Apart from being delicious, mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamins and proteins too. However, to produce high-quality mushrooms with consistent stalk height and diameter, weight, capsize, etc., growers need to keep several factors in mind.
Many of them use mushroom fruiting chambers like the ones available at https://maxyieldbins.com/ to give them optimum conditions for consistent growth. Before you invest in such a chamber, understand a few factors that lead to consistent mushroom fruiting:
Humidity Levels
Mushrooms thrive well in wet conditions. They are evergreen plants that can grow all through the year. Under natural conditions, they grow on cool and wet days during the autumn season. Most of the plants establish themselves under damp piles of leaves.
Mushrooms are 92% water. So, the fruiting chamber must give them a similar environment for growth. A humidity level above 80% is recommended, as it will prevent drying out of the mushrooms.
CO2 Content in the Air
While the mushroom is still in its establishing stage in the substrate, it requires high CO2 content in the air. That’s why packing the substrate in airtight containers not only gives them enough CO2 but also keeps them away from contamination. However, when they are about to fruit, the CO2 content needs to be reduced.
Mushrooms take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide, just like animals and humans do. So, the CO2 levels should be less than 800 ppm. Keep a meter handy to measure CO2 levels in your mushroom growth.
Temperature
Like any other plant, fungi also thrive within a specific range of temperature. Since mushrooms grow well in cool temperatures, the fruiting chamber needs to mimic the cloudy autumn season’s natural conditions. The temperature requirements vary from one mushroom species to the other. However, 60 to 65°F is a safe temperature range.
Some mushroom types like shiitake and oysters thrive well in almost all temperatures. They may grow in temperatures as high as 86°F, and even fruit on snowy days. So, if the fruiting chamber is a bit cooler or warmer than the prescribed range, there are chances that the mushrooms will grow fine. However, if there are problems, try lowering down the temperature by a few degrees.
Mushrooms proliferate in warm temperatures, but they are at risk of contaminants. In cold conditions, mushrooms may grow slowly, but you get larger mushrooms rich in nutrients.
Lighting Conditions
Lighting plays a significant role in aiding consistent mushroom fruiting. Mushrooms depend on the indication of light to grow. While mushrooms do not depend on the photosynthesis process, they grow in nature towards the sun.
While cultivating mushrooms in a fruiting chamber, the right balance has to strike. Mushrooms need a minimal amount of light to grow. They may dry out and stunt their growth under too harsh lights. Some chambers also block out light in the bases so that mushrooms do not grow on the bottom or sides that are challenging to harvest.
Now that you know different factors that lead to consistent mushroom fruiting, maintain such conditions in a fruiting chamber and help them grow. Use a fruiting chamber that ensures optimum growing conditions, just like in their natural environment.