Growing champignons

Brief description of the fungus, features of its growth

Champignons are representatives of the champignon family of the same name, which includes over 60 species of cap mushrooms. Mushrooms can grow in forests, meadows and even deserts.

Various varieties of champignons can be found on all continents except Antarctica, but their main habitat is the steppe or forest-steppe zone.

If we are talking about central Our Country, then champignons can be found in fields, meadows, on the edges of forests. If the conditions for their growth are favorable, then in these places you can find champignons from May to October.

Mushrooms are pronounced saprophytes, so they grow on soils that are rich in humus, are found near cattle pastures, as well as in forests that are distinguished by thick plant litter.

As for industrial mushroom growing, two types of these mushrooms are currently actively grown: two-spore mushroom and two-ring (four-spore) mushroom. Field and meadow champignons are less common.

Champignon is a hat mushroom, characterized by a pronounced central leg, the height of which reaches 4-6 centimeters. Industrial champignons differ in a cap diameter of 5-10 centimeters, but you can find specimens with a diameter of 30 centimeters or more.

Interestingly, the champignon is a representative of hat mushrooms that can be eaten raw. In the Mediterranean countries, raw champignons are used in the preparation of salads and sauces.

In the first periods of the mushroom’s life, its hat is distinguished by a hemispherical shape, however, in the process of maturation, it turns into a convex-outstretched one.

There are 4 main groups of champignons according to the color of the cap: snow-white, milky, light brown (royal) and cream. Quite often, whites with dairy are assigned to the same group. With a change in the age of the fruiting body, changes also occur with the plates of champignons. Young mushrooms have light plates. When the champignon reaches puberty, the plate darkens, and it turns red-brown. Old champignons are characterized by dark brown and burgundy-black color of the plate.

Site selection and preparation

Mushrooms are characterized by reduced requirements for the presence of light and heat, so their active growth is possible even in basements at an air temperature in the range of 13-30 degrees Celsius. Also, these fungi do not need the presence of a host plant, since their nutrition is carried out by absorbing decomposed residues of organic compounds. Based on this, in the process of growing champignons, the so-called. champignon compost, in the preparation of which horse manure or chicken manure is used. In addition, it is imperative to add rye or wheat straw and gypsum. The presence of manure gives the mushrooms the necessary nitrogen compounds, thanks to the straw, the mycelium is provided with carbon, but thanks to the gypsum, the mushrooms are supplied with calcium. In addition, it is gypsum that is used to structure the compost. Additives to the soil for growing champignons in the form of chalk, mineral fertilizers and meat and bone meal will not interfere.

Each mushroom farmer has his own formula for the best, in his opinion, compost, the basis of which is often horse manure.

To prepare such compost, it is necessary to use 100 kg of straw, 2,5 g of ammonium sulfate, superphosphate and urea, as well as one and a half kilograms of gypsum and 250 grams of chalk for every 400 kg of horse manure.

If a mushroom grower is going to grow champignons throughout the year, then the composting process should take place in special rooms where a constant air temperature is maintained at a level above 10 degrees Celsius. If the mushrooms are grown seasonally, the compost can be laid under a canopy in the open air.

During the preparation of compost, it is necessary to prevent its constituent parts from contacting the ground. Otherwise, various microorganisms that harm fungi can get into it.

The first stage of composting involves chopping straw, after which it is well wetted with water until it is completely wet. In this position, it is left for two days, after which it is combined with manure, which is laid consistently in even layers. Straw during laying should be wetted with mineral fertilizers, which must first be diluted in water. Thus, you should get a shaft-shaped pile, measuring one and a half meters in height and width. There must be at least 100 kilograms of straw in such a pile, otherwise the fermentation process will be very slow, or the low heating temperature will not allow it to start at all. After some time, the formed heap is interrupted with the gradual addition of water. The production of compost requires four breaks, and the total duration of its production is 20-23 days. If the technology has been followed, then a few days after the last slaughter, the heap will stop emitting ammonia, the characteristic smell will disappear, and the color of the mass itself will become dark brown. Then the finished compost is distributed in special containers or beds are formed from it, in which mushrooms will be sown.

Sow mycelium

Reproduction of industrial champignons occurs in a vegetative way, by sowing mycelium in the prepared compost, which is obtained in laboratories. Among the methods of sowing mycelium, it is worth highlighting the cellar, inside which it is quite simple to maintain a high level of air humidity, as well as an optimal temperature indicator. It is necessary to purchase mycelium only from well-known suppliers, since a violation of the technology at least at one stage of the production of mycelium will jeopardize the growth of the mycelium. The release of mycelium is carried out in granules or in the form of compost blocks that do not require self-composting. The mushroom picker should be planted in hardened compost, so it should be spread out in a thin layer until its temperature drops to 25 degrees Celsius. Recall that immediately after sowing, processes occur inside the compost, as a result of which its temperature rises. For each ton of compost, about 6 kilograms or 10 liters of mycelium must be planted. For sowing, it is necessary to prepare holes in the compost, the depth of which should be 8 cm, and the step should be 15 cm. Holes in adjacent rows should be staggered. Sowing is carried out with one’s own hands or with the help of a special cutter and a roller.

When the mycelium is planted, the compost must be covered with paper, straw mats or burlap to keep moisture in it. To protect it from the appearance of various pests, it is necessary to treat it with a 2% formalin solution every three days. During the application of non-covering technology, the compost is moistened by irrigating the walls and floors, because if you water the compost itself, then there is a high probability of developing mycelium diseases. During its germination, a constant air temperature above 23 degrees is required, and the temperature of the compost should be in the range of 24-25 degrees.

Growing and harvesting

Mycelium, on average, grows in 10-12 days. During this period, an active process of formation of thin white threads – hyphae – takes place in the compost. When they begin to appear on the surface of the compost, they should be sprinkled with a layer of peat with chalk, 3 centimeters thick. After 4-5 days after that, the temperature in the room should be lowered to 17 degrees. In addition, it is necessary to start watering the upper soil layer with a thin watering can. During irrigation, it is imperative to observe the condition that water remains on the top layer and does not penetrate into the compost. The constant supply of fresh air is also important, which will positively affect the growth rate of mushrooms. Humidity in the room at that time should be stable in the range of 60-70%. The fruiting of champignons begins on the 20-26th day after planting the mycelium. If the optimal conditions for growth are strictly observed, the ripening of mushrooms takes place massively, with breaks between peaks of 3-5 days. Mushrooms are harvested manually by twisting them out of the mycelium.

To date, the leaders in the industrial production of champignons include the USA, Great Britain, France, Korea and China. In recent years, Our Country has also begun to actively use foreign technologies in the process of growing mushrooms.

Mushrooms are collected at an ambient temperature of 12-18 degrees. Before starting the collection, the room must be ventilated, this will avoid the growth of humidity, as a result of which stains appear on the mushroom caps. By the very appearance of the fungus, you can determine when it is time to remove it. If the film connecting the cap and the leg has already been seriously stretched, but has not yet torn, this is the time to collect the champignon. After picking the mushrooms, they are sorted, sick and damaged are discarded, and the rest are packaged and sent to the places of sale.

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