If the intention is ripe to start your own business with a small budget and without significant costs for renting premises, then it makes sense to consider growing oyster mushrooms as a business. Reviews from those who have tried this scheme confirm the reality of this type of income. In addition, to get a decent result, you don’t have to immerse yourself in complex processes - working with such mushrooms after a short study of the cultivation features will be relatively simple. This means that such an idea for making money is suitable for almost everyone.
Reasons for relevance
First of all, oyster mushrooms are worth dealing with because they are in demand. People like these mushrooms and are ready to buy them. If we compare them with porcini mushrooms, we can safely say that they are not inferior to this product in taste. In addition, oyster mushrooms are very healthy because they contain many vitamins, amino acids and proteins.
The process of growing oyster mushrooms does not require the use of chemicals, and after the harvest is harvested, they can be stored for quite a long time. If you draw up a business plan correctly, growing oyster mushrooms will turn into a stable source of good income.
And one more advantage that needs to be paid attention to is the opportunity to start such a business at home without significant financial risks and the hassle of selecting premises for rent. And if we compare the costs of growing oyster mushrooms and, say, champignons, the former will be much less with relatively the same demand.
Where to begin
Initially, you need to understand that such a business may not require rent, but certain premises will still be required. This means that growing mushrooms (oyster mushrooms) at home is a business that requires its own plot. This could be a place in the yard of your own home or in your country house. Implementing such a process in an apartment will be problematic, but if desired and if there is free space, such a prospect remains possible.
So, in order to take the first steps in organizing a mushroom growing business, you will have to find a dark room with high humidity, good air supply and an exhaust hood through which carbon dioxide will escape.
As for growing methods, this can be done on wood pieces and sawdust, bags of straw, boxes and stumps. Natural conditions are also perfect; we are talking about an extensive method.
Helper Processes
There are a number of actions during the process of growing mushrooms that you simply need to know to get a good harvest:
Preparatory work for planting the substrate, that is, the base in which the mushrooms will grow;
Preparation of seed material, it is also called mycelium;
Compliance with all necessary conditions until the primordium (the rudiment of the fungus) appears.
It is important not to make a mistake in choosing the type of mycelium, on which the final result largely depends. Proper planting of seeds is also of considerable importance. This factor must be taken into account if we consider growing oyster mushrooms as a business.
More specifically, in the process of preparing the substrate you need to use straw or sawdust. They must first be steamed and then placed in a bag. In this case, only the raw materials that have had time to cool down are laid. Afterwards, the bags are placed on a shelf in a dark place (room temperature 18-20 °C). When sowing is completed, it is worth making holes in the blocks (bags). A nail is suitable as a tool.
You can count on the first noticeable results within two weeks after sowing.
What does the harvest depend on?
Growing oyster mushrooms as a business inevitably depends on the fact how many mushrooms the aspiring entrepreneur will eventually collect. The more product, the higher the income. And in order for the results of the work to please you, you need to comply with several key conditions.
As stated above, the room in which the blocks with mushrooms will be placed must have a high level of humidity, it must also be ventilated and ensure that the optimum temperature is maintained in it.
As the experience of many entrepreneurs who dealt with oyster mushrooms has shown, the best harvest is observed when grown in blocks placed on racks in a vertical position. The distance between them should be 90-110 cm. This will allow you to move freely among the blocks both while caring for mushrooms and when harvesting.
If you have to deal with bags, then it is better to arrange the rows with a distance of 30 cm from each other. As for the width of the racks, in this case it is better to stick to the mark of 40 cm. This helps maintain the desired temperature.
When assessing the cultivation of oyster mushrooms as a business, reviews should be taken into account without fail. And the experience of many people who have been involved in growing these mushrooms confirms the fact that high-quality fruiting can only be expected if the required temperature is consistently maintained. It is important to understand that, depending on the type, a level of either 13-15 °C or 25 °C may be relevant. Special heating equipment will help stabilize the temperature. This function can be perfectly performed when connected to sensors.
