Grow mushrooms may be a very interesting, not to mention rather a unique hobby for a few people, especially those who do gardening or would like to supplement their meals. However, one of the most common questions for beginners is: The question that comes out it is for how many days or weeks do mushrooms take to grow? All these will vary along some factors such as the type of the mushroom, the condition of growth that it undergoes, and the procedures executed on the growth.
This guide shall do for you is to provide you with a detailed description of the whole process from the spore inoculation up to the harvesting stage so that you may be in a position to fully understand the amount of time that might be taken in the whole process.
Explaining Mushroom Growth Cycle
However, to take a deeper dive into the differing timelines, it is necessary to get a foundation understanding of the mushroom growth cycle time. Mushrooms pass through several phases, and each phase has its own needs and development periods.
1. Spore Inoculation
Starting with the life cycle of the mushroom, the fungal spores can be equated with the seeds of the plants. Sclerotia planting is the action of placing these spores in a proper substrate that consists of sawdust, straw, or logs. This is the preliminary growth stage, and it is very important in that it helps in defining the rest of the growth stages.
- Timeframe: Spore inoculation may require a few hours to a couple of days depending upon the methods used and the type of mushroom. If you are using a spore syringe, then this process is not complicated, nevertheless, the spores will take time to sprout.
2. Mycelium Growth
The usual life cycles following the germination of the spores involve the formation of the mycelium which is the vegetative portion of the fungi. This is a network of thread-like structures which distributes throughout the substrate where it decomposes organic matter and takes up nutrients.
- Timeframe: Mycelium growth which people also call the spawn run usually takes from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. These antecedent parameters include temperature, relative humidity, and substrate type since these are some of the parameters that may influence the rate of mycelium colonization
3. Colonization of the Substrate
After mycelium formation, it infills the substrate densely with fungal threads meaning the mycelium is fully matured. This is so because correct colonization of the substrate is an essential prerequisite for fruiting.
- Timeframe: Depending on the substrate, the colonization period may differ significantly. For example, fungi cultivated on logs are likely to require more time to colonize ranging from a few months to others while those grown on sawdust and straw are likely to take between 4-6 weeks.
4. Pinning (Fruiting Body Formation)
Pinning is the developmental phase at which structures that can be described as primordia of mushroom-fruiting bodies become discernable. These tiny pinheads will develop into large mushrooms they are completely tiny pinheads in size now.
- Timeframe: Pinning generally takes place between 7 and 14 days of the substrate’s complete colonization. The duration of growth of mushrooms from pins to proper fruiting bodies is also considerably short and so this is among the most anticipated processes.
5. Mushroom Harvesting
Lastly, as so much time has passed in preparing as well as growing the mushrooms, it is time to harvest them. As earlier established, it is very important to ensure that the right time for the harvest is well observed to have the best taste and quality.
- Timeframe: Generally most of the mushrooms can take between 3 to 7 days of pinning depending on the type of mushroom to be produced. Some of the mushroom types that are known to take a very short time in maturity include the Oyster mushroom which is probably ready for harvest in 3 days.
Conditions that influence the rate of growth of Mushrooms
After identifying and explaining the process of mushroom germination let’s look into the factors that can determine the time that mushrooms take to grow.
1. Mushroom Species and Varieties
It has been established that several species of mushrooms have different growth rates. For example:
- Oyster mushrooms are some of the mushrooms that take the shortest time and you can harvest them within 3 to 4 weeks after inoculation.
- Shiitake mushrooms generally take longer, it takes about 6-12 months when cultured using logs but only 8 to 12 weeks when cultured using sawdust blocks.
- Button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) normally grow and mature within a period of four to six weeks from the time of spore inoculation.
It goes hand in hand with the realistic expectation settings focusing on the viabilities of the given growth times for the chosen variety.
2. Growing Conditions
Specifically, the environmental changes contribute to the increase in the growth rates of the mushrooms. These are temperature, humidity, light, and air exchange.
- Temperature: A large number of the mushroom species prefer the temperature range of between 55 to 75 F which is equivalent to 13-24 C. However some varieties require a cool climate such as Shiitake mushrooms while others such as Button mushrooms grow well under a warmer climate.
- Humidity: This is because high humidity of about 80-95% is necessary as the mushrooms cannot be afforded time to dry up, especially during the fruiting stage.
- Light: Mushrooms do not grow in light, but they require a little indirect light during the fruiting stage to encourage pinning.
- Air Exchange: C02 concentration also needs to be regulated to ensure that it does not reach levels that suppress the growth of mushrooms by preventing proper ventilation. It is also very important to have proper air circulation in your growing area.
