Many people don’t even realize it’s possible to grow mushrooms at home. But home gardeners everywhere are starting to experiment with growing mushrooms indoors. And it’s not as difficult as you might think. Here are our top tips for how to grow mushrooms indoors, whether you want to DIY or buy a kit to get you started.
If you follow these tips for setting up an indoor mushroom garden or a mini-indoor mushroom farm, you will be on your way to producing some of the tastiest food that is also fat-free, low calorie, and chock full of vitamins and antioxidants.
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Learn how to grow mushrooms at home with our recommended Best Mushroom Starter Kits.
How To Grow Mushrooms Indoors
Unlike most other items in a garden, which grow from seeds, mushrooms grow from spores. These spores are so small that we are not able to see them with our naked eye. Mushrooms are not that fond of soil but rather prefer sawdust, straw, or even wood chips to gain their nourishment. When the spores blend with the growing medium, say wood chips, you then have what is referred to as spawn.
Although the spawn is perfectly capable of producing and growing mushrooms, once it mixes with the growing medium or compost, the mushroom growth accelerates.
Learn more: Are Mushrooms a Vegetable? Or, did you know you can Grow Mushrooms In Coffee Grounds?
Where Do Mushrooms Like To Grow
For the most part, mushrooms enjoy growing in environments that are dark, cool, and have some humidity. When growing mushrooms indoors, you could put your basement to use, or if you are growing on a smaller scale, the area under your sink or the floor of a closet will work as well.
Before you even begin the growing process, you will need to check the temperature of the spot. To achieve the best results, it is essential to keep in mind that mushrooms like temperatures between 50-60 F. Mushrooms also grow best away from any form of direct heat or possible drafts.
Consider growing your mushrooms during the winter, as the winter months are the most ideal. Most basements will be too warm in the warmer months for the conditions needed for optimal success and harvest. Mushrooms typically tolerate a small amount of light, but for the best success, they will prefer mostly dark or really low lighting conditions.
There are those varieties of mushrooms that can be grown outside in the ground or even in logs. It takes longer to grow mushrooms outdoors, though. It can take between six months to a year for the mushrooms to be ready.
What Are The Best Types Of Mushrooms To Grow At Home
Except for the highly sought-after morels, which are only available in nature, there are various types of mushrooms that grow in the wild are can also be grown indoors as well. Some of the more flavorful varieties, such as portobello, oyster, shitake, and even white button mushrooms, are capable of being grown indoors. What needs to be kept in mind is that each variety of mushrooms requires its own specific needs to survive.
For example, the white button mushrooms that are so popular need a growing medium of composted manure. Shiitakes need hardwood sawdust, and oyster mushrooms need a growing medium of straw.
Learn how to grow different types of mushrooms:
Indoor Mushroom Kits
For new home gardeners, it’s possible to use an indoor mushroom growing kit to get started. This is the perfect way to test out or try growing mushrooms indoors at home. This Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Growing Kit is the perfect place to test out whether mushroom growing is for you. It works all year round and will grow mushrooms in less than two weeks.
Our Top Tips For Growing Mushrooms Indoors
When planting and growing mushrooms indoors, you have a few options regarding the types of materials you can use. You can purchase spawn from a local or online supplier and then proceed to innoculate your choice of growing medium. You could also go the more challenging route and develop your own mushroom cultures and spawn. This method will require a sterile workplace and a means of sterilizing both agar and grain.
Or, you have the choice of going with a prefab mushroom grow kit, which offers a growing medium that already contains the necessary mushroom spawn. Kits are an excellent choice for those who are new to and just starting in the process of growing mushrooms. If you are looking towards the most uncomplicated variety to grow, button mushrooms are your best bet.
If you want to try growing mushrooms indoors, there are a few steps that you will need to follow:
Fill Your Trays With Compost
Your trays should measure approximately 14×16 and be six inches deep—much like most seed flats. Fill the trays with the compost material mix create for the mushrooms, and then sprinkle the spawn on top.
Provide A Heat Source
The heat source can be something as simple as a heating pad from Target or Walmart. You will want to work to raise the soil’s temperature to approximately 70 degrees F. You will then need to keep it at this temperature for about three weeks—or until you see the white, threadlike growths known as mycelium.
Once the mycelium appears, drop the temperature to where it is between 55 degrees F and 60 degrees F. You will also need to make sure to cover the spawn with an additional inch or so of potting soil.
Moist Soil Is Key
Spritzing the soil with water and then covering it with a damp cloth is essential. Make sure that, as the cloth dries, you continue spritzing it with water.
When To Harvest
As a rule, button mushrooms will begin to appear in approximately three to four weeks. When the caps open and the stalk can be cut with a sharp knife, they are ready to be harvested. Do not pull the mushrooms, as you run the risk of damaging any surrounding fungi that may still be in the developmental stages. Every day harvesting will result in a crop continuously for up to six months.
Once you get started growing mushrooms indoors at home and have your basics taken care of, the process is pretty easy to maintain on an on-going basis. As long as you make sure to keep the cloth on the mushrooms damp and that you harvest your mushrooms regularly as they appear, you should see them producing a somewhat steady supply.
FAQs – Grown Mushrooms Indoors
100% yes! In fact, mushrooms thrive when grown indoors. Growing indoors provides mushrooms with the correct amount of humidity, warmth, and light they require. When you are growing mushrooms indoors, you are able to make corrections to ensure a fruitful harvest.
Yes. If you are able to provide the correct growing conditions, especially light, and temperature then growing all year round isn’t an issue.
By far, oyster mushrooms are the easiest mushrooms to grow indoors. This makes them perfect for new home gardeners or home gardeners with limited space.