What to do with lighting and ventilation
So, oyster mushrooms will feel great provided that in the room where they are located there is free access of oxygen and there is a good release of carbon dioxide. If the concentration of the latter exceeds 0.8%, then caps with rolled edges and long growths will appear on the mushrooms. With such a presentation it is hardly worth counting on increased interest from buyers.
For those who have decided to grow oyster mushrooms as a business, it is important to know that the acceptable level of humidity in the room is checked. This is actually not difficult to do: ventilation is in perfect order if the length of the stem of growing oyster mushrooms is approximately a third of the total size of the mushroom.
It also doesn’t hurt when installing a ventilation system to make sure it has a filter.
Regarding the topic of lighting, it should be noted that in the case of oyster mushrooms, light is needed, but in limited quantities (from 100 to 200 lux for 12 hours). If this norm is neglected and the concentration increases, then you will have to face such an unpleasant consequence as a significant decrease in the number of primordia.
Irrigation and humidity standards
Growing oyster mushrooms as a home business will always involve work related to managing humidity levels. You need to understand that a product such as mushrooms consists of 90% moisture, and if the room is allowed to become excessively dry, then full fruiting will be in question.
This is why bags are ideal for this process - they retain moisture very well. To reliably protect mushrooms from deformation, you need to achieve a stable humidity level of 85%. But you shouldn’t get carried away with moisturizing either. In this situation, “too much” is not a good thing, since the mushrooms may end up not handling storage well, which is an important aspect of the business-building process.
To make it easier to accurately determine the level of humidity, it makes sense to purchase a device such as a psychrometer. Its structure is not complicated - it contains two sensors that evaluate dryness and humidity. It is the difference in their readings that makes it possible to identify violations of the required regime or determine its compliance.
If we consider growing oyster mushrooms in bags as a business, and moreover thoroughly, then we cannot ignore the fact that at different stages of growth these mushrooms require different levels of humidity. This means that batches of different ages must be stored in separate rooms or in one, but divided into several parts with different humidity levels.
Now a little about the irrigation process. You need to remember about it at the moment when the size of the fruiting bodies reaches 30 mm or 1 cm. In order for the mushrooms to receive high-quality irrigation, it is worth using a mesh with holes up to 0.5 mm. But as for fog-forming installations, it’s better to forget about them right away. At the same time, it is important to understand that you cannot stop watering even during collection, otherwise you may encounter such a nuisance as deformation of oyster mushrooms.
Key Growing Principles
There are several important rules, in addition to those mentioned above, that everyone who has decided to start growing oyster mushrooms should know. In this case, a home business must be extremely competent. If you carefully study the requirements and understand their essence, it will not be difficult to ensure stable yields.
So, here are the rules we are talking about:
For the fastest possible growth of mycelium, the number of layers of substrate in the bag should start from 12.
The mycelium itself must be dispersed in such a way that it covers the entire area of the site. But at the same time, it is worth distributing 80% closer to the walls, and only 20% in the center.
After compacting is completed, it is important to leave room for tying.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that the bags have holes at the bottom as well, this will allow all excess moisture to drain out easily. In general, perforation implies the presence of 10-20 holes per bag of mycelium.
At first, blocks with nascent mushrooms should be stored in a dark, damp place, but after 14-16 days of ripening, when the entire mycelium is filled with substrate, they must be moved to a place where there is light, but there is no direct sunlight. This could be an area in the shade of trees or a house, a basement, or a barn.
More details about the equipment
Obviously, growing oyster mushrooms as a business for beginners can have different scales. Everyone’s home conditions are different: some have a small plot of land for such experiments, while others can afford to allocate a significant area for such a business, say, in their country house. And if it so happens that there are no problems with square meters, then it makes sense to think about serious volumes of the product being grown, and for this it is advisable to pay attention to the appropriate equipment.
You should start with an autoclave, with which you can produce mycelium. With this approach, the process of preparing the base for mushroom growth will become much faster.
