculation should not exceed + 30 ° С.

Along with the above, there is another option for hydrothermal processing the substrate. Dry straw or husk of sunflower pre-laid in a container and covered with a heavy shield, which will not let her emerge. Heated by boilers or in special tanks to a temperature of +80 ° C, water is poured into the tank so that completely close the substrate. Water temperature after heat exchange with substrate +70 ° C. The substrate is left under water overnight. Morning water drained. After a few hours, inoculation and manufacture begin substrate blocks.

Sunflower husk substrate allows for accelerated hydrothermal treatment by boiling in water. Luzgu sunflower is packed in wicker polypropylene bags 4 hours in a tank with warm water at a temperature of about +30 ° C. Then tie a rope of sufficient length to the bags and immerse in a tank with boiling water. After 30 minutes, the bags are taken out of boiling water and suspended. on the ropes. Water drains from the bags and they are dried to next morning. After the substrate cools down to +30 ° C, inoculate with mycelium. Through one portion of water you can skip up to 5 servings of substrate.

The main disadvantage of hydrothermal technology is strong waterlogging of the substrate. With excess water in the substrate anaerobic zones occur. On the substrate block dark spots, mold develops, water accumulates in the bottom of the bag, mushroom flies are bred faster.

The least moisture is obtained by cooking the substrate, followed by drying bags in limbo. It should be noted that excessive waterlogging of the substrate is less manifested when use as a basis of cotton tow.

Preparation and processing of the substrate for oyster mushrooms water ferry

The substrate is first moistened in one way or another to the desired humidity (W = 60%) then put it on the nets in the tank and under leaking cover treated with steam for 4 hours, counting from the moment heating the substrate to +90 ° C. Steam supply is stopped and left cool the substrate overnight. In the morning, transfer the substrate to a clean room for inoculation. This technology is good itself recommended when processing a substrate with cotton tow. It is convenient to use a small tank with an internal size of 1.0 x 1.0 x 1.0 m, which has a fitting for draining water and a steam supply system under the substrate. Inside the tank are welded corners on which set reinforced with a corner mesh for the substrate. Nets with with handles measuring 100 x 33 cm, three are installed on each floor. A pre-soaked substrate is laid on a mesh with a layer of 20 see. On each grid lies a weight of 30-35 kg. After heat treatment, such two workers easily lift a grid and carry on a table for inoculation.

In the average climatic zone of Russia it is more rational to use birch and aspen firewood. On a mushroom farm in Volokolamsk district oyster mushroom is successfully grown on steam-treated aspen chips. Wood trunks with a diameter of not more than 20 cm are crushed in a crusher to small chips with a size of 10-30 mm. Thicker firewood accounted for chop into several pieces before grinding. Natural firewood humidity is 40-50%. Nitrogen content in wood only about 0.1%. Therefore, grain is additionally added to the substrate oats or barley in an amount of 20% by weight of wood. Heat treatment and mixing is done in a substrate machine that represents a barrel rotating on the axis. It can be conveniently loaded with wood chips and grain, pour water, apply steam and mix everything.

Wood chips are loaded pneumatically with a dust fan in substrate machine. Since the chips are quite heavy, loading going fast. Then add the grain of oats or barley at the rate of 20% by weight of wood chips and water. The amount of water is calculated based on initial and desired moisture content of the substrate. Optimum humidity substrate mixture from 65 to 70% – in this case there will be no substrate free water. Then, while mixing this mixture, steam is supplied for heating up. The mixture is heated to + 90 ° C and maintained at this 2 hours. Steam does not significantly increase humidity. substrate, but still when testing the technology you need to measure humidity of the finished substrate and adjust the amount added water.

Instead of a substrate machine, you can use a steaming tank, but in this case, the chips are pre-mixed with grain and the required amount of water on a clean concrete floor.

After cooling, mycelium is added to the substrate, carefully mix and pack. The mass of the bag is 16-18 kg.

