How to Grow Portabella Mushrooms

Portabella mushrooms are the largest of all cultivated mushroom, with flat caps that grow up to six inches. They are also known for their hearty taste. Portabella mushrooms stems are cooked along with the caps. Portabella mushrooms must be stored in a refrigerator and in a plastic bag to avoid getting the mushroom too moist. They can then be cooked with other vegetables, usually in stir fries, but they also make great sandwiches.

Things You'll Need

• Portabella mushroom kit
• Small shovel
• Gardening shear

Instructions

1. Purchase a portabella mushroom growing kit from your local garden store or from a website like Gardeners.com. Make sure that the kit contains all necessary nutrients and spores for you to be able to grow portabella mushrooms at home. These include shredded straw substrate, grain substrate and casing soil.

2. Read the directions for your portabella mushroom kit for growing outside or indoors. If you are growing outside, make sure that the spot where you will be planting meets appropriate weather conditions and soil for your mushroom garden to grow. This includes a mild climate with semi-soft soil.

3. If you are planting outside, dig a 1/4-inch-deep and 1/2-inch-wide hole into the ground for each couple of mushrooms. Mix the nutrients and spores into the soil that you dug up. Cover the hole with the soil mixture and monitor the growth of the mushrooms for two weeks, adding more nutrients to the soil if necessary.

4. If you are growing portabellas inside, apply the growth spores along the side where the mushrooms will grow in the container. Add water as directed. Usually there will be a marking to show you how much water you must add to the container.

5. Cut out the mushrooms once they've grown from the base of the grown root that is just above the soil. Use your hands, or use a gardening shear for more precise clippings. Wash the mushrooms thoroughly and place them in a plastic bag. Store them in your refrigerator. Use the growth bases again after cultivating. For the indoor kits, you should be able to grow portabellas two or three more times.

References

• What are Mushroom Growing Kits?
• Portabella Mushrooms
• Try the Fungi

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Portabella Mushroom Kit
• Classic Mushroom Kit