Equipment for preparing the substrate is also relevant. If you don’t have the funds, you can make such a machine yourself. For these purposes, you need to find a thick-walled barrel (100-200 liters), pour water into it and bring it to a boil using a light fire. It is necessary to ensure that there are outlets to allow the steam to escape. Thin-walled barrels with the same volumes are connected to such outlets and the substrate is placed in them. Under such conditions, it undergoes high-quality heat treatment.
But this is not all the equipment that growing oyster mushrooms as a business requires. Reviews confirm the advisability of using equipment for pasturing fruiting bodies. In fact, we are talking about a properly prepared room or several areas where the required humidity, temperature and the required level of lighting are maintained.
How to calculate profit
A business plan for growing oyster mushrooms inevitably includes calculating expenses and possible income.
To get the required numbers, let's perform simple calculations. If we take the simplest option, then money will be needed to purchase bags and filler - substrate. On average, ready-made blocks with various relevant content can be purchased for $2.5 per piece. Since in this case we are considering a business plan for growing oyster mushrooms at home, the costs of renting premises and employees are not taken into account. Mushrooms for sowing can be purchased at a price of $1.5 per kg.
If you organize the area correctly, you can place up to 7 blocks per 1 m2. One such block can produce a harvest of 3 kg of mushrooms. Accordingly, the entrepreneur has 21 kg of oyster mushrooms per square meter of usable area. As for sales, you can try to independently organize the sale and delivery of mushrooms to the end consumer (shops, markets, markets, etc.) or use the services of resellers.
On average, you can earn up to $3 per kilogram of oyster mushrooms, which leads to a simple conclusion: such a business allows you to enjoy a 100% markup on the product and receive a tangible profit compared to your investment. This means that those who intend to try their hand at entrepreneurship should seriously consider growing oyster mushrooms as a business. A photo of the process and its detailed description on the forums will make it easy to understand the features of the process and obtain constant yields.
Results
Obviously, this business idea deserves attention, since it does not require significant funds to start a business and promises good earnings if the process is properly organized. Therefore, if you need money and dreams of owning your own business are rushing out, it makes sense to evaluate the cultivation of oyster mushrooms as a business. Feedback from many enthusiasts who took the risk of taking advantage of this opportunity only confirms the fact that this type of earnings can safely be called promising and extremely safe with regard to financial risks.
Very often, a person who decides to become an entrepreneur ends his attempts at the stage of searching or, if he shows a little more persistence and patience, registering with the relevant authorities and receiving certificates. To prevent this from happening and to successfully bring the matter to an end, even at the planning stage it is necessary to determine the most suitable type of activity for a beginner based on real possibilities - material and technical. One of the most affordable options is growing mushrooms at home - this business does not require huge production facilities, complex equipment and exorbitant investments.
Advantages of oyster mushroom production:
- Simplicity. A novice entrepreneur requires a minimum of effort, time and material costs: oyster mushrooms are mushrooms that literally grow on their own; It is enough just to provide them with initial conditions.
- Productivity. With due care and efficiency, an entrepreneur, new or already experienced in the field of agriculture, can receive from one square meter to 12–15 kg of “live weight” per month, with the first harvest ripening within 30–35 days (depending on health mycelium and quality of the nutrient medium).
- Constant demand. Oyster mushrooms are quite tasty and do not have a specific taste, which, in particular, is present in saffron milk caps; due to the fertility of the mycelium, they allow a businessman to set reasonable prices that are attractive to consumers, and in addition they are characterized by a high protein content (about 2.5% of the total mass) with a relatively low calorie content (38 kcal/100 g of product) and vitamins B, C, H and PP. Taken together, these indicators guarantee the entrepreneur uninterrupted sales throughout the year - if, of course, he is able to correctly convey the product to customers.
Important: The only serious drawback of oyster mushrooms is the relatively high allergenicity of the spores. This factor does not affect the end consumer, since the cut mushroom stops reproducing, but the health of the entrepreneur himself, hired workers and even relatives and neighbors in the absence of well-established filtration can be undermined.
That is why, when in a room with oyster mushroom mycelium, it is strongly recommended to wear protective bandages, in some cases - suits, and if it is located in close proximity to living quarters - to equip a filtration system for outgoing air masses.
