Button Mushrooms

[stevehaigh]

anyone tried growing button mushrooms? that's one of the few foods (besides cheese and beer) that i really miss from old blighty

i just bought these http://www.ebay.com/itm/BUTTON-MUSHROOM-SPAWN-Agaricus-/200839064600?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item2ec2f0ec18

it says they grow best in elephant dung and i have plenty of that. it also says they need to stay below 28 degrees which is a bit of a problem here in phuket but i plan to grow in a cold box and put an ice block in every day or so to help keep it cool

i'll post to let you know how i get on

steve

[IsaanAussie]

Have you thought about using a fan and fabric cooler. Strips of material hung with the ends in water so it wicks up, and a slow fan behind them. Called a Koolgardie Safe in Australia and has the strips around the outside of a box like an old fashioned ice chest. Cheaper and easier than ice.

[stevehaigh]

Have you thought about using a fan and fabric cooler. Strips of material hung with the ends in water so it wicks up, and a slow fan behind them. Called a Koolgardie Safe in Australia and has the strips around the outside of a box like an old fashioned ice chest. Cheaper and easier than ice.

the growing instructions are very specific about temperate for different parts of the life cycle so i think growing in an ice chest (esky for you aussies) is the way to go. just swap in a block of ice every day.

i finally got around to starting my mushroom spawn that i got from the UK this morning. we'll see how it goes.

i've read a few good links like this http://mushroombox.co.uk/download/agaricus_growing_instructions.pdf and this http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/apr2001.html and i see selecting the substrate in the right stage is all important. i have some elephant dung i've been composting for about 6 weeks but i'm worried that may be too far gone. i'm using it anyhow but if it doesn't work, i'll try something fresher next time.

if i am able to get these things to grow, maybe i'll make an insulated shed with a built in cooling system and try grow them commercially

[alfieconn]

The markets all sell them in Chiang Mai when the weather gets a bit cooler, had my first of the season this morning !

[stevehaigh]

The markets all sell them in Chiang Mai when the weather gets a bit cooler, had my first of the season this morning !

i can buy them here in villa market but very expensive