Growing mushrooms is simple and acts as an alternative source of income. Commonly grown mushrooms are oyster and button.
Oyster is preferred since they are delicious, easy to grow, faster growth and grow on wider range of substrates. Additionally, mushroom farming is a profitable business as it requires low capital, less space, source of income and also mushrooms double every 24 hours however this type of farming requires a lot of cleanliness. Mushrooms can be grown on column beds or hollowed bucket.
Steps to follow
First, prepare substrate from readily available materials like ground nut shells, maize kobs, wheat husks, maize husk, rice bran, cotton straw, wood saw dust, banana leaves, tea leaves and dry grass.
Then fill plastic container with water and for every 100 litres of water put 50-75g 0f hydrated lime to kill germs and bacteria.
Thereafter cut substrate into smaller pieces and fully immerse them in drum with hydrated water.
Thoroughly wash hands with soap and also get a sanitizer or methylated spirit to kill germs.
Then remove water from the substrate by squeezing with hands and spread the straw in column beds or bucket and thereafter spread spawn on top of the straw.
Continue creating multiple layers of substrate and spawn while compacting each layer. Then tie column beds or close the bucket lid and perforate column bed with sanitized knife to ease oxygen penetrate the substrate.
After place mushroom beds in a dark warm room with temperature of 20- 24C to incubate and begin the first phase of growth.
Start watering when mushrooms fruit 2-3 times a day. Add in more pores on beds to facilitate more mushroom to emerge.
Lastly, continue watering bags for the next 7 days and harvest when the umbrella shape starts to disappear.