The duration of incubation when processing the substrate for oyster mushrooms on mixed with grain wood substrate is 25 days. The yield of mushrooms on the first wave is from 15 to 18% by weight block. Oyster mushrooms are beautiful, dense and fragrant.

How to prepare a substrate for oyster mushrooms economical ways

To make a substrate for oyster mushrooms, you can use one of the economical methods proposed below.

Xerothermic processing of the substrate. At using this technology consumes less energy for heating steam, because the heat capacity of dry straw is less than the heat capacity wet. The dry straw is processed by steam, then into the substrate on clean, cold clean water is added to the floor. Shredded straw enters the hopper by conveyor or pneumatic conveyor heat treatment, where its temperature is brought by steam to + 95— + 100 ° С. Processing at this temperature lasts 1-2 hours. Straw for Xerothermal technology should be mold free. After xerothermic processing always remains dry sections of straw, and to destroy dry mold spores, a temperature of +160 ° C is needed.

Anaerobic substrate fermentation in water is keeping the substrate in water without air at temperatures from room temperature to +60 ° C. The substrate can withstand up to three days. At this produces its protection against mold. Quality odor readiness indicators anaerobic processes and the presence of a bacterial film on the surface water. Lowering the temperature to + 30— + 40 ° С leads to the fact that the smell becomes intolerable and the properties of the substrate deteriorate. At at low temperatures, fermentation takes one to two weeks, but low-temperature anaerobic treatment, despite its profitability, not widespread. All the flaws hydrothermia is also characteristic of anaerobic fermentation (except for large power consumption).

How else can you prepare a substrate for oyster mushrooms

You can also prepare the substrate for oyster mushrooms by processing in sealed barrels without air and thermal processing.

Processing the substrate in sealed barrels without access air. Substrate soaked to the desired moisture content processed in air but without access to fresh air heat treatment time. Pasteurization without air access at a temperature of + 60— + 70 ° C in sealed containers. In contrast of hydrothermia and from anaerobic fermentation is the absence free water between the particles of the substrate. Substrate processed in a heat chamber in hermetically sealed barrels. Oxygen air is consumed by the beneficial microflora of the substrate, so the covers barrels stick to the barrels due to the pressure difference. Result The technology is good enough with a substrate moisture content of 65%. Need accurate calculation of the amount of added water.

Production of substrate without thermal processing. Sunflower husk warmed in an oil mill a plant that has not been in the rain can give a good result without heat treatment. The husk is soaked for 2 days at room temperature in water with slaked lime, which does not dissolve in mainly remains at the bottom of the tank. Then she is left overnight for net for draining water. In the morning, add mycelium in an amount of 1-3% and fall asleep in perforated plastic bags designed for 10 kg of substrate. Harvest on the first wave reaches 18% of the wet masses.

Growing oyster mushrooms on shelves

In some farms intended for cultivation champignons, successfully grow oyster mushroom on the shelves. Sown mycelium substrate briquettes are tightly stacked on shelves with a width of 140 cm in the form of beds 20 cm thick. Perforation is done only from above. When using bulk, seeded with mycelium oyster mushrooms its substrate is poured on the shelf in an even layer, compacted and cover with a perforated plastic wrap. At growing mushrooms on shelves mushrooms will grow vertically up, and their shape will be almost symmetrical, like mushrooms growing on the ground.

The climate parameters in the chamber are controlled in accordance with a predetermined cultivation schedule. For example, consider a typical variant. champignon chamber. Chamber width with oyster rack is 6.0 m. With a chamber height of 2.8 m, it can accommodate 4-tier racks. The width of the middle passage is exactly 1 m. Length shelving 17.5 m, width 140 cm. The distance from the floor to the shelf of the 1st tier 20 cm, between shelves (tier height) 60 cm. For bulk The substrate needs a shelf in the form of a trough with sides 20 cm. On the shelf the substrate is 20 cm thick, above it an air gap of 35-40 cm. The substrate briquettes are laid closely in the form of four lines with a width of 35 see. The width of the beds is 140 cm. The full load of the camera is 20 tons substrate. For the normal development of oyster mushrooms in the period fresh air ventilation should be no less than 200 m3 / h per ton of substrate. To force air through air conditioning system with a polyethylene duct is required pressure 400 Pa. In this case, a radial fan is required. with a productivity of 4000 m3 / h at a working pressure of 400 Pa. The polyethylene duct in the chamber is inflated a plastic hose with a diameter of about 50 cm, equipped with downward nozzles with a diameter of 6 cm. Air duct suspended under the ceiling in the middle of the central aisle, so so that the air flow from the nozzles is directed vertically downward. Duct length 17 m. Far from the air conditioner end of the duct drowned out. The duct is made of a polyethylene sleeve 80 cm wide with a film thickness of 100 microns. The distance between 50cm nozzle holes, and the number of nozzles in the duct 33.

