Mushroom Basics

So you want know how to grow mushrooms? Growing mushrooms is easy, incredibly healthy, environmental friendly, and intriguing with many exquisite varieties available for consumption. For a basic understanding of how mushrooms grow it is important to know these vegetables are not a part of the Plant Kingdom. Though classified as vegetables, mushrooms are a part of the Fungus Kingdom and possess a unique lifecycle in comparison. Most vegetables require sunlight for photosynthesis, absorb carbon dioxide, and have short root systems. Unlike other vegetables, mushrooms consume decayed organic matter, absorb oxygen, and do not require sunlight. As a result, mushrooms create vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, polysaccharides, and compounds not found in other vegetables.

Mushrooms could be one of the most healthy food choices at the grocery store or it may possess a minimal amount of nutritional value. The techniques used for cultivation are the largest contributing factors to the level of health benefits found within mushrooms. One of many reasons people are choosing to learn how to grow mushrooms is to have more control over how their food is produced.

Unique Health Benefits

According to the US National Cancer Institute, the antioxidant content in some mushrooms can help prevent lung, prostate, breast, and other types of cancer. Further research has found that mushrooms synthesize vitamin D when ultra-violet light is used during cultivation. Due to exposure to sunlight mushrooms growing outdoors can have up to 2400 IU of vitamin D2 per 100 gram serving. On the other hand, mushrooms grown commercially are often grown in low light conditions and may contain small amounts vitamin D.

If you ever considered taking extra steps toward a healthier lifestyle, adding mushrooms to your diet will provide a big leap forward to help you on your journey. The widely known health benefits from mushrooms have been passed down through many generations. Scientists and researchers have recently started to take a long hard look at these ancient organisms and the results are truly astounding. Despite the plant-like nature, mushrooms possess a unique set of health benefits that are waiting to be discovered.

Commercial Mushrooms

Most commercially grown mushrooms will not contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and polysaccharides. The commercial mushroom industry generally produces Button or Cremini mushrooms that are readily available at the local grocery store. The amount of time and effort it takes to cultivate specialty mushrooms makes these mushrooms unattractive to most large scale businesses. Each species such as Lion’s Mane, Red Reishi, Shiitake, Oysters and Cordyceps require special attention and slightly different cultivation techniques. There are many methods for cultivating mushrooms from the easiest to the unnecessarily complicated. But the most important factor to any cultivation method is sterilization of materials and equipment. Sterilization is the key to killing competing organisms, ensuring consistency, and reducing the risk of failure.

Growing Your Own

Growing your own mushrooms allows you the control needed to optimize your yields and the freedom to experiment. The basic fundamentals of mushroom cultivation are the same throughout most techniques. However, the smallest differences in cultivation techniques can have the largest affect when it comes time to harvest. Fine tuning the details of your cultivation method will depend on factors such as ambient temperature, humidity, light, available space, and equipment. For example, the same cultivation technique can produce unexpected results during a different time of year. It may take longer than expected to prefect your cultivation technique but the learning curve can be decreased by keeping an accurate record. It is imperative to write down what worked for you and what did not including the steps for future reference.

You might choose to boost vitamin D production by exposing your mushrooms to ultra-violet light. You may choose grow in different areas of your home to experiment with temperature, humidity, and light levels. You could decide to expand your options and grow multiple varieties to the same time. Mushroom cultivation is experimentation at its absolute finest considering successful experiments result in delightful plates of healthy food. When you cultivate mushrooms the outcome is very delicious, loaded with health benefits and it’s a rewarding way to maintain a healthy lifestyle.