Even mushrooms in the garden breed

Hobby gardeners can grow mushrooms in their own garden

03/20/2015

Various edible mushrooms can be cultivated in their own garden, but according to the BUND (Federation for Environment and Nature Conservation Germany), some details are to be observed. But even if hobby gardeners consider this in mushroom cultivation, the cultivation of the mushrooms does not always succeed.

While mushroom picking in the forest is not only time consuming, but also carries the risk of poisoning by toxic specimens, edible mushrooms such as the purple parakeet and certain types of mushrooms can be cultivated in the garden „dpa“ citing the BUND expert for natural gardens, Herbert Lohner. Spring is well suited for planting a mushroom garden.

Mushrooms thrive on straw or fresh wood
According to the BUND many edible mushrooms thrive in places that are rather unsuitable for classical garden plants. Moist and shady places in the garden are well suited for growing. As a breeding ground fresh wood or clean straw are recommended, whereby Lohner advises beginners to use straw. For example, Oyster mushroom and the cultural bumblebee thrive well on this, according to the BUND. According to the expert, however, the straw should come from organic farming, since „Traditional agricultural straw often treated with toxic chemicals“ was the message of the „dpa“.

Cultivation of the fungi takes several months to years
According to information from the BUND, ready-to-eat mushroom broilers with the accompanying culture instructions or ready-seeded straw bales and woods are available for growing the edible mushrooms. The latter two variants facilitate the cultivation, but they are also a bit more expensive. The culture is best stored on shady ground or lawn, reports the BUND. Here then in several months, the mushrooms would thrive, and this could take, for example, in shiitake mushrooms also two years.

Mushroom cultivation is not always successful
According to Herbert Lohner, cultivating in beds or boxes is also possible with the purple red chanterelle and certain mushroom species. In the garden, the interspaces of the mushroom garden could be occupied by other plants, with anemones, sorrel, woodruff, ivy and periwinkle being particularly well suited. These would provide the necessary moist microclimate. „You can also grow mushrooms in rooms like damp potato cellars“, Lohner will continue from the „dpa“ cited. However, according to the expert, mushroom cultivation does not always succeed straight away. „Mushrooms are a puzzle. Sometimes the cultivation works, sometimes it works a little bit“, warns the expert from disappointment. For the cultivation of mushrooms hobby gardeners should therefore „Bring experimentation and endurance.“ (Fp)