The bulbous mushroom, also known as *Agaricus bisporus*, is originally native to Europe and the United States. It was introduced to China in the 1980s and has since become a popular choice among consumers due to its delicate texture and rich flavor. Fresh mushrooms offer a clean, wild-mushroom taste, while dried varieties are prized for their intense aroma and savory flavor, making them highly favored in both culinary and medicinal uses.
**Cultivation Season**
In Yichun, the ideal time for cultivating bulbous mushrooms is during autumn. The temperature should stabilize around 18°C, and it's best to start the process about 50 days before the desired growing period. This ensures optimal conditions for mycelium development and fruiting body formation.
**Site Selection**
Choose a sunny, sheltered location with good water access but no standing water. The soil should be loose and rich in humus. Orchards or open fields during winter can also be suitable for cultivation. Before planting, prepare the topsoil by piling it aside for later use as cover. Create raised beds approximately 10–15 cm high and 120 cm wide, leaving a 40 cm walkway and a drainage ditch around the area.
Before sowing, apply 1% tea seed cake to prevent flooding and spray dichlorvos solution on the bed and surrounding areas to control pests. In orchard settings, remove termite mirex and termite powder to eliminate ant infestations.
**Material Preparation**
Soak straw or other plant residues to ensure they absorb enough moisture and soften. Change the water 1–2 times daily to prevent spoilage. Straw should be soaked for 36 hours, while wheat straw, corn stalks, and bean stalks require 48 hours. Avoid adding extra fertilizers, as this may hinder mycelial growth. When sowing, if the ambient temperature exceeds 23°C, pre-stack the material into piles 2 meters wide, 1.5 meters high, and of any length. Turn the pile every 3 days, then again after 2–3 days. Shake and mix the material to ensure even moisture content of about 75%, which is ideal for sowing. If temperatures are low, pre-stacking may not be necessary.
**Sowing Process**
Start by spreading the first layer of material 8–10 cm thick, then broadcast 50% of the spawn. Spread the seeds evenly, similar in size to pigeon eggs. Add a second layer of 10–12 cm thickness and broadcast the remaining spawn. The third layer should be 4–5 cm thick. Ensure each layer is compacted properly. Use 25 kg of dried material per square meter, along with 3 bottles of straw or 2 bottles of wheat. If the temperature is high, drill 6 cm diameter holes every 30 cm across the surface to allow for heat dissipation. Finally, cover the bed with moistened sacks or newspapers to maintain humidity.
**Fungus Management**
During the first 20 days after sowing, avoid spraying water directly onto the mushroom bed. Instead, mist the covering material only. Protect the bed from rain by covering it with plastic and draining any excess water from the ditches. After 3 days, hyphae will begin to grow. By day 20, they should occupy more than half of the material. At this stage, lightly mist the dry, white areas to maintain humidity without overwatering. Excessive moisture can damage the hyphae.
Temperature control is crucial. Maintain a material temperature between 20–30°C, ideally around 25°C. Insert a thermometer into the material and check it twice daily. If the temperature rises above 30°C, remove the cover and ventilate. Mist the surface with cold water to cool it down. If the temperature drops below 20°C, add layers such as grass curtains and plastic covers. During sunny periods, remove the cover but keep the plastic to allow sunlight in and increase warmth.
**Cover Management**
Select fertile, loose, slightly acidic loam that is rich in humus. Three weeks after sowing, when the mycelium is nearly fully developed, cover the material with 3–4 cm of soil. Water the soil to adjust moisture levels. After 3 days, the hyphae should begin to emerge through the soil. Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid letting water seep into the material. Maintain air humidity at 85–90%. Once the mycelium appears on the soil surface, remove the cover and reduce watering to prevent excessive growth. At this point, the mycelium forms clusters that develop into small white primordia, eventually becoming mushrooms.
**Mushroom Management**
It typically takes 15–20 days from the time of soil covering until the first mushrooms appear. During this phase, focus on maintaining moisture and proper ventilation. Keep the cover and soil wet, and mist the area during sunny days to avoid overwatering. Ensure the surface humidity stays between 90–95% to encourage fruiting. When many mushrooms appear, increase ventilation. The ideal temperature range is 14–25°C. Below 4°C, mushroom growth stops. If the temperature is too low, add additional structures to retain heat and reduce water spray to raise the material temperature. During frosty periods, stop watering and increase coverage to protect the young buds.
**Pest Control**
Common contaminants include cockle umbrellas and manure bowls, often introduced through poor-quality materials. Choose fresh, dry, and sun-dried substrates to minimize contamination. If any contaminants are found, burn or bury them immediately to prevent further spread. *Stropharia* species are resistant, so maintaining proper temperature and moisture levels during early stages helps the mycelium grow strong and outcompete other organisms.
Insect pests such as fleas, hoppers, mushroom mosquitoes, and ants can be controlled by spraying insecticides on the bed and surrounding areas. For ants, locate and destroy the nests using red ant bait. Termites can be eliminated by spraying termite powder directly into their nests. For mollusks like slugs, collect them in the evening or early morning, or place lettuce leaves near the beds. Pick up the leaves the next day and remove the slugs. Alternatively, spray a 5% saline solution around the mushroom area to deter them.
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