The bulbous mushroom, native to Europe and the United States, was introduced to China in the 1980s. It is known for its delicate texture and clear flavor when fresh, while dried varieties offer a rich aroma and delicious taste, making them highly popular among consumers.
**Cultivation Season**
In Yichun, the ideal time for cultivation is during autumn. When temperatures stabilize around 18°C, it’s best to start 50 days before the desired harvest period.
**Site Selection**
Choose a sunny, sheltered area with access to water, loose soil, and high humus content. Orchards or open fields without standing water are also suitable. Prepare the site by piling topsoil aside for later use as cover. Create raised beds approximately 10–15 cm high and 120 cm wide, leaving a 40 cm walkway and drainage ditches around the area.
Before planting, apply 1% tea seed cake to prevent flooding and spray dichlorvos solution around the beds to control pests. In orchards, use "termite mirex" and "termite powder" to eliminate ants.
**Material Preparation**
Soak straw or other plant materials until they absorb enough water, which helps reduce pH and soften the material. Change the water 1–2 times daily to avoid spoilage. Soak straw for 36 hours, while wheat straw and corn stalks require 48 hours. Avoid adding extra nutrients, as this may hinder mycelial growth. When sowing, if the temperature is above 23°C, pre-stack the materials into piles 2 meters wide, 1.5 meters high, and leave them for 3 days before turning. Repeat this process every 2–3 days. Ensure the moisture level reaches about 75% before sowing. If the temperature is low, no pre-stacking is needed.
**Sowing Process**
First layer: 8–10 cm thick, spread 50% of the spawn. Then add a second layer of 10–12 cm, broadcasting the remaining spawn. The third layer should be 4–5 cm thick. All layers must be compacted. Use 25 kg of dry material per square meter, equivalent to 3 bottles of straw or 2 bottles of wheat. If the temperature is high, drill 6 cm diameter holes every 30 cm on the surface to help dissipate heat. Finally, cover with moistened sacks or newspapers.
**Fungus Management**
For the first 20 days after sowing, avoid direct watering on the bed. Instead, mist the cover only. Protect against rain by covering the beds and draining excess water promptly. After 3 days, hyphae will begin to grow. By day 20, they should cover more than half the material. At this point, lightly mist the dry areas to maintain humidity without overwatering. Excessive moisture can damage the hyphae.
Temperature control is crucial. Maintain the material temperature between 20–30°C, ideally 25°C. Monitor the temperature daily using a thermometer. If it exceeds 30°C, remove the cover and ventilate, then spray cold water on the surface. If it drops below 20°C, cover with grass curtains and increase insulation. During sunny days, remove the cover but keep the film to allow sunlight and warmth.
**Cover Management**
Use fertile, loose, slightly acidic loam for the cover. Apply 3–4 cm of soil 30 days after sowing, when the mycelium is nearly fully developed. Water the cover to maintain moisture. After 3 days, hyphae will appear on the soil surface. Keep the soil consistently wet, but avoid water seeping into the material. Maintain air humidity at 85–90%. Once the mycelium appears on the soil, remove the cover and stop watering to prevent excessive growth. The mycelium will form small white primordia, which develop into mushrooms.
**Mushroom Care**
It takes 15–20 days from cover application to fruiting. During this time, focus on maintaining moisture and ventilation. Mist the cover and soil regularly, avoiding excessive water that could enter the material. Keep relative humidity at 90–95% to encourage fruiting. When many mushrooms appear, increase ventilation. Ideal temperature is 14–25°C. Below 4°C, mushrooms won’t grow. If temperatures drop below 14°C, add additional covers and reduce watering to warm the material. During frosty periods, stop watering and increase coverage to protect young buds.
**Pest Control**
Common contaminants include cockle umbrellas and manure bowls, often due to poor-quality materials. Choose fresh, dry, and sun-dried materials. If contaminants appear, burn or bury them immediately. Stropharia capsularis is resistant, so ensure strong mycelial growth early on to outcompete other organisms.
Insect pests like fleas, hoppers, and ants can be controlled by spraying insecticides around the beds and walkways. For ants, use red ant bait or treat the nest directly. Termites can be eliminated by applying termite powder to their nests.
Mollusks such as slugs can be caught in the evening or early morning. Place lettuce leaves near the beds, and collect them the next day. Alternatively, spray a 5% saline solution around the growing area.
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