Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
DIY: Mushroom Greenhouse
DIY: Mushroom Greenhouse. Mushrooms are a delicious addition to any meal, but can be very expensive. To avoid high mushroom costs or make a little money for yourself, you can grow your own mushrooms. Mushroom kits are available for a low cost, but you can make your own mushroom mix. Spores are available on the Internet or from specialist nurseries....
Mushrooms are a delicious addition to any meal, but can be very expensive. To avoid high mushroom costs or make a little money for yourself, you can grow your own mushrooms. Mushroom kits are available for a low cost, but you can make your own mushroom mix. Spores are available on the Internet or from specialist nurseries. It's best to grow your mushrooms indoors to avoid outdoor pests. You can use a greenhouse or a warm room in your home to cultivate your own organic mushroom crops.
Things You'll Need
Flower box
Clear plastic container
Growing substrate or log
Mister or drip watering system
Water
Spores
String or wool
Provide the spores with a stable mushroom substrate. Ideal materials include wood shavings, compost, wood chips or peat moss. Place the substrate in a flower box. Procure a suitably moist log for growing mushrooms like shiitake, which grow only on logs.
Set up a good watering system, like a drip system, or use a hand sprayer to keep your mushrooms moist at all times. You can set up a simple drip system by placing a container of water above the mushrooms with a piece of string or wool going from the container into the mushroom pot.
Place the spores onto the growing medium. Ensure that the substrate is kept moist for the next 2 weeks. Place a clear plastic container over the flower box to create your own mushroom greenhouse and keep moisture and temperatures constant.
Keep the temperature constant. The mushrooms need a temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use heaters in the winter to keep the temperature constant.
Provide natural sunlight for those mushrooms that enjoy light. For those varieties that prefer the dark, use a tarp to cover your mushroom pots, or place the mushrooms in a cupboard. Colonies should appear in the second week.
Retain the substrate after harvesting mushrooms, as there may be several flushes before the substrate runs out of nutrients.
Tips & Warnings
Take the plastic container off for several hours a day to prevent the growth of mold.
Do not place the mushrooms under the sink, as it may lead to the formation of unwanted fungi.
If you grow your mushrooms outside, ensure that no foreign mushroom species colonize your substrate.
