Honey mushrooms and scales belong to the category of tree species. Therefore, they need to be grown not in the ground, but on logs. Hardwoods are best suited for this purpose. It can be birch, willow, maple or alder. But stone fruit or coniferous trees are not suitable for the growth of scales and mushrooms.
Logs for mushrooms must be harvested not in summer, but in autumn or even winter. This is due to the fact that on warm days, putrefactive microorganisms rapidly start and multiply in the wood. And there is a lot of similar microflora in the mushrooms themselves, so the mycelium in old or rotten wood simply will not take root. At best, it will grow, but very badly and slowly. Therefore, for harvesting logs for growing mushrooms or flakes, it is worth choosing absolutely healthy, full of life trees. Only in such conditions, the mycelium will quickly grow and give a rich harvest.
The dimensions of the future “bed” are also important. The thickness of the block of wood should be at least 20 centimeters, and the length – about 40 centimeters. Mushrooms from logs can be harvested two (in some cases – three) times a year for 5-7 years. Then the wood will completely exhaust its resource and will have to be replaced.
There is a simpler and more effective way to grow tree mushrooms. It is necessary to prepare a substrate from ground branches and sow it with mycelium. The requirements for tree species are the same as in the case of logs. Gradually, the mycelium will grow and fasten, cement the branch substrate. To ensure the desired microclimate, the branches must be covered with burlap or thick paper. Experts say that this method is even more productive than growing on logs. The first harvest appears in the spring, and the last one occurs in late autumn.
The following types of mushrooms are recommended to be grown using the described methods:
– summer honey agaric. Its mycelium tolerates the winter period well, turning the wood of the log on which it lives into microwood. In addition, this species will not harm garden plantings;
– winter honey agaric. For country trees, it can be a threat, as it likes to parasitize living and healthy trees. Feels best in a basement or cellar. It grows well and bears fruit in the climate of central Our Country;
– edible flake. It tastes like the already mentioned autumn honey agaric, but is distinguished by increased “meatiness”. This is due to the fact that the flake grows in a very humid environment (90-90%). Therefore, the planting of these mushrooms is additionally covered to provide a greenhouse effect. Without these measures, it is not worth counting on the harvest.