As more people learn to grow mushrooms, they also explore the esoteric varieties and recipes that are rarely found in stores. It’s also a way to avoid the risks that foraging can have on fragile ecosystems, Harrison says.
Like bread baking, mushroom cultivation has a lot of fine nuances to master. But it’s the kind of hobby where a beginner can try once and then dedicate themselves to the pursuit.
Why Is Mushroom Growing So Popular?
Mushroom growing is easy to do and provides many benefits for the home gardener. From mushrooms that provide natural food security, to those that are nutrient-rich and help to keep the soil healthy, there is something for everyone interested in fungi culture.
The fact that mushrooms can be grown in repurposed spaces makes them an excellent way to grow food in urban and rural areas where there may not be enough fertile land available to grow traditional crops. This trend is also beneficial to farmers who want to diversify their operations. Mushroom farming allows them to utilize shady or wooded areas that cannot be used for growing crops. This practice is a good way to repurpose agricultural waste, too. Multiple commercial mushroom species have been shown to be able to break down nearly any carbon-based material, including corn cobs, peanut shells, soybean hulls and woody plant debris.
In addition to allowing people to become self-sufficient, mushroom cultivation is fun and educational. Mushrooms are a great addition to any outdoor or indoor garden and can be used in recipes that call for morels, truffles and other edible fungi. It is also a great way to teach children about the role of fungi in the ecosystem. Growing mushrooms can also be an exciting project to take on with friends and family.
Not to mention, the popularity of growing mushrooms is helping to create a new and sustainable economy. Mushrooms are a natural, organic alternative to meat and dairy. They are high-protein and low in fat, and can be grown without the use of any pesticides or hormones. Unlike the quinoa and almond crazes that have come and gone, it appears that this is one trend that is here to stay.
Anneliese Gormley isn’t growing her mushrooms on a 44-story office building, but rather in the basement of the Oxford Houses, where she works as part of the Sustainable Living Experience program. She fills every container she has — including 5-gallon bins and wooden spoons – with sawdust to cultivate the fungi. Then she uses the mushrooms in her cooking, adding a funky flavor to everything from omelets to stews.
It’s Easy
Mushroom growing is a simple, family-friendly activity that doesn’t require much space or gardening experience, as long as you focus on controlled environment for humidity and airflow. In fact, it’s easier than many people realize. From mild white buttons to woodsy shiitakes, grow your own mushrooms with a beginner-friendly mushroom growing kit and you’ll soon be eating locally grown, fresh and delicious produce from the comfort of home.
Mushrooms are one of the easiest crops to cultivate at home because they grow quickly and with few inputs or environmental impact. Their life cycle begins as tiny, threadlike spores that germinate in the right environment to become a network of white mold called mycelium. This grows through and around organic matter, such as compost, rotted logs or even tree roots in the ground. Under favorable conditions, the mycelium produces mushrooms, which then produce their own spores to repeat the process.
To start a mushroom garden, all you need is an indoor or outdoor area that’s dark and cool (mushrooms thrive in 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit). Mushrooms can be grown indoors by placing the spawn in a plastic bag with a bit of sawdust to create a mini-farm. This will need to be misted daily to maintain the proper humidity level, which is usually around 85 percent. Outdoors, you can grow mushrooms in beds made of straw in a garden or in a cold frame or shed – any location out of direct sunlight that’s sheltered and damp.
For a more hands-on approach, you can also buy kits that provide you with sterilized bags of spores and mycelium already grown in a substrate of sawdust and straw. These kits can be placed in a box or on a tarp, which should be opened a few times a day to allow for air exchange. To grow outdoors, simply mix a few tablespoons of spawn with some compost or composted manure and spread it out in a shaded spot in the garden or on a bed of straw.
For the most sustainable method of mushroom cultivation, check with local farmers to see if they’re able to get their spawn from a nearby forest thinning project. This not only keeps costs down, but it encourages forest health and encourages consumers to support small-scale local producers.
It’s Sustainable
Mushrooms require very little growing materials and energy, and they emit extremely low levels of carbon dioxide. In fact, mushroom farming is considered one of the most sustainable forms of agriculture.
In terms of water consumption, mushrooms are incredibly efficient, with only a single kilowatt hour required to grow a pound of mushrooms from the substrate up through harvest. That’s enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for nearly two days! Similarly, they require very little land. A square foot of mushroom bed can produce up to 7.1 pounds of mushrooms in one year, and they can be grown year-round across the United States.
Even better, mushrooms can be grown on waste materials from the forestry and agricultural industries. This makes them a great example of circular agriculture, as these byproducts would otherwise be incinerated or sent to landfills. Mushroom farmers also often choose to source their woods from local forests and farmlands that need thinning or timbering. This helps to maintain the health of the surrounding ecosystem, and provides a source of timber while also promoting biodiversity.
Furthermore, many mushrooms can be grown on a variety of recycled, composted, and reused materials, including wood shavings, coffee grounds, cardboard, and manure. Additionally, some mushroom growers have begun to use a combination of mycelium and waste matter to create a form that can be used to make everyday products. This approach is called myco-materials, and it is a great example of how we can be creative in how we produce our goods.
While the sustainability of mushrooms is undoubtedly important, there are still some challenges to be overcome. For example, some mushroom growing companies still rely on plastic bags for their fruiting substrate, and North Spore is committed to providing educational resources to help growers expand their mushroom cultivation beyond this plastic-intensive method.
We are also working to find alternatives to these single-use plastics, and we’re excited to see what developments come in the future! But despite the potential challenges, overall, mushroom growing is a great alternative to traditional gardening and offers a lot of possibilities for both new and experienced gardeners.
It’s Delicious
As interest in mushroom growing surges, so too has a wider movement toward fungi cultivation. Mushrooms fit into the larger trends of regenerative agriculture and myco-ecology that are emerging alongside broader food movements, such as health, sustainability and social justice. It’s a trend with potential to bring together those interested in healing our landscapes and waterways, strengthening our communities, fostering food sovereignty and promoting medicine, says journalist Doug Bierend.
Mushrooms are delicious and easy to grow, but the real appeal lies in what they stand for. They’re a symbol of resilience and the ability to thrive in the face of challenge, which are important messages for the plant-based eating movement, where mushrooms—particularly portobellos and shiitakes—have long been popular meat substitutes, thanks to their umami flavor and hearty texture.
Unlike vegetable gardens or even backyards, little space is needed for home mushroom cultivation. In fact, a closet or garage will do, as long as it can be kept at a consistent temperature and high humidity—and spritzed with water daily. Then, all you need is a substrate material (generally a mix of sawdust, straw or coffee grounds) and a packet of mycelial spawn. Once the mushrooms begin to form, you’ll have a fresh batch in about a week.
In addition to their culinary delights, mushrooms have a wide array of health benefits. They’re high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which are known to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation. They’re also a good source of protein, fiber and B vitamins.
The resurgence of mushroom growing is a testament to the fact that, like gardening or baking sourdough bread, the mushroom hobby is a way for people to connect with nature and build a sense of self-reliance. And just like those activities, there’s an entire community that supports and inspires home cultivators. From newbies buying a starter kit and a handful of kits to experts who spend weeks tracking hydration like scientists, joining Facebook groups and going deep on sourdough baking Reddit threads, there’s a place for everyone in the mushroom community. There’s an art to getting it right, but a little patience can go a long way toward creating delicious, satisfying results.