A businessman, a beginner or someone who already has experience, who decides to start growing oyster mushrooms at home, can use one of two options for growing mushrooms: using a substrate or on natural materials - stumps or pieces of wood.
Cultivation of oyster mushrooms on a substrate involves the following procedure:
- Preparation of the initial mixture. Depending on the desires and capabilities of the entrepreneur, you can do it yourself (or purchase a ready-made substrate from third parties). It is unlikely that it will be possible to find a truly high-quality mixture in a store, so a businessman will have to look for private suppliers - fortunately, there is no shortage of raw materials in rural areas. If you plan to make the substrate at home, you can use straw as raw materials (shredded properly and then soaked), sawdust of any type of wood (of course, without any impregnation) and peeled sunflower seeds. The ingredients must be thoroughly mixed in a tub or any other suitable container, then poured with hot (about 50–60°C) water and left until it cools completely.
- Load the mixture along with mycelium into plastic or polypropylene bags. They should be laid in layers, starting with the substrate and moving upward until the bag is filled. It is important to take into account that for the normal development of the mycelium, the percentage of its mass should not exceed 5% of the total - otherwise the substrate will be used up too quickly and the oyster mushrooms will not have time to germinate. If the specified proportion is exceeded, one cannot count on normal sporulation of mushrooms, especially if we are talking about their cultivation at home.
- Providing air access. Mushrooms, unlike plants and animals, are less dependent on this factor, but they also need oxygen. That is why ventilation holes in bags with the mixture should be made every 10–15 cm along the length; their recommended diameter is at least 15–20 mm. To prevent the mixture from falling out of the bags, you can place a mesh made of any synthetic material in the area of the holes, gluing it or simply placing it inside.
- The first stage of maturation. After preparing the bag with the substrate and mycelium, it should be placed, or better yet, hung in a completely dark room, the humidity of which should be 80–90% - the less light and the more water in the air, the better. For a month, you need to maintain the temperature in the room slightly above room temperature - about 25°C.
- Second stage of maturation. After 25–30 days, the plastic bags with the mixture should be moved to a room with a lower temperature (11–17°C) - the first oyster mushrooms will appear there. If production conditions allow, the temperature can be reduced in the same room - to do this, it is enough to install a thermostat and, as mentioned above, provide the room with an air conditioning and air filtration system.
- Harvesting. If everything is done correctly, the oyster mushrooms will appear from the bag in waves, and the number of mushrooms in them will begin to consistently decrease - both due to the consumption of nutrients in the substrate and due to the fatigue of the mycelium. Cut mushrooms must be processed immediately and then pre-sold.
To grow oyster mushrooms on natural materials you need:
- Prepare the starting material. These can be solid stumps, small round timber or even boards; the last option is the least productive, however, it can also be used by a beginner who has not yet reached serious production volumes. The main requirement is that the tree must be deciduous (birch, alder, linden, maple, apple, pear, even oak) and not too old: the optimal “age” of a hemp is up to 10–15 years.
- Mycelium grafting. To ensure that a tree becomes infected with mycelium, its surface should be made rough, with protrusions, depressions and, if possible, deep cracks. "Natural" stumps usually meet all these requirements by default; if you plan to graft oyster mushrooms onto treated wood, it should be made as smooth as possible. After this, the mycelium is laid out on the stump, a little substrate is added (how to make it is written above), covered for better germination with a “non-breathable” material (polyethylene or polypropylene) and left in conditions of high humidity until the mycelium sufficiently penetrates inside wood As in the first case, it is better to place the stump with oyster mushrooms in a dark room with a temperature of about 25°C.
- Mycelium transplantation. After germination, the mycelium is transferred to soil that is sufficiently moist and nutritious. As a fertilizer, you can add the same nutrient substrate to it from time to time - or add individual microelements by combining mixtures sold in stores.
The second method is characterized by lower productivity, greater labor input and therefore is used much less often - mainly not by beginners, but by professionals who focus on the “ecological friendliness” of the mushrooms grown. Be that as it may, even the second option for producing oyster mushrooms is simpler than breeding.
