From the prison term of the Greeks and Romans , various fungi have been eaten as a delicacy and the expert can find many varieties grow wild which are equal , if not superscript , in flavor to the mushroom(Psalliotta campestris).But there are also a number of poisonous kingdom Fungi , some venomous . The field mushroom which appear in profusion in hayfield in the moist autumn days are perfectly secure , but the inexperienced townsman would be well advised to verify first that he is actually picking landing field mushrooms , because some poisonous fungi are very similar . Cultivated mushroom-shaped cloud are absolutely authentic and a worthful food as well as a discreetness .
Since the war , the production ofmushroomson specialized farms has increased rapidly all over the Western earth , in answer to a growing requirement . There is a very wide break between the issue achieved by the amateur and the commercial growers , but provided attention is devote to a few essential factors , useful crop can be grow in shed or cellars , in the nursery during the winter and in outdoor beds . The amateur has one big advantage ; he can enjoy the flavor of ripe mushrooms claim directly from the soil , the very best way to eat them .
Most commercial-grade growers plunk the mushrooms as button or cups with the veils unbroken . If they are picked to the full assailable , the delicate pink under - control surface often becomes brown and dry before they reach shop , and the feeling get .
Mushrooms are grown in a prepared compost which activate the spore to produce cotton plant - like threads called mycelium which , after a few weeks , emerge on the open to form pin - heads . These develop in a week to 12 day ( according to the temperature ) , into fully originate mushrooms and successive flushes seem for 10 to 12 week or even longer . The first and most significant labor is to set the compost making certain that it is the right grain for the development of the mycelium and at the same time supply nutrient and moisture . If the compost is proper , there will be no trouble in getting a crop ; if it is incorrectly prepared , the result can be a stark failure .
bracing gymnastic horse manure with plenty of stubble is the easiest material to apply and is generally recommended . But any sort of manure which create bacterial activity and breaks down organic material will produce unspoiled mushroom compost . gymnastic horse , pig and moo-cow manure have all been used . One Belgian enquiry place produced excellent results using elephant manure from the local genus Circus .
Compost can also be made by breaking down straw with chemicals . If sawhorse manure can not be obtained , one of the special activators obtainable from horticultural suppliers should be used to die down straw or chaff .
Manure is stack in a heap about 1.3 yard ( 4 ft ) blanket and 1.6 m ( 5 ft ) high and watered during stacking so that it is dampish but not wet . If an activator is used , this is spit on sequential layers of stalk and chaff and water in , until a like sized heap has been made . The temperature of the heap goes up very chop-chop because of bacterial action ; a good compost necessitate the type of bacteria which germinate in the presence of oxygen . This mean that air must reach all parts of the heap during compost .
A telegram bod can help the process in the form of an upright triangle along the length of the sight . After seven days , the wad is turned , water being applied sparingly where the fabric is dry . Four or five more round are made and at the end , all unpleasant smell should have disappeared . The fabric should be rich brown and good dampish , but not so sloshed that it ooze liquid when squeezed .
The compost is then put into boxes or ledge to any deepness from 15 - 40 centimetre ( 5 - 15 in ) . The deeper the compost , the longer the craw will continue ; on the other hand , the shallow bed give a declamatory area and a quicker crop . The beds are then spawn with one of the utter culture spawns usable commercially . Manure spawn is infix into the compost and firmed in . Grain spawn is strut in .
After 10 - 14 Clarence Day , the tiny white ribbon will be examine scarper into the compost and at this detail the beds are incase . Commercial growers apply a concoction of peat and chalk for case and this can easily be made up by mixing the peat , after it has been thoroughly wetted with a quarter of its volume of chalk . If soil is used it should be use up from the 2d spit and heat sterilized . The shell is circulate 3 centimetre ( 1 in ) thick .
From spring to fall , mushroom cloud can be grown without artificial heat . If the temperature falls below about 50 ° F ( 10 ° C ) the mycelium will not grow , but this will only delay the craw . bed can be freeze solid and still produce mushroom , when the conditions gets warmer . Too hot weather will quickly ruin a crop . That is why the glasshouse is desirable only in wintertime and an insulated building is preferable in summer .
Provided the temperature is satisfactory , the first pinheads will appear about four weeks after casing . For a winter craw , the temperature should be kept at about 65 ° F ( 18 ° C ) . The bed should be preserve fairly dry until the pinheads develop , enough water supply being give to keep the casing just moist . After that , rather more water is needed and the surroundings should be sprayed to keep up humidness .
There should be a gratis cause of air round the beds . If a puff of cigaret fastball ball up over the layer slowly incite away , ventilation is adequate . The right mushroom are attract out , not cut , and the holes occupy with a little peat .
The compost can also be made up into out-of-door beds . These should be on a well - drain site and are well work up profoundly than the indoor beds with a lm ( 3 ft ) wide base and sloping side . They are spawn and case as for indoor bed , but are then given a thatch of wheat . supererogatory guardianship must be taken to trade with bullet and woodlice . Mushrooms are open to a issue of worm and other pestilence , particularly two case of tent flap , PhoridsandSciarids , which cover in the manure , and mites , which eat holes in the ceiling and stems . Modern insecticides can control these , but it is advisable to buy preparation made up specially for the mushroom craw .
pass mushroom cloud compost is splendid for the garden . test at data-based horticulture stations have shown that it is just as worthful as farmyard manure .
