Winter Oyster Mushroom Mycelium, 10 g

Winter Enoki (Flammulina velutipes)

Cap. 3–6 (10) cm in diameter, initially convex, hemispherical with a curved or drooping margin, later convex-spreading, with a straight, thin, slightly ribbed margin, smooth, sticky in damp weather, light yellow, ochre-yellow, honey-yellow (classic coloration), orange-yellow (more common on birch), in mature mushrooms with an orange-brownish center and reddish-brown spots.
Stem. 4–10 cm long and 0.5–1 cm in diameter, cylindrical, sometimes tapering toward the base, often curved, fibrous, initially solid, then hollow, light yellowish at the top, velvety below (distinctive feature), blackish-brown.

Growing oyster mushrooms on a substrate.
Straw, hay, corn cobs, and sunflower seed husks are used as substrates.
In any case, the raw materials must be free of mold. It is advisable to add 1% superphosphate to the substrate. The prepared substrate is heat-treated to protect against mold. It is placed in a container and poured over with boiling water. Once it has cooled, the substrate is squeezed out and placed in 30x40 cm plastic bags or in glass jars with a capacity of 0.5 to 3 liters, where the mushrooms will be grown.

Winter oyster mushroom mycelium is added to the prepared containers with the substrate in an amount equal to 0.4% of the substrate’s weight. It is placed in the center of the jar or bag, where a hole has been previously made through the entire thickness of the substrate using a wooden stick with a diameter of 1.5–2 cm.

Inoculation of the substrate with mycelium lasts 30–40 days, depending on its volume, at a temperature of 15–25 °C. The substrate must not dry out, so the container is covered with damp burlap or paper or periodically moistened. Light is not required. As soon as the substrate is colonized, the containers are moved to a location with artificial or natural light and a temperature of -7 °C to +10 °C—such as verandas, loggias, balconies, or a backyard plot. Mushroom primordia appear 10 days after the containers are placed in their permanent location. And after another 10 days, the buds will develop into full-fledged mushroom bodies. Thus, the first mushrooms appear 2 months after planting.

Harvest the mushrooms by carefully cutting the clusters at the base of the stems, and remove the remaining stems from the substrate. After 1.5–2 weeks, a second wave of mushrooms appears, and so on. Over the entire cultivation period, which lasts 3.5–4 months, 0.5 kg of mushrooms are harvested per 1 kg of substrate.

In other words, a single 3-liter jar can yield up to 2 kg of mushrooms that are comparable in quality to wild honey mushrooms but superior in terms of environmental purity. The yield from 1 packet of mycelium planted in 50 kg of moistened substrate is up to 27 kg of high-quality, marketable mushrooms.

Growing on wood.
This method involves using wood as a substrate. At home, winter honey mushrooms are grown on hardwoods—aspen, poplar, willow, birch, walnut, apple, plum, etc. The wood can be used either cut into stumps or left on the root of a living tree. At a distance of 15–20 cm from each other, cuts are made or holes are drilled 3–5 cm deep and 2–3 cm in diameter around the entire perimeter of the stump. The cuts or holes are filled with spawn.

Mushrooms planted on wood grow for 5–6 years. One package is sufficient for 60–70 kg of wood.

The mycelium has a shelf life of 5–7 years. Store in a dry place. The date of manufacture is indicated on the packaging.