We’ve already chosen the location of our brand new white mushroom business, so now let’s find the necessary equipment to make it all come together.
First, we’re going to need some shelves in our mushroom production room. They should be made of iron rather than wood so that the moisture will not compromise them. If we run the first shelf so that it measures just 20-30 centimeters higher than the floor, it will be easy enough to access — ideally, our 3 story storage shelf should be 80 centimeters lower than the ceiling.
Next, we’re going to need some heating, and while the optimum choice is a boiler, it is an expensive system. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of heating options for all budgets:
Boiler:
A common radiator boiler would suffice. Steam is pumped into the pipes and through them, into your mushroom room. This takes care of both heating and moistening and is the favored choice in modern mushroom production.
Coal Stove:
While placing a pot filled with water on top of a coal stove would certainly humidify the air, the stove doesn’t heat the room evenly. Because of this, mushrooms are prone to ripen in varying timeframes which ultimately makes the harvest difficult. This option could still be utilized in square-shaped rooms without any problems. If extra moistening is required, spraying water on the walls and floor will help.
Central Heating:
This is the easiest solution to set up and use, but it is also very expensive. The moistening is done by spraying water on the walls and floor.
Gas Boiler: To use simple gas as an automatic heating system in mushroom production, some modifications are needed. A water pump, a steam sprayer and a power mechanism with temperature control are required. The water is heated and with the help of the sprayer, it is sent through the plastic pipes. The drawbacks are that the temperature and water level must always be checked, and ultimately, it is an expensive and somewhat hard method to employ.
Electric Heaters:
These can be distributed throughout the room and moisture can be generated by putting water pots near them. If you also create your own electricity -you can learn electric wiring codes locally, these can be a good solution as well.
Another Very Important Factor In Mushroom Production Is Control. We need to be able to determine the moisture level at all times, so a hygrometer is quite necessary. We also need a thermometer in order to check the room temperature as well as a glass thermometer to keep our compost’s heat in control.
Ventilation is also a concern — and that can be achieved with two high-powered fans that continually keep transferring used air out and fresh air in. The fan we’re going to use to draw air in should be positioned backwards – it does its job by way of a pipe so that the mushrooms are kept away from direct exposure. Just on the opposite side on the wall, a fan should be installed in order to draw out the bad air. Don’t forget to install a spore filter on the fans!
Watering Is a Very Tricky Issue When It Comes To Mushrooms. Never water them in traditional ways! Instead, spray water in very small particles by attaching a suitable diffuser hose pistol.
Sometimes it is necessary to use chemicals, so be sure to wear protective equipment. Breath masks, aprons, gloves, etc. are essential to the process in order to prevent exposure to chemicals in such closed spaces.
Next time, we’ll build on this article series by addressing various other aspects of mushroom production.
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Land is so generous that it makes up for every piece of hard work. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
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I got through your blog, and it was very helpful..keep on the good effort.
Regards
rachael
Had a question from a person needing to restrict gluten from their diet. He heard that certain cultivated mushrooms are grown on a rye medium. Is this true? If yes, which mushrooms would be grown with a rye medium?