Advice: to ensure greater nutritional value of the substrate, bran can be added to it - up to 10% of the total mass of the mixture.
Materials required for growing oyster mushrooms at home:
- plastic or polypropylene bags or bags;
- polyethylene or polypropylene film (for the second method);
- stump, round timber or hardwood (for the second method);
- straw;
- sunflower seed husks;
- unprocessed sawdust;
- bran;
- mycelium (recommended weight - 5–6 kg per square meter);
- fertilizers and nutrients.
Important: It is highly not recommended to place mushroom production in residential premises, including within an apartment - oyster mushroom spores are quite active and, as noted above, allergenic. Ideally, the mycelium should be in a separate isolated room (workshop), heated, ventilated and completely dark - only if these conditions are met can a beginner count on a good mushroom yield.
Growing champignons at home is a much more complex matter, requiring serious investment; for a beginner it may seem overly tedious, but for a trained person who already has experience growing oyster mushrooms, it will be a new round of development - with new prices and the opportunity to attract new clients. As usual, to find buyers you should do; but you need to start with the basics - making compost.
Important: Unlike a nutritious substrate for oyster mushrooms, compost for champignons is a more difficult mixture to prepare, therefore, if an entrepreneur does not have the opportunity or desire to spend time, he can purchase a ready-made composition in a store with agricultural products or from individuals involved in the sale of raw materials.
To make 10 kg of compost you will need the following ingredients:
- Straw. It should be fresh and well dried. The use of raw straw will lead to premature rotting of the entire nutrient mixture, which will affect the viability and productivity of the mycelium. However, if the oxidative processes have not yet gone too far, the wet straw can simply be dried before preparing compost using any available means - for example, a hair dryer. The required mass is about 5.5 kg/10 kg of mixture.
- Horse or cow manure or chicken droppings. It is not possible to regulate the quality of this waste product, so a novice entrepreneur can only hope for luck, successively sorting through suppliers until finding the optimal option. The more nutritious the manure or droppings, the more mushrooms can be obtained per unit area; to achieve the best option, the starting substances can be mixed in proportions 1:1:0.5 or 1:2:1 - each farmer selects the best option for himself. Required weight - 4 kg/10 kg of mixture.
- Chalk or plaster. In both cases, the starting component must first be crushed (crushed) until a homogeneous powder is obtained; You shouldn’t just break it or add whole pieces to the compost - they will not be properly absorbed by the mycelium. It is allowed to use chalk or gypsum solutions instead of dry powders. As practice shows, there is no significant difference between the digestibility of gypsum and chalk - therefore, an entrepreneur, beginner or professional, can use any ingredient to the extent available. Required weight - 0.4 kg/10 kg of mixture.
- Ammonium sulfate. This is a universal fertilizer that can be purchased at any agricultural or household store. There are no special requirements for the quality of the material - the main thing is that it is a dry, homogeneous powder without pronounced inclusions or lumps. Required weight - 0.1 kg/10 kg of mixture.
The components of the mixture for growing mushrooms at home should be laid out in layers in a container (preferably made of stainless steel or plastic) and filled with water; In the future, liquid is added to the compost as needed - from one to two times a day. Every week the nutrient mixture should be shaken until the characteristic ammonia smell disappears. Immediately after this, the compost can be transferred to a hole, sprinkled with soil and the mycelium planted in it. There is no need to cover the mycelium with plastic or polypropylene film or add additional fertilizers: champignons will ripen even in the absence of these factors.
The optimal temperature for growing champignons at home is the same as for oyster mushrooms (about 25°C). The minimum permissible value is 15°C; The temperature should not fall below this threshold under any circumstances, otherwise the mycelium may simply die. Indoor humidity should be maintained around 80%; Absolute darkness is not required for the germination of mycelium, but the less light in the room or production workshop, the better.
Mycelium development period is 12–15 days; if the compost is properly prepared and the proper temperature and humidity conditions are maintained in the room, the first harvest can be obtained within two months after planting the mycelium.
