Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: new_2_veg on July 17, 2008, 15:52

Title: carters mushroom spawn
Post by: new_2_veg on July 17, 2008, 15:52

hi all

just got this packet but it dont say anything on it as regards to instructions.

it says i can use manure to grow in/on

does anyone else know anything else?


thanks

nathan

Title: carters mushroom spawn
Post by: crackedflowerpots on July 17, 2008, 19:45

sorry i cant help, I bought a mushroom kit from woolworths, followed the instructions , after a few weeks, thought i had teeny white mushrooms coming up, which i tended very carefully :)   i showed OH  my mushrooms and he pointed out my mushrooms were in fact little pieces of the polystyrene case they were growing in :oops:

Title: carters mushroom spawn
Post by: new_2_veg on July 17, 2008, 19:51

ha ha ha ha ha



i have no idea how to use this stuff


nathan

Title: carters mushroom spawn
Post by: crackedflowerpots on July 17, 2008, 19:54

try googling ... or wait here, i'm sure someone will be along soon with some good advice :D

Title: carters mushroom spawn
Post by: new_2_veg on July 17, 2008, 19:59

i did a goodle but found no instructions for this .

its bad realy, theres hardly anything on the packet

Title: carters mushroom spawn
Post by: matron on July 17, 2008, 22:57

This could be a long reply but here is what it says on my packet from Wilkos:

The perfect 'substrate' on which to grow mushrooms is well rotted horse manure. Either purchase ready, pre-packaged manure or if you can obtain fresh manure simply add 20% wet straw and leave outside in a heap, the centre of the heap should become hot within hours. Turn it over weeky and keep moist but not wet. WHen the heap has rotted sufficiently it will no longer be hot in the middle. When it has been composted and become dark brown with little or no smell it is ready to use. You will need approx 5kg of well rotted manure for one packet of mushroom spawn. Mix the spawn into the well rotted manure and place in a sturdy plastic bag or crate, firming it down well. Then mix equal quantities of sieved garden soil (from just below the surface) with ordinary multipurpose compost and use it to cover the manure and spawn mix witha a 2.5cm layer known as 'casing'.
Keep the bag or crate in anairy garage, shed, greenhouse, cold frame or cellar at a temperature of approx 15 - 20C. Ensure the earth layer or 'casing' remains moist but not wet. The first mushrooms should begin to appear in 20 -30 days, often in flushes 8 to 10 days apart, until the substrate is exhausted. To harvest your mushrooms grasp the base of the stem and rock them free from the compost, avoid pulling as this damages the mycelium for further crops. Button mushrooms are at their best when the caps just begin to open.

I hope this helps (good job I am not a one finger typist!)
Good luck, I haven't done mine yet.  :lol: