First of all, let’s remember that mushrooms ( Agaricus bisporus ) are a type of mushroom widely used in cooking.  In fact, both the stem and the hat are used.

The fungus is an organism that differs from plants by not having a root, stem, or leaves. It does not contain chlorophyll, so they feed on organic matter from the outside. In the case of the champignon, this is an edible mushroom.

Having no seeds, mushrooms grow from spores. When the spores find the right humidity conditions, they germinate and produce hyphae, which branch and form a mycelium mass.

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Advantages of growing mushrooms at home

• You have the satisfaction of producing your own food at home.
• It is an excellent educational opportunity since it offers the little ones the experience of seeing these mushrooms grow, which is impossible to see in an uncontrolled environment.
• It is an instrumental production since an entire crop can be obtained from a single bullet.
• Harvesting mushrooms is very easy, so its value increases compared to buying them at the supermarket or grocery store.
• The security of knowing that what you consume has not been processed and is genuinely natural.

How to grow mushrooms at home?

It is necessary to have space for them to grow mushrooms at home. If we have a patio with land, we can have a cultivation section.

On the other hand, if we live in an apartment, it is best to opt for an elongated flower pot and place it in a dark place. At this point, remember that mushrooms, given their mushroom status, do not need sunlight.

Now, growing mushrooms is easier than it seems, and their production can continue until the soil finds no more substrate.

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materials

• Straw.
• Water.
• Compost.
• Mycelium in grain (you can also buy the pre-grown mushroom bales).
• 1 box (preferably polystyrene as it does not rot or decompose, apart from containing humidity and temperature). This box will need a lid, so make sure you get one.

Process

Before starting, we recommend boiling the straw. This should be done to prevent it from germinating and eliminating any fungus traces that it already carries.

• Mix the compost into the straw evenly while moistening it a bit. If you like, you can add coffee as it can nourish the compost and favor the mushrooms’ growth and development.
• Place this mixture in the box. Keep in mind that the more substrate there is, the higher your mushroom production will be, so add as much as you can.
• Spread the grain mycelium evenly and cover this with a finger of moistened mulch—water with water.
• Cover the box with a lid to keep out light. It would help if you left it covered for 5 to 8 days. It would help if you kept the container moist during this time until you see a whitish blanket on the substrate. This means that the mycelia have colonized the substrate.
• Now, prepare another lid for the box to allow room for the mushrooms to grow. Make a central hole in this cap to enter a little light, but always indirectly. Cover this lid with a transparent film to avoid losing moisture or heat.

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• You must keep the humidity at 80% but without exceeding it.  If you like, you can water the lid inside instead of pouring water directly on the mushrooms. When this water has evaporated, you’ll know it’s time to spray again.
• You will get your first shoot in 20 days (approximately) when the hats have a diameter between 5 and 8 cm.
• Separate them from the substrate when the sheets under the hat are pink. Twist the body slightly until it separates from the substrate.

If you have followed the steps correctly, you should have a new crop every week. So you can enjoy your own organic mushrooms and prepare your favorite recipes.

Some recommendations for growing mushrooms

As you can see, growing mushrooms is easy but requires a bit of patience and dedication. Keep the following tips in mind when preparing your crop:

• Make sure that space where you place your crop, has adequate ventilation. In this way, you will avoid bad smells and other annoyances.
• Use a nutritious compost as this is where mushrooms get nutrients to grow.
• The optimum temperature should be between 22 and 27º C. A temperature higher than these can be a disadvantage. If the temperature goes above 35º C, you stop its growth.
• Use a diffuser to water the crop.
• Wash your tools before and after using them to avoid contaminating the environment.
• An ideal place to grow mushrooms is a dark room or garage.

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