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- Making mushroom compost: Compost preparation usually occurs in an enclosed building or a structure with a roof over it.
- Pasteurising the compost to kill any insects, nematodes, fungi or other pests that may be present in the compost.
- Spawning. Spawn is distributed on the compost and mixed into the compost. A complete spawn run usually requires 14 to 21 days.
- Casing is a top dressing applied to the spawn-run on which the mushrooms form. Clay-loam soil, a mixture of peat moss with ground limestone and spent compost can be used as casing.
- Pinning. Mushroom initials develop after rhizimorphs have formed in the casing. The initials are extremely small but can be seen as outgrowths on a rhizomorph. Once an initial quadruples in size, the structure is a pin. Pins continue to expand and grow larger through the button stage, and ultimately a button enlarges to a mushroom.
- Cropping. The terms flush break or bloom are names given to the repeating 3-5 day harvest periods during the cropping cycle. Harvesting can go on as long as mushrooms continue to mature. With good care, harvesting can go on for as long as 150 days. A one-square metre garden takes up to between 48 and 60 spawns and each can harvest a minimum of 2kgs in three months. Cleanliness is key if one is to realize good quality mushrooms and high yields. Old spawns are used as fertilisers in her plantations.
What one needs to start
- Dark room
- Gardens and spawns
- Cooking drums, hearthstones and firewood
- Watering can