Important: You cannot water the champignons with a stream of water, from a watering can, or even more so from a hose. Moisture should be sprayed using a spray bottle or installing a special device in the room. Failure to comply with this condition can not only damage the growing mushrooms, but also cause serious damage to the mycelium, which may result in its death.
Advantages of growing champignons at home:
- High demand for products. Champignons are distinguished not only by their high protein content (approximately 4.3% of the total mass) with a minimum amount of fat and carbohydrates (1% each, respectively), but also by their low calorie content (27 kcal/100 g of mushrooms); they also contain vitamins A, B, C, PP and a number of vital microelements. All this provides the manufacturer, novice or professional, with stability of sales.
- Productivity. From one square meter of soil, with appropriate efficiency, you can get up to 5 kg of mushrooms - this is significantly less than when producing oyster mushrooms, which, in particular, determines the increased cost of production. At the same time, champignons cannot be called exclusive or exotic mushrooms - they are presented in sufficient quantities in stores and, as already noted, are in good demand.
Disadvantages of champignons from the point of view of their cultivation:
- Complexity of technological processes, from making compost to caring for mushrooms growing at home. Not every beginner will be able to cope with their responsibilities - in order to gain experience, it is recommended to start with oyster mushrooms, and then, having gained an understanding of the growth of mushrooms and the characteristics of their development, move on to varieties that require more accuracy.
- whimsicality. Unlike oyster mushrooms, champignons are not so demanding of light, but are sensitive to lack of moisture and cold. In order to automate processes and ensure an uninterrupted harvest, the entrepreneur should install an air conditioner and thermostat in the room - as well as, if the specifics allow, autonomous sprayers.
Important: Unlike oyster mushrooms, champignon spores are not very allergenic, however, when working with them, it is worth wearing a protective bandage or a respirator - this will help the entrepreneur avoid unpleasant consequences, especially if he is not yet aware of the possible reaction of his body.
Porcini mushrooms are a traditionally popular product on the domestic market; It can be sold both to stores and large retail chains, and to individuals. The main advantages of mushrooms are their high protein content (approximately 3.7% of the total mass) with a relatively low calorie content (30 kcal/100 g of product). A drawback that calls into question the possibility of growing this type of mushroom for a beginner is the difficulty of breeding: even in nature, they grow in strictly defined conditions, and in order to achieve any significant results in a greenhouse, the entrepreneur will have to try.
Depending on the chosen location, there are two options for cultivating porcini mushrooms - in natural and greenhouse conditions.
To grow a product in an open area, you should:
- Prepare a spore-containing solution to be used together with or instead of mycelium. To obtain the mixture, you need to take a fresh porcini mushroom, separate and break its cap into small pieces, and then soak them in cool water for a day and a half. It is better to keep the solution in a stainless steel container and in a not too warm, ventilated room. Porcini mushrooms, including their spores, are quite relaxed about sunlight and artificial lighting, so you should not completely place the mixture in a completely dark place.
- On a pre-selected plot of land, very preferably located next to an adult tree, remove a layer of turf up to 2 cm thick, then evenly pour the previously prepared spore-containing solution onto the free area. At first, you should not use fertilizers and substrates; they can be connected later, when the first signs of mushroom rooting appear.
- If you plan to combine the solution with mycelium (it can be bought in a store, online or from individuals), the latter must be planted in a hole with a depth of 0.25–0 from May to June in the south of Russia or from July to September in the central regions. 30 m. In advance, the pit should be filled with a substrate consisting of crushed leaves and tree bark, as well as nutrients - from horse or cow manure and chicken droppings in any proportions to store-bought fertilizers. The substrate layer should be 5–10 cm thick; on top of it you need to lay the same layer of soil or humus of any origin. The mycelium is placed on top, then again a thin layer (up to 5 cm) of humus. Finally, the hole is covered with earth and, if a spore-containing solution has been prepared, watered with this liquid.
