Growing Wood-Decay Fungi

Wood-decay fungi are classified as pests that, through their parasitic activity, have a notorious impact on the state of nature and forests, but they can also cause significant problems for many homeowners and their gardens. In most cases, these are inedible fungi and are responsible for the vast majority of wood diseases, but they can also be beneficial fungi! If we look at the most common representatives, we can agree that polypores and non-gilled fungi hold the top position. However, even in this category of negatively acting fungi, we can find culinary treasures. We must highlight various species of oyster mushrooms, sulphur polypore, or spruce polypore. In human settlements, we most commonly encounter the dry rot fungus.

Growing Oyster Mushrooms

Let's focus on the most popular type of wood-decay fungi and reveal the secrets of cultivation methods. It's a very simple matter, but we need to know how to do it. We grow oyster mushrooms on special wood that meets clearly defined criteria. Use oak, beech, willow, poplar, or wood from apple or walnut trees. Make sure the tree hasn't been felled for too long, as this increases the risk of infection by other fungi, which might not be beneficial for oyster mushroom cultivation. Moreover, wood loses its natural moisture over time, which is also a very important aspect for a smooth cultivation process. Let's stick to the clearly defined period when a felled tree is in the most ideal state for mycelium colonisation. This is the period between 2-3 months. There are many recipes for oyster mushrooms - you can make an excellent soup from them, or bake them with pasta, for example.

Growing Mushrooms on Wood

Find branches or logs with a diameter of 10-30cm and an ideal length of around 35cm, and drill holes into them. Pay attention to the entire length of the wood and try to make the entries evenly distributed. A drilling depth of 4-5cm with a diameter of approximately 10mm is sufficient. Make eight holes in one branch or log. Next come the inoculation dowels colonized with oyster mushrooms, which we press into the pre-prepared holes. To prevent contamination or drying out, seal everything with paraffin or wax, and transfer the prepared pieces to a shady location. The suitable time for planting is the warmer days of spring or summer months. Leave everything else to nature. The speed of colonization depends on the current weather. Bury the log one-third into the ground and water it regularly during hot periods to maintain ideal moisture throughout. The oyster mushrooms will reward you with their beauty in a multi-year cycle, depending on the chosen type of wood. If you want to influence productivity on a larger scale and literally regulate it according to personal needs, follow this advice. Place the prepared logs with inoculation dowels into PE bags and add a small amount of water, thus ensuring sufficient moisture. Find a suitable place with a constant temperature; this method is suitable for home cultivation, even in winter. When we want to induce fruiting, simply remove the log from the bag and place it in a location with a temperature up to 18 degrees. This method gives us absolute control. The cycle of fruiting periods traditionally lasts three years on average, with the colonization time taking 3-4 months (depending on the chosen wood and its hardness).

Growing on Straw

Straw is another excellent substrate for growing oyster mushrooms. The most suitable is short-cut barley, rye, or wheat straw. Forget about completely fresh straw as well as rotten straw. In such cases, you won't get very far and cultivation will end at the very beginning. If the straw isn't yours, make sure it was stored in a dry place. Place it in a 50-liter bag made of thicker material. Pour boiling water over everything until it reaches the very edge of the last stalk. The straw must be submerged in water. Leave the prepared contents to stand for a few hours and then pour out the water (cut the lower corners and the water will drain by itself). The next day, add the inoculation dowels and store in a place with a temperature of around 22 degrees. Subsequently, it's important to follow the precisely established method. After 4 weeks, the entire contents should turn white - this is a signal that calls for several evenly distributed cuts in the bag, and store in a cool, bright place. Within a few weeks, the first fruits of your efforts will appear through the cuts. Everything happens in cycles depending on the weather, until the contents completely decompose.

Similar Wood-Decay Fungi

• Poplar Fieldcap is cultivated in exactly the same way, it just prefers softwood.

• Veiled Oyster Mushroom is cultivated in the same way, it just needs more heat when setting fruiting bodies, so it's good to start in the summer months.