My mushroom beds are complete, yay!

Snarkie · 12-13-2020, 12:16 PM

A couple of months ago, I started a thread on growing winecap mushrooms. I was having an issue finding wood chips in my area to put the final layer on. Lucky me, I stumbled across a tree service that dumps their chips in their yard with a sign out front that says, "Free Mulch." Lucky for me! Unlucky for me; it's 25 miles away. Lucky for me; it's a half mile from one of my routes, so I swing in once a week with my 4 empty bins and fill them. Unlucky for me; it took several weeks, as I had no idea how far these chips DON'T go! I also had to find hardwood and get it quick, as in just a few days, it will start turning to ash inside the pile. Mushrooms need fresh wood to break down themselves.

Well, both beds are now finished! One is octagonal around a maple tree, and the other is left in a natural setting in front of the house. Hey Mary, look close and you can see my bedroom window IS open, LOL.

Here's the octagon. Once the wood dries, I will stain it with Minwax red mahogany; same color I will use on my raised beds. Should be pretty.

This is the natural one underneath dogwood and redbud. LOTS of full shade for this one. It should do better than the octagon, but then again, this is all an experiment to see what works!

cincinnana · 12-14-2020, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snarkie

A couple of months ago, I started a thread on growing winecap mushrooms. I was having an issue finding wood chips in my area to put the final layer on. Lucky me, I stumbled across a tree service that dumps their chips in their yard with a sign out front that says, "Free Mulch." Lucky for me! Unlucky for me; it's 25 miles away. Lucky for me; it's a half mile from one of my routes, so I swing in once a week with my 4 empty bins and fill them. Unlucky for me; it took several weeks, as I had no idea how far these chips DON'T go! I also had to find hardwood and get it quick, as in just a few days, it will start turning to ash inside the pile. Mushrooms need fresh wood to break down themselves.

Well, both beds are now finished! One is octagonal around a maple tree, and the other is left in a natural setting in front of the house. Hey Mary, look close and you can see my bedroom window IS open, LOL.

Here's the octagon. Once the wood dries, I will stain it with Minwax red mahogany; same color I will use on my raised beds. Should be pretty.

This is the natural one underneath dogwood and redbud. LOTS of full shade for this one. It should do better than the octagon, but then again, this is all an experiment to see what works!

That is a fantastic area to start your shrooms..

Awesome build.....lets eat some mold.

edwmax · 12-14-2020, 06:29 PM

I've always wanted to grow srooms. I thought they needed near total darkness. .... But I see the type you are putting in doesn't .... I'll look at doing this again. I do have an area that is well shaded.

smeash · 12-15-2020, 03:03 AM

Looks great! Looking forward to seeing your results!

Snarkie · 12-15-2020, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeash

Looks great! Looking forward to seeing your results!

I'm looking forward to tasting them, LOL!

Snarkie · 12-15-2020, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

I've always wanted to grow srooms. I thought they needed near total darkness. .... But I see the type you are putting in doesn't .... I'll look at doing this again. I do have an area that is well shaded.

Some types do; others need to be grown indoors in sterile environments. The winecap is the best mushroom for beginners, hence my choice. It prefers cooler temps though, so here in the South you get a spring flush, followed by dormancy during the summer, then a second flush in the fall. I watched a ton of YouTube videos on preparing beds before I bought the spawn, but when I did, I went with the best: North Spore out of Maine. They have some vids up too.

Once they get established, I'll leave some mushrooms to die off and reseed the areas, along with pulling some of the mycelium out and spreading it. I have a few other areas I can get going as well. Additionally, it looks like I can grow Morels here, and that's a cash crop. $50 a pound fresh, and up to $350 a pound dried.

Yug · 12-15-2020, 10:06 PM

Grow some Amanita muscaria (fly agaric - real pretty 'shrooms'), or Stropharia cubensis (psilocybin) and see how it goes.

*Dearly Depotted* · 12-16-2020, 07:27 PM

Hey, Doug!

I know it took a lot of time & effort to accomplish this! So congrats

on finishing your mushroom beds! They both look great! Good job! Here’s hoping you get a ton of mushrooms!

Yes as a matter of a fact I did notice the open window! Very funny

! Good luck & fingers crossed!

Snarkie · 12-19-2020, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yug

Grow some Amanita muscaria (fly agaric - real pretty 'shrooms'), or Stropharia cubensis (psilocybin) and see how it goes.

I will look into them, thanks. This is my first go at this, so I picked an easy one that sounds delicious on top of it! Researching the Morels for next year...

Snarkie · 12-19-2020, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

Hey, Doug!

I know it took a lot of time & effort to accomplish this! So congrats

on finishing your mushroom beds! They both look great! Good job! Here’s hoping you get a ton of mushrooms!

Yes as a matter of a fact I did notice the open window! Very funny

! Good luck & fingers crossed!

Thanks, Mary. You know, you're going to have to try one!

Snarkie · 12-22-2020, 04:58 PM

So I peeled the new chips back and got into the straw underneath and

It may not show up in this pic, but it looks like snow in there!

It's definitely eating the straw first, but it is spreading through all of the layers as well. I should have an awesome flush in the spring! I really think that the fact I was able to spread the spawn like grass seed definitely helped a lot. It left an even layer; not the clumps you typically get.

