Grow button mushrooms from store bought ones?

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sallyg Anne Arundel,, MD(Zone 7b) Jan 26, 2008

Coming from a question in Soil and Composting forum.
Anyone tried to get button mushrooms to grow by using store bought mushrooms for the source of spores?
I have grown a mushroom 'kit' - it did work but was an expensive way to get mushrooms.

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katiebear mulege, Mexico Jan 26, 2008

I have tossed overripe mushrooms around the side of my yard. I found a couple the other dqy that I think are from those spore. However, my mushroom books have disappearred in my reorganization and One thing I KNOW is never to eat any mushroom you are not sure of. Even then be very cautious. I knew a man in Mendacino County who told me of four mushroom hunters who came there specificcally to hunt muchrooms - all were considered experts. Three died, the fourth got a new liver. Many poisonous mushrooms have several toxins. A person who ingests one may survive one or two of the toxins but succumb to the next one.

I have done some mushroom hunting and have survived eating quite a few which I collected. If you plan to "seed" some for eating, please get at least one good book ("Mushrooms Demystified" is one I can recommend). There is no easy way to be sure the ones you have are good. Spores are light and can arrive on a breeze. They may then innoculate your manure without your knowledge.

Thisi is not a hobby that easily forgives mistakes.

End of lecture.

katiebear

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giovannashouse El Paso, TX(Zone 8a) Jan 26, 2008

My father used to hunt mushrooms every year too. He doesn't any more. According to the county extension agent in Ohio they are finding that some of the poisonous ones are crossing with the non poisonous ones and making it dangerous at best.

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glendalekid Tuscaloosa, AL(Zone 7b) Jan 27, 2008

You can get prepared mushroom plug spawn ready to put into drilled holes in logs. This is far cheaper than the mushroom kits, and you can still be sure what you are getting. The bags of plugs come with instructions, and also some of the sites have instructions. So, you can see if it sounds like something you can do.

I'm thinking of starting some in the spring. Problem is, I still haven't figured out where I'll get the fresh hardwood logs.

Check these sites out:

http://www.fungi.com/plugs/index.html
http://www.shrooms.com/plugs.htm
http://www.groworganic.com/cgy_384.html?welcome=T
http://www.gmushrooms.com/Plugs/index.htm


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sallyg Anne Arundel,, MD(Zone 7b) Jan 27, 2008

katiebear- a lecture is certainly in order. I plan to use my liver for a long time. I heard from a friend (who took her kid to ER for mysterious illness) that there are NO NON-poisonous native mushrooms in this county.
After thinking about it, if I had a worm bin, that's where I would try my mushrooms. Less chance of contamination.

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