The time of appearance of the first harvest depends on the quality of the nutrient substrate, humus, natural conditions and other factors. If the amount of moisture in the air is not enough, you can additionally water the pit with mycelium - in this case there is no need for spraying. In addition, although sunlight is not dangerous for porcini mushrooms, the constant absence of shade slows down their growth and can ultimately destroy the mycelium, so excessively illuminated areas of the ground must be artificially darkened - at least by installing umbrellas over them.
An entrepreneur who decides to grow mushrooms in greenhouse conditions should:
- Prepare wooden or plastic boxes for seedlings. Their size should be more than 15x40 cm, depth - from 15 cm. The use of metal containers, in particular those made of stainless alloys, is not recommended: they are too heavy, especially if filled with earth, and when placed on the shelves of the stand can lead to its collapse and the destruction of the entire “harvest”.
- Make a compost mixture consisting of finely chopped and well-dried straw, sawdust or shavings (the starting material, of course, should not be impregnated with chemicals), peelings of sunflower seeds, a small amount of gypsum or chalk and the main nutrient material - horse or cow manure or chicken manure (they can be used separately or mixed in any proportions). The initial mixture should be poured with hot, but not boiling water (60–70°C) and left in a dark, damp place for two or three weeks, stirring from time to time and adding water inside.
- When the compost is ready, you need to add mycelium to it, then carefully place it in boxes, sprinkling a little soil on top. Unlike the “natural” method, the mycelium can be mixed with the nutrient mixture, but not too roughly so as not to damage the delicate tissue.
Porcini mushrooms should be grown in conditions of dim lighting (complete darkness negatively affects their weight and growth rate), sufficient humidity (about 80–90%) and good ventilation. Porcini mushroom spores are low-allergenic, so it is not necessary to wear a bandage when entering the greenhouse; however, such a precaution cannot be called unnecessary.
Stages of organizing a mushroom business
Now, knowing about the peculiarities of growing the most common types of mushrooms at home or almost at home and having carefully weighed the pros and cons of this non-standard activity, you can begin organizing your own business. Of course, you can sell mushrooms without registering and paying taxes - and not only to ordinary citizens; However, with this approach it will not be possible to put the business on a grand scale and achieve more or less significant income.
Business registration
Since there is no need for preliminary preparation in this case, the future entrepreneur can start directly with registration and obtaining certificates, references and certificates. In general, the process takes up to three months; During this time, you can install the greenhouse, prepare the premises, boxes, nutrient substrate and mycelium to avoid delays in entering the market.
It is recommended to submit applications to government agencies in the following order:
- First, a newcomer who has not yet registered with the Federal Tax Service must send the application form and the required documents to the local department of the Federal Tax Service. Today, this can be done either by appearing in person or via the Internet, using the online services of the official tax website. When filling out the application form on form P21001 (for registration of individual entrepreneurs), you should select a code according to the All-Russian Classifier of Types of Economic Activities (OKVED 2) 01.12.31. After receiving the certificate, the entrepreneur can remain on or switch to a simplified one - in this case, the unified agricultural tax (UST). Then, instead of several taxes, he will have to pay only one to the budget at a fixed rate of 6% of income.
- Upon completion of registration, a novice entrepreneur needs to obtain a conclusion on the compliance of the conditions for growing mushrooms with sanitary standards - as you might guess, this can be done at the local SES branch.
- The next stage is obtaining permission to sell mushrooms with the necessary certificates from Rospotrebnadzor.
- Since mushrooms not only have an excellent taste, but are also capable of accumulating radiation, it would not hurt to obtain a radiological examination to ensure that the product complies with established standards.
- The collection of certificates can be supplemented with a certificate from Rosstandart, confirming the right of a businessman to grow, process and sell mushrooms grown at home.
Important: although few entrepreneurs pay attention to this point, new certificates from Rospotrebnadzor, Rosstandart and the radiological laboratory should be obtained every time you switch to a new substrate. We are, of course, talking about substances purchased in large quantities and from regular suppliers; If the nutritional mixture is prepared by an entrepreneur independently and from his own raw materials, there is no point in communicating with government agencies every time there is a slight deviation from the recipe.
Now you can safely start commercial activities without fear of fines or other types of administrative liability.
