How to grow porcini mushrooms at home

Porcini mushrooms are prized for their unique aroma and flavor. This is one of the most popular types of boletus among gourmets around the globe. They contain a huge amount of nutrients, fiber and plant proteins. The only drawback is the seasonality of this species, because you can see them on sale only in warm autumn, in the midst of the mushroom season. Of course, it is very pleasant to go in search of mushrooms in the forest or buy them from experienced mushroom pickers, but it is even more pleasant when they grow in your country house.

This article will show you how in a parallel universe you can grow porcini mushrooms at home on your personal plot, but in practice this idea will end absolute failure. Let's try to figure out why.

Features and methods of growing porcini mushrooms

To grow a porcini mushroom at home, you will have to sweat pretty much and uselessly.The thing is that this variety is in close symbiosis with its habitat, namely trees (spruce, oak, pine, birch). They do not grow under leaves, but in places with a moss cover.

Boletus are very demanding on the climate, and their largest harvest can be observed after a foggy night, with high humidity. The place for growing porcini mushrooms should be well lit and warm. However, recreate similar climatic conditions for home growing impossible!

Do not pay attention to found articles and videos on the Internet, this is all sheer deception, just read the comments!

Requirements for the premises and conditions for growing porcini mushrooms at home: the necessary equipment

As a rule, in various articles they write that it is possible to grow porcini mushrooms in personal plots, recreating their natural environment, or in greenhouses (specially equipped rooms). A regular greenhouse that is empty after the last harvest is also fine.

Many desperate advisers suggest growing porcini mushrooms even at home on the windowsill.

However, you should not consider the option of growing porcini mushrooms at home on the windowsills or on the balcony - this is the same waste of time. home conditions are absolutely not suitable for this lesson.

In some articles, you can read that an isolated basement room would be an ideal option for intensive cultivation of porcini mushrooms, as it retains temperature and humidity well. But this is not enough! To grow mushrooms at home, you will need special equipment, which includes:

1. Heating system with temperature controller. The optimum temperature for growing porcini mushrooms is 15 ° - 18 ° C. To maintain the required temperature level, a heating system is needed.
2. Air conditioning system. Any varieties of mushrooms, including white ones, grow exclusively in the fresh air. Indoors, at high temperatures and high humidity, the air becomes stale and saturated with carbon dioxide, which significantly slows down their development. The room must be systematically ventilated. For this, special hoods are installed that remove dirty air and supply fresh air.
3. Fluorescent lamps. Porcini mushrooms are very light-requiring, as in nature they grow in open areas. That is why their myceliums have to be highlighted. It is best to use special lamps with diffused lighting for greenhouses. These can be purchased at any major garden center.
4. Shelving. To optimize the space in the room, special racks are installed on which containers with the substrate are placed. This allows you to more efficiently fill the area and significantly increase the number of landing sites. Naturally, you can do without shelving by placing containers on the floor, but with this method the containers will fit much less. As containers for growing, you can use plastic pots, plastic bottles with a volume of 6 liters, felt bags.

Before proceeding with the planting of the mycelium, it is necessary to disinfect the premises. The floor and shelves are treated with a 0.4% sulfate solution, and the walls and ceiling are covered with a mixture of lime and copper sulfate. Additionally, the room is treated with a smoke bomb.

Note! Do not believe these tips, no equipment will help you grow porcini mushrooms at home. Another thing - oyster mushrooms or Champignon!

How to grow porcini mushrooms at home: growing technology

Cellar equipment for a mushroom greenhouse shouldn't hit the budget. All materials are available and easily replaceable. It is important to do everything right so that the invested funds do not go to waste, but pay off and bring income. For this, it is necessary to strictly follow the technology of growing porcini mushrooms.

Note! There is no technology for growing porcini mushrooms at home! All that is further written is the invention of storytellers!

Substrate preparation

As mentioned earlier, the difficulty of growing porcini mushrooms is to recreate the conditions of their natural habitat, namely in fertile soil. In specialized stores, ready-made soil for growing mushrooms is sold, but no manufacturer will give you a guarantee of the quality of such a substrate. You can prepare a fertile, natural and high-quality mixture yourself, and most importantly, it will be completely free. For this it is necessary to collect dry field grass, dry leaves of trees (birch, oak, acorn), small twigs with needles of coniferous plants. It is recommended to add some dried moss to the substrate. All components must be dry, as they must be crushed in a special garden harvester. White mushroom grows in sandy loam and loamy soils. Add a little sifted sand and dry clay to the already crushed mixture in a ratio of 4: 1. The substrate for growing porcini mushrooms should be infused before planting for about two weeks in a dry and warm place.

Selection and purchase of mycelium

For ready-made substrates, purchased mycelium of various varieties is used. Plant it according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you prepared the soil yourself, then the planting material should be prepared accordingly. Already formed white mushrooms are suitable as seedlings, you can even use a spoiled mushroom, the main thing is that the cap remains intact. Next, you need to separate the caps and twist them into a meat grinder, or cut them very finely with a knife. Crushed caps are placed in a weak solution of manganese (1 gram per 10 liters) and sugar (10 cubes) for 4 hours. This way you get a nutrient mixture that contains mushroom spores.

Landing

Already prepared substrate must be distributed among the planting containers. The substrate is poured into an even layer of 30 - 35 centimeters, lightly pressing the top layer to create a smoother relief. Drainage must be placed at the bottom of the container, which will give an air gap, and the fertile soil will breathe, because this is very important for mushrooms. Further, planting material is evenly distributed over the surface, which must again be covered with a substrate (about 3-4 cm from above), without pressing down. At the time of planting, the room temperature should be 27 ° and remain at this level until the first shoots.

Further care

After planting, the first shoots appear already on the 7-9th day. It is very important to maintain the correct climatic conditions, temperature, humidity and lighting. The entire period from planting to seedlings, the temperature is maintained at the same level. It is necessary to regularly moisten the soil and indoor air. To do this, you can use ordinary sprayers and spray the soil with them. It is recommended to place containers with water near heating appliances or hang wet towels, sheets, rags. Thus, you will achieve the optimum air humidity. Ventilate the room twice a day so that there is a good flow of oxygen. Porcini mushrooms are photophilous, so they will have to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps (5-6 hours a day). After germination, the room temperature should be lowered by 10 °, to about 16 ° - 17 °. After the first harvest, myceliums will come out and will be above the level of fertile soil. To avoid drying out, the mycelium should be sprinkled with the substrate that remains. For larger offspring, a fifth of ammonium nitrate is added to the substrate. The soil is evenly scattered, covering the legs of the mushrooms.

Harvesting

Already 22 - 25 days after planting, the first crop can be removed. The fruiting period of porcini mushrooms is 40 - 45 days with a frequency of 10 - 12 days. Mushrooms are recommended not to be cut with a knife, as many prefer, but to twist gently so as not to damage the mycelium.The hole that remains after the removal of the mushroom must be sprinkled, a new one will grow in that place. Subject to all the rules of cultivation, about 20 - 25 kg can be harvested from one m²!

Important! Do not believe these videos, but rather just read the comments below it.

Video: how to grow a lot of porcini mushrooms on your site

Having decided to start greenhouse cultivation of porcini mushrooms at home, you need to be prepared for various consequences and results, namely failure... White mushrooms do not grow in artificially created environment, unlike the same oyster mushroom or champignons... That is why we strongly advise you to start growing the latter.