Complete Guide to Grow Mushrooms in Buckets
Introduction
Growing mushrooms at home using buckets is a straightforward endeavor, especially when opting for less nutritious substrates and varieties that don’t require complex nutrition for sustenance.
Among the substrates, straw, and sugarcane mulch is commonly used due to their ease of pasteurization through cold water treatment with Calcium hydroxide. Enhancing the yield significantly can be achieved by incorporating at least 25% sawdust spawn into the mix. Although grain spawn is effective, for certain species like Brown and Ivory Shimeji and Oysters—which have a preference for wood—the yield is notably improved with the use of sawdust spawn as opposed to grain spawn.
The varieties that can be grown using this method are- Yellow Oyster, Blue Pearl Oyster, Pearl Giant Oyster, Pink Oyster, Tan Oyster, Phoenix Oyster, Winter White oyster, Warm white Oyster, Black king oyster, King of Pearl oyster, Princess of Pearl Oyster, Ivory Shimeji, Brown Shimeji.
Supplies Needed:
- Bucket: 20L food-grade bucket. Purchase a second-hand one from Facebook Market or a new one from Bunnings.
- Drill: For making holes in the bucket. Drill 5-6mm holes. Don’t make the holes too big.
- Substrate: Wheat Straw or sugarcane mulch.
- Mushroom Spawn: Purchase spawn of your chosen mushroom variety. Spawn could be sawdust or grain spawn. Sawdust spawn increases yield for wood-loving varieties.
- Water: For soaking and misting.
- Calcium Hydroxide: For pasteurizing the substrate.
- Micropore Tape: To cover the holes and maintain humidity.
- Plastic Sheeting or Bags: To cover the bucket and maintain humidity.
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Procedure:
1. Prepare the Substrate: • If using straw, cut it into short lengths, about 1-2 inches long. • Pasteurize the substrate to eliminate any competing organisms. This can be done by soaking it in water mixed with calcium hydroxide for several hours, using 5 grams per liter. The pH of the water initially should shoot up to 14, which can be measured by the ph strips. The pH will slowly come back down after 24-48 hours. to 7 (Neutral). You can submerge the straw for up to 3-4 days, remove it and let it drain. Leaving the straw in water for a few days will cause fermentation, which lets mycelium easily digest the straw and fruit quickly.
Inoculate the Substrate: • Once the substrate is appropriately pasteurized and drained, thoroughly mix it with the spawn at a 10-25% ratio. • Pack the inoculated substrate into the bucket, ensuring it’s firm but not overly compacted. • Cover all the holes with micropore tape.
2. Prepare the Substrate: • If using straw, cut it into short lengths, about 1-2 inches long. • Pasteurize the substrate to eliminate any competing organisms. This can be done by soaking it in water mixed with calcium hydroxide for several hours, using 5 grams per liter. The pH of the water initially should shoot up to 14, which can be measured by the ph strips. The pH will slowly come back down after 24-48 hours. to 7 (Neutral). You can submerge the straw for up to 3-4 days, remove it and let it drain. Leaving the straw in water for a few days will cause fermentation, which lets mycelium easily digest the straw and fruit quickly.
3. Inoculate the Substrate: • Once the substrate is appropriately pasteurized and drained, thoroughly mix it with the spawn at a 10-25% ratio. • Pack the inoculated substrate into the bucket, ensuring it’s firm but not overly compacted. • Cover all the holes with micropore tape.
4. Initial Incubation: • Cover the bucket with its lid• Place the bucket in a warm, dark place to allow the mycelium to colonize the substrate, which usually takes 2-4 weeks. Check on it periodically by opening the lid to ensure it is colonizing well and no contamination is growing inside.
5. Fruiting: • Once the substrate is fully colonized, move the bucket to a cooler, well-ventilated area with indirect light. You’ll know it’s time to fruit when baby clusters of mushrooms push through the micropore tape. • Keep the bucket in a humid environment. Do not mist the baby mushroom directly.
6. Harvesting: • Harvest the mushrooms once fully matured, usually just before their caps fully uncurl. • Gently twist and pull the mushrooms to harvest them without damaging the mycelium. • Cover the holes with tape again and leave the bucket for a second flush, which generally occurs after 7-10 days.
7. Maintain and Repeat: You may get several flushes of mushrooms from a single bucket before the substrate is spent. Use spent substrate in your compost pile or as a mulch in your garden.
By following these steps, you can grow mushrooms in a bucket at home successfully. Remember that different mushroom varieties may have slightly different growing requirements, so it’s advisable to research the specific needs of the mushroom variety you wish to grow.
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Owner of Rootlab
I need some information about growing Morchella Australiana thanks
Thanks for your quick delivery