How to grow champignons at home in bags

Mushrooms, so tasty and desirable, can be found not only in the forest, but also in your garden, in the basement, shed or greenhouse. At home, you can grow oyster mushrooms, winter mushrooms, outlandish shiitake and, of course, champignons. It is champignons that are most in demand for mushroom growers, since this species gives the maximum yield in a minimum period of time. They are picky in care, do not require special, “difficult” conditions of detention. Mushrooms must be grown in accordance with the rules of a particular technology. One of them allows the cultivation of champignons in bags. We will try to talk in detail about all the features and nuances of this method of breeding champignons.

Mushrooms in bags: pros and cons

Champignons are absolutely not picky. They can grow in an open garden or in any large container, but experienced mushroom growers prefer to use plastic bags as blocks as a seat. Such a decision, at first glance, may seem strange, but it is fully justified by the following advantages:

• Plastic bags do not allow diseases and pests to spread to the entire planting area.
• If necessary, at any time, a specific package can be closed or taken out of the room.
• The mobility of the bags allows you to grow champignons seasonally in open areas of the garden and in specially equipped rooms.
• It is convenient to arrange bags in several rows on multi-tiered stands.
• Plastic bags are much cheaper than plastic containers.

Of course, the proposed technology is not ideal, since only manual labor is used to fill the bags with soil, care for the crop, and collect the grown champignons. However, on a small scale this is usually not a problem.

Secrets and basics of technology

The cultivation of champignons must be approached with skill, since even the slightest mistake or flaw can ruin the plantings, and all the work invested will go down the drain. That is why we decided to describe in detail the entire process of mushroom cultivation from the moment of soil preparation to harvest.

The best substrate for “homemade” champignons

For the successful growth of champignons, it is necessary to fill the bags with exclusively nutritious soil, which consists of 75% horse manure and 25% compost. In this case, you need to use a special compost filler: rye or wheat straw. Additionally, it is necessary to increase the nutritional value of the soil with mineral fertilizers.

Depending on the scale of cultivation, you should stock up on the listed components and start preparing the substrate:

• Soak the straw in a barrel of water.
• Lay rows of wet straw with manure on the compost. There should be at least 6 layers in the compost for better decay.
• When laying in the compost, the straw is additionally moistened with water and sprinkled with urea, superphosphate.
• After thoroughly mixing all the components, add chalk and gypsum to the compost.
• Fold the compost in a heap and leave to smolder for 3 weeks. After this time, the substrate will be ready for use.

In the preparation of a nutrient substrate for champignons, it is very important to correctly calculate the amount of mineral additives. So, for every 100 kg of compost mixture, it is necessary to additionally add 2 kg of superphosphate and urea, as well as 5 kg of chalk and 8 kg of gypsum. A good substrate for champignons can be checked by pressing: when it is squeezed, the thickness of the soil springs.

Unfortunately, horse manure can be quite difficult to find. In this case, it can be replaced with chicken manure. This fertilizer is taken in equal proportions with straw and supplemented with gypsum and alabaster.

Preparing the seat

Mushrooms are grown in bags in small quantities on their own farm for personal use and on an industrial scale for sale. The method has proven itself in many countries and for its implementation it is necessary, first of all, to stock up on bags that will play the role of a seat.

Bags can be made from a polymer film yourself, considering the following recommendations:

• The capacity of the bag should be 25-40 kg. These blocks are easy to work with. They become compact even in small spaces.
• The diameter of the bag can vary from 30 to 40 cm.
• The thickness of the substrate in the bag should be approximately 20-30 cm.
• It is impossible to place bags too close, as this can contribute to the spread of viral diseases and pests. The most rational is the placement of bags in a checkerboard pattern.

Bags of the appropriate size can be found commercially or you can make your own by sewing together a transparent polymer film. An example of making plastic bags for champignons can be seen in the video:

Mycelium selection

Mushrooms are propagated by mycelium, which is recommended to be purchased in special laboratories for the cultivation of this crop. The purchase of mycelium from the manufacturer of mycelium will guarantee the quality and health of the planting material.

For cultivation in private backyards, manufacturers offer two types of champignon mycelium at once: compost and grain.

Grain mycelium is sold in small bags, which are recommended to be stored at a temperature of 0-+5⁰C for half a year. The consumption of grain mycelium in case of infection of the substrate will be 400 g per 100 kg (1 m² soil).

Mycelium compost is less productive in comparison with the grain analogue. It is sold in glass jars and consumed at the rate of 500 g (1 m² soil). Such mycelium can be stored for a year at a temperature of 0⁰C. Under room conditions, compost mycelium is not stored for longer than 3 weeks.

Growing champignons at home should be carried out in a previously disinfected substrate. The best way to sterilize in this case is heating. You can heat the soil on an open fire. When the heated soil cools down to 25⁰C, it can be used to infect mycelium.

Soil contamination with mycelium

There are two ways to infect the soil with mycelium:

• Take a handful of mycelium and close it to a depth of 5 cm. Place such bookmarks at a distance of 20 cm from each other over the entire area of ​​uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe soil.
• Sprinkle the mycelium with a layer of 1 cm and cover it with a nutrient substrate, 3-5 cm thick.

For the successful growth and spread of the mycelium, certain conditions must be maintained:

• indoor air humidity should be 90%;
• nutrient soil in bags should always be slightly moist;
• the temperature of the substrate in the bags should be at the level of + 22- + 27⁰WITH;
• so that the soil evaporates moisture to a minimum, cover the bags with champignons with paper sheets. You can water the culture through them.

In favorable conditions, the mycelium begins to form the body of champignon after a couple of weeks. At this time, you need to sprinkle a ground cover layer on top of the nutrient substrate, consisting of peat 8/9 parts and 1/9 parts of sand. The thickness of the ground cover layer should be 3 cm. After applying the soil, you need to withstand 3 days, and then lower the temperature in the room to +15-+17⁰C.

Further care of champignons consists in regular watering of the crop, maintaining the required air temperature and airing the room. It is important to remember that the presence of drafts can have a detrimental effect on culture.

Harvest

The most enjoyable moment for any mushroom grower is the harvesting process. It occurs approximately 120 days after the day when the soil was infected with mycelium. Already at this time, a large number of young champignons can be observed in bags, which can be carefully twisted and used for food. It is worth noting that it is better to eat those champignons in which the plates on the inside of the cap are light. Old, overripe champignons accumulate substances in themselves that can in some cases cause poisoning.  

Harvesting is much more efficient by carefully twisting the mushrooms. After such a harvest, the mycelium should be sprinkled with a layer of nutrient substrate and moistened with a spray bottle. An example of the correct collection of champignons is shown in the video:

Mushroom mushroom actively bears fruit for 2 weeks. During this time, subject to the necessary conditions, you can collect champignons every 2-3 days. This allows you to always use only the freshest products in your food.

Conclusion

Every mushroom grower can confirm that growing champignons is extremely profitable. So, for 2 weeks of active fruiting from each 1 m² soil can be removed up to 20 kg of fresh, fragrant champignons. This amount is enough to provide a family with a product. For growing crops, you can take a small area in a barn or cellar. Such beds will not “get in the way” and will be able to please the harvest all year round if mycelium is regularly added.