[booboo]

I'm trying out a box of mushrooms I got as a Christmas present at the moment. It's from Taylors Bulbs and it's called a White Mushroom Kit, but a quick search on Google doesn't bring anything up.

Basically it consists of a growing medium and mushroom compost, and it needs to be at 20-24° for about six days, then kept at 18-20° until you get a crop of mushrooms after around another six days. You're supposed to get a few crops from it before you need to get freshly spawned compost.

I started mine last Wednesday (five days ago) and a quick inspection this evening revealed that I do have the white fluffy stuff growing in a few places so I guess it'll take a few days more before it can be transferred to a dark place to continue.

I'll keep you posted as to how it continues and how easy/difficult I've found it.

[paintedlady]

...a quick inspection this evening revealed that I do have the white fluffy stuff growing in a few places

The kit I got from B&Q over Christmas is also showing lots of clumpy fluffy bits over the surface too!  Wasn't quite sure if it was supposed to look like that so its nice to hear someone else is getting the same.

In't it exciting!

[WG.]

That is the mycelium.  Presumably the instructions tell you to apply the casing layer fairly soon?

[paintedlady]

That is the mycelium.  Presumably the instructions tell you to apply the casing layer fairly soon?

Yes!  Instructions said wait 10 days which is today!  The initial 20-25oC temperature was never reached so I had wondered about adding a couple of extra days to allow for that?

[WG.]

I'd suggest casing as soon as the mycelium 'blobs' reach 1" in radius.  The casing gives a little more protection against infection from spores of competitive fungi and from disease (which will happen, I promise you).

[booboo]

My instructions said to mix a handful of the casing with the mushroom compost and put it in a box. As far as I'm aware I just need to wait until the mycelium has spread a little more and then move it somewhere cold(ish) and dark.

I must admit that whilst the instructions seem very simple, from everything else I've read and heard I don't have a lot of confidence in having oodles of lovely mushrooms on tap.

Look forward to hearing how yours come on PaintedLady, and happy growing!

[booboo]

Just a quick note to say that I've definitely got some mushroom-type objects appearing out of the soil.

I moved them to a cooler and darker place when there were lots of white blobs about 1" across (thanks WG) and slowly but surely there are things growing.

So far it was a week from starting to 1" blobs, and it's now 5 days since transferring and I'd guess there's about 3-5 more days to go, so a lot longer than it says on the packaging but perhaps that's in the perfect conditions.

Doesn't seem like I'll get a huge crop though, perhaps enough for a slice of mushrooms on toast, but it does seem to be working. On the downside the spare wardrobe they're growing in is starting to smell a little musty, which I guess is to be expected but perhaps something you should bear in mind when choosing where you'll put them.

[booboo]

Had my first mushrooms from my kit today and they were great! Took a couple of weeks from sowing to harvesting, but today I picked about 1lb of firm, white mushrooms and had them for breakfast on some toast.

Apparently you can have another go with the same box of stuff, so I'll give that a go and see if I get any more crops from it.

All in all I'm very pleased with my first attempt and look forward to trying again.

[arthur cooke]

I love fungi, I have a place in northern Italy and the area is famous for porcine (bet I spelled that wrong) and chantereles, but my favourite is the parasole, which in the right conditions is as big as a dinner plate. Those I can't eat I sun dry and bring back with me in November. Mind you I always show them to the villagers to make sure that I'm not about to kill my self. I thought I might try growing some button mushrooms in one of my cantinas, which is cool and damp. But I don't think that you can beat the taste of wild fungi.
cheers arthur