*Dearly Depotted* · 12-24-2020, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snarkie

So I peeled the new chips back and got into the straw underneath and

It may not show up in this pic, but it looks like snow in there!

It's definitely eating the straw first, but it is spreading through all of the layers as well. I should have an awesome flush in the spring! I really think that the fact I was able to spread the spawn like grass seed definitely helped a lot. It left an even layer; not the clumps you typically get.

I’m so happy for you, Doug! It’s going really well so far! Keep up the good work!

smeash · 12-25-2020, 06:23 AM

Good deal.. you will have shrooms in no time!

Snarkie · 12-25-2020, 07:51 AM

Probably March, but if the winter is wet and mild, possibly as early as February if we get a warm rain.

cincinnana · 12-31-2020, 08:09 PM

I saw kits at the big box today.....

Snarkie · 01-01-2021, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

I saw kits at the big box today.....

For these? Like the song from Grease, "Tell me more!"

I've heard of mushroom kits, but I honestly don't know anything about them. What do they come with, etc.? Inquiring minds want to know! Well, just my mind...

12-13-2020, 12:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 162,135 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,976 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	My mushroom beds are complete, yay! A couple of months ago, I started a thread on growing winecap mushrooms. I was having an issue finding wood chips in my area to put the final layer on. Lucky me, I stumbled across a tree service that dumps their chips in their yard with a sign out front that says, "Free Mulch." Lucky for me! Unlucky for me; it's 25 miles away. Lucky for me; it's a half mile from one of my routes, so I swing in once a week with my 4 empty bins and fill them. Unlucky for me; it took several weeks, as I had no idea how far these chips DON'T go! I also had to find hardwood and get it quick, as in just a few days, it will start turning to ash inside the pile. Mushrooms need fresh wood to break down themselves. Well, both beds are now finished! One is octagonal around a maple tree, and the other is left in a natural setting in front of the house. Hey Mary, look close and you can see my bedroom window IS open, LOL. Here's the octagon. Once the wood dries, I will stain it with Minwax red mahogany; same color I will use on my raised beds. Should be pretty. This is the natural one underneath dogwood and redbud. LOTS of full shade for this one. It should do better than the octagon, but then again, this is all an experiment to see what works! __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

12-14-2020, 06:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
edwmax Location: Cairo, Ga Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2,891 BananaBucks : 91,989 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,741 Times Was Thanked 4,440 Times in 2,095 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 414 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! I've always wanted to grow srooms. I thought they needed near total darkness. .... But I see the type you are putting in doesn't .... I'll look at doing this again. I do have an area that is well shaded. __________________ Last edited by edwmax : 12-15-2020 at 07:04 AM.

12-15-2020, 03:03 AM	#4 (permalink)
smeash Location: Ft Walton Beach FL Find me on the map! Zone: 9a Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 666 BananaBucks : 22,500 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 385 Times Was Thanked 873 Times in 443 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 67 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! Looks great! Looking forward to seeing your results!

12-15-2020, 10:06 PM	#7 (permalink)
Yug Yug's Photo Gallery Location: Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 10-11 Name: Knobby D. Holme Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 1,465 BananaBucks : 60,006 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 4,009 Times Was Thanked 1,742 Times in 812 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 463 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! Grow some Amanita muscaria (fly agaric - real pretty 'shrooms'), or Stropharia cubensis (psilocybin) and see how it goes.

12-16-2020, 07:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
Dearly Depotted Find me on the map! Zone: 6A Name: Mary Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 646 BananaBucks : 110,546 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 607 Times Was Thanked 442 Times in 301 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! Hey, Doug! I know it took a lot of time & effort to accomplish this! So congrats on finishing your mushroom beds! They both look great! Good job! Here’s hoping you get a ton of mushrooms! Yes as a matter of a fact I did notice the open window! Very funny ! Good luck & fingers crossed! __________________ It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream! Last edited by Dearly Depotted* : 12-17-2020 at 12:43 AM.*

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12-22-2020, 04:58 PM	#11 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 162,135 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,976 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! So I peeled the new chips back and got into the straw underneath and It may not show up in this pic, but it looks like snow in there! It's definitely eating the straw first, but it is spreading through all of the layers as well. I should have an awesome flush in the spring! I really think that the fact I was able to spread the spawn like grass seed definitely helped a lot. It left an even layer; not the clumps you typically get. __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

12-25-2020, 06:23 AM	#13 (permalink)
smeash Location: Ft Walton Beach FL Find me on the map! Zone: 9a Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 666 BananaBucks : 22,500 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 385 Times Was Thanked 873 Times in 443 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 67 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! Good deal.. you will have shrooms in no time!

12-25-2020, 07:51 AM	#14 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 162,135 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,976 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! Probably March, but if the winter is wet and mild, possibly as early as February if we get a warm rain. __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

12-31-2020, 08:09 PM	#15 (permalink)
cincinnana container grower Location: Southwest Ohio U.S.A.🇺🇸 Find me on the map! Zone: HZ 6/5 Microclimate - Elevation 750 feet- 228.60 meters Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 8,851 BananaBucks : 1,892 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,897 Times Was Thanked 11,766 Times in 4,906 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,949 Times	Re: My mushroom beds are complete, yay! I saw kits at the big box today..... __________________ Cincinnana/Hostafarians Photo Gallery 🌴

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