With a sufficiently high speed of air outflow from nozzles circular movement of air around the shelving begins – air falls in the aisle with an air duct and rises in the aisles where there are no air ducts. When growing mushrooms oyster mushrooms on the shelves of the jet air from the nozzles create a lower in the upper half of the passage pressure in the lower half – increased. Differential pressure makes air move over the surface of the beds. Such a system air distribution mixes well the air of the chamber and aligns the air temperature with the volume of the room. Productivity oyster mushrooms – about 20% in relation to the mass of the substrate. Grow up dense, heavy mushrooms of excellent quality.

Oyster mushroom growing technology: how to grow mushrooms in bags in greenhouses

There is another technology for growing oyster mushrooms – in bags, housed in greenhouses. It is used in some households in autumn-winter period, in between vegetable turnover. Agricultural plant “Moscow” for a long time successfully practiced growing oyster mushrooms in vegetables-free greenhouses in winter time. Empty glass greenhouses cannot keep snow on the roof, therefore, the air in them is heated all winter. Heat for growing mushrooms are free.

The technology for the forcing of mushrooms at AGC Moskovsky was extremely is simple. Substrate prepared in pasteurization tunnels mixed with mycelium (3%) and poured into plastic bags 20 kg of substrate in each. Bags for growing mushrooms oyster mushroom tied, perforated with knives their side surface and transported for incubation in a free concrete vegetable storehouse or in a warehouse premises up to 800 m2. The bags were placed on the floor with small at intervals, and the air temperature was raised to + 5— + 10 ° С portable heaters. After that, the substrate blocks, warming themselves, help heaters. Air temperature in oyster mushrooms in greenhouses for mushrooms were maintained in the range of + 20– + 28 ° С in depending on the temperature of the substrate inside the blocks, which is not should exceed 35 ° C. After 20-25 days, those blocks that are overgrown mycelium, transported for forcing mushrooms into the greenhouse.

In greenhouses with an area of ​​more than 1000 m2, equipment is used for mushroom growing mushrooms with heating registers for peripherals, irrigation system (irrigation) and open transoms for ventilation. A layer of pine wood chips 5 was poured on the ground see No fans, no humidity sensors, no CO2 content meters. On frosty days, fresh ventilation air was carried out only due to cracks in the gate, sometimes pick-up carts with picked mushrooms and for placing new bags with the substrate. To moisten the soil and air was carried out two waterings per day. To grow oyster mushrooms in the greenhouse, watering (intensive sprinkling over the entire surface greenhouses) were turned on for 10 minutes at noon and at 3 pm. To avoid yellowing of fungi (their bacteriosis) should be monitored so that by evening mushrooms dried out from the water. The only parameter that maintained automatically, this is the air temperature + 12— + 15 ° С. Ventilation transoms when growing oyster mushrooms in a greenhouse opened only occasionally, in spring or autumn. Due to low substrate density (less than 50 kg / m2 of the earth’s surface) and a large volume of air in the greenhouse mushrooms grew high-quality. Productivity reached 17% for a cultivation cycle of 90 days (3 waves).

A layer of wood chips or sawdust with a thickness of 4-6 is poured onto greenhouse soil see. In the future, this coating during fruiting is constantly keep wet. Chip water evaporation provides normal air humidity for formation quality mushrooms.