Selecting a room
Growing mushrooms is not a very labor-intensive business compared to raising pets or poultry; Another advantage is the ability to organize production in any room or even in an open space. Ideally, a businessman should combine both options: in a greenhouse, new crops can be obtained throughout the year, and outside (for example, on a personal plot) - in the summer-autumn period; if there is a clear excess of fresh produce, it can be canned independently, separately or in the form of complex dishes, and sold. Of course, in this case, the newcomer needs to obtain the appropriate certificates from Rospotrebnadzor and other government agencies.
Although the room for growing mushrooms at home can be anything, in order to obtain a satisfactory harvest and profit, it must meet the following requirements:
- the minimum “working” area is 15 square meters;
- humidity - 80–90% (can be equipped with automatic spraying systems);
- temperature - from 12°C to 25°C depending on technological requirements (a thermostat and air conditioners can be installed);
- illumination - from complete darkness to artificially created “twilight”.
It would be optimal to divide the workspace into four separate rooms:
- for the production, aging and long-term storage of the substrate;
- for planting and germination of mycelium;
- for growing mushrooms directly;
- for collection, short-term storage and processing of products.
To avoid contamination of the room itself with fungal spores, before starting work, the entire room, including the floor and ceiling, should be treated with a disinfectant solution (you can use a special impregnation, sold in hardware stores and which additionally protects against fire), and then whitewashed. It’s definitely not worth gluing wallpaper indoors, but you can use high-quality tiles (provided the seams are treated); Moreover, such a surface will be easier to clean.
Acquisition of mycelium
Mushroom mycelium, or simply mycelium, is a collection of long, thin, white or almost transparent threads, the diameter of which can be less than 0.01 mm. If mycelium is purchased in an online or real store, before paying, you should make sure that the seller has the necessary certificates and licenses.
In addition, the branded packaging must indicate:
- full name of the product, including the type and variety of mushrooms;
- approximate time of growth and maturation;
- resistance of the mycelium to specific bacteria and microorganisms;
- production (harvest) date;
- packing date;
- best before date.
Advice: To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is better to first purchase small quantities of goods from different sellers, and only then, based on the results obtained, choose the most successful option.
Equipment purchase
To organize a full production cycle, an entrepreneur, a beginner or a novice, should purchase:
- polyethylene, polypropylene or bags made of other safe types of plastic with a capacity of 10–15 kg (boxes for “seedlings”);
- racks for storing bags or arranging boxes with mycelium;
- humidifiers (sprayers);
- thermostat (heater);
- containers for preparing and standing compost or substrate;
- refrigeration chambers for storing the harvested “harvest”;
- if necessary, equipment for processing and preserving mushrooms or mixtures with mushrooms.
Advice: There is no need to buy all of these items at once, especially in large quantities. A beginner can try his hand, having at his disposal a couple of bags, a room, a substrate, a heater and a hand sprayer. In the future, if the business seems worthy of attention, it is worth purchasing more expensive equipment.
Recruiting staff
The functioning of a small mushroom farm can be ensured by the entrepreneur himself, without involving hired workers. However, as production grows, the need for hired employees becomes more and more urgent; Depending on the needs and specifics of a particular enterprise, you can hire:
- general workers - one person for every 100 square meters of “working” area;
- assemblers and packers of finished products;
- workers for production equipment (canning machines, etc.);
- process engineer;
- sales manager;
- marketer;
- accountant;
- lawyer and so on.
In total, even for the largest mushroom farm, 10–15 workers are enough, including those not related to the main production; If the enterprise employs more than 20 people, its composition can be safely optimized.
Where to sell finished products?
Collected mushrooms in chilled, frozen or canned form can be sold:
- ordinary citizens;
- to individual stores or retail chains;
- to cafes, restaurants and other catering establishments.
To ensure a stable and sufficiently powerful flow of customers, an entrepreneur should not only advertise in paper and electronic media, television and radio channels, but also organize “physical” advertising in the form of banners, billboards and handouts: the larger the audience the offer reaches, the There will eventually