05/26/2021 / By Virgilio Marin
Growing edible mushrooms at home gives you the advantage of having a mushroom supply all year round. Ranging in taste from sweet to nutty, mushrooms are versatile ingredients that bring a delicious umami flavor to dishes. They are usually added to soups, pasta, salads and other savory dishes or dried as a snack.
Though they are technically a type of fungi, mushrooms have a plant-like form and are as nutritious as many fruits and vegetables. There are many types of mushrooms, some of which are edible, like oysters, lion mane, porcini, button and shiitake mushrooms. Some, however, are poisonous.
Edible mushrooms are grown from tiny spores that rely on substances like sawdust, grain, straw or wood chips for nourishment. Dealers typically mix these spores with sterilized water and nutrient solution containing ingredients like sugar and raw honey. This mixture is called a “spawn” and is usually packaged inside a syringe.
The spawn can grow into a mushroom by itself, but it thrives better when applied to a growing medium. Growers typically use grains like millet and rye to boost the fungi’s growth. These “grain spawns” are rich in nitrogen needed by mushrooms. (Related: Prepper medicine: The golden chanterelle mushroom hastens wound healing.)
One method of growing mushrooms is to use enclosed containers like Mason jars. This better replicates the moist, cool conditions necessary for the fungi’s growth. For this method, you’ll need the following items:
Here’s how to grow edible mushroom in your basement: (h/t to AskAPrepper.com)
Mushrooms are delicious and nutritious foods that can be used for a wide variety of dishes. Start growing edible mushrooms at home to secure a year-round food supply.
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