Mushroom Growing Problems
Growing mushrooms is a hobby that can be done at home with a few simple tools and procedures but often problems can occur that may ruin a crop. Although mushrooms enjoy growing in an environment with high humidity, too much water can become a problem. Does this Spark an idea?
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Contamination
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Techniques for mushroom cultivation include sterilization of every tool, compost media, and item that comes into contact with the growing mycelium to avoid contaminated spores. Contaminated spores will not produce a healthy crop of mushrooms.
Overwatering
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Mushrooms prefer humidity of 80 percent and higher; however, media that is overly saturated with water will ruin the growing mycelia, which are the roots of the mushroom that produce the fruiting bodies. This fosters the growth of undesirable bacteria and fungi.
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Temperature
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Generally, mushrooms prefer to grow in cooler temperatures ranging from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Climates warmer than this can kill mushroom strains.
Warning
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Microscopic fungal spores are present everywhere and can contaminate the growing medium. Fungus such as Trichoderma, Hypoxylon, and Polyporus versicolor can invade logs where shiitake mushrooms are growing and ruin the whole crop.
Predators
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Mice and roaches enjoy munching fruiting mushrooms and caps. Mushrooms with bites taken from them can transmit diseases to humans if consumed.
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References
- "Agriculture and Industry Survey": Problems in Mushroom Farming
- Penn State University Mushroom Spawn Laboratory: Seeding Substrate and Management of the Vegetative Stage of Growing the Commercial Mushroom, Agaricus bisporus
- Training Report on Mushroom Cultivation, Diseases of Mushroom, Surabhi Sanchita
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