4. Inoculation Method
Depending on the approach you use for the process of inoculation, the amount of time it takes before the growth occurs may vary.
- Spore Syringe: This type of culture is desirable for inexperienced persons because the most popular tool is a spore syringe. On the other hand, it is easier to use for growing mushrooms, but the spores may take some time to grow to mycelium level.
- Grain Spawn: If one decides to start growing mushrooms, it will be important to locate a pre-colonized grain spawn, which can enhance the fast delivery of mushrooms. With grain spawn, there is the realization of increased colonization and faster fruiting as compared to the bonito method.
5. Environmental Factors
Growth time can also vary depending on the season since most of the plant growing is done outside. For example, cold will hamper growth in some way, and heat with humidity will accelerate the growth of plants.
- Indoor vs. Outdoor Cultivation: This is a good way of growing plants because it favors control of the conditions of the growing area, thus favoring growth in terms of time. Being cultivated outdoors takes longer due to the inability to be controlled as compared to when it is being grown locally.
Tips for Reducing the Time It Takes to Grow Mushrooms
They can take as little as a week or as long as three months depending on the setting where they are being grown. In the sections that follow, we examine the possible timeframes for indoor, outdoor, and mid-sized mushroom farming.
1. Indoor Cultivation
Most beginners prefer indoor growing of mushrooms because this would enable them to control the environmental factors.
- Kits vs. DIY Setups: When growing mushrooms from a ready-made kit, you can be sure to see mushrooms as soon as 2- 4 weeks. When using grain spawn or the spore syringe method which is also DIY the time may be a little longer between 4 to 8 weeks.
- Timeframe: The indoor cultivation normally lasts between 4 to 8 weeks from the time of inoculation till the time when they are ready for harvest.
2. Outdoor Cultivation
If mushrooms are grown outside, then this process takes much longer in comparison to growing them in a home because environmental conditions vary.
- Logs, Beds, and Other Outdoor Methods: Outdoor-grown mushrooms on logs require 6 months to one year before a grower gets the first crop harvest. Outdoor mushroom beds on the other hand may produce results in between 8-12 weeks.
- Timeframe: The time taken to grow cannabis outdoors can take from 8 weeks to more than a year depending on the technique used and the species.
3. Commercial Cultivation
Intensive production of mushrooms is usually practiced on a relatively larger scale than that of integrated production in that it targets production rather than quality.
- Larger Scale Operations: Commercial growers sometimes employ various strategies and tools to fasten the growth process. For instance, the time from inoculation to harvest can be brought down to a few weeks if the environment is controlled and the substrates are optimized.
- Timeframe: They can get mushrooms within a few weeks, that is between three to six weeks depending on the kind of layout used and the type of species used in the commercial production.
Mushroom production time tips
Here are some suggestions to reduce the growing season, though, if you’re in a rush or want to harvest your mushrooms sooner.
1. Selecting Faster-Growing Mushroom Varieties
Another way in which the growth process may be accelerated is by the selection of the right type of mushrooms since some take longer time to grow than others. Still, the good fungi for first-timers to experience a quicker outcome are oyster mushrooms and Lion’s Mane.
2. Optimizing Growing Conditions
Make sure that your mushrooms are growing in the right environment for its type. It is the hygiene, temperature, humidity, and light that can lengthen the time that is taken for the production of the mushrooms.
3. Using Pre-Colonized Spawn
When selecting a substrate for your mushrooms, put a thought into using pre-colonized grain spawn instead of using spores. This method omits the first phase of spore germinations, and therefore, allows you to go straight to the colonization of the substrate and this can save you weeks.
4. Tips for Beginners
New growers can begin with a kit or this easy-to-grow strain of mushrooms such as Oyster mushrooms so that they can reap good harvests right from the beginning. Also, make sure that your growing environment is free from contaminants so that you do not experience an extended time of contamination delay.
Conclusion
Lastly, how many days do mushrooms take to grow? The answer depends on several factors such as the type of mushroom, conditions for growing as well as the methods used. It is for this reason that most home growers can foresee harvesting the mushrooms within a range of 4 – 8 weeks depending on the species in the setup. Therefore with proper knowledge of the mushroom growth cycle, properly controlling the environmental growth conditions, and selecting relevant species, one will have a good harvest within the shortest time.
So, if you want to grow mushrooms inside a house, outside, or in large-scale farming, you must be reasonable and most important of all, patient. Therefore, why can you not begin your practice of growing mushrooms in your home today? Once armed with the right knowledge and equipment, you will be able to prepare tasty and healthy mushrooms grown in the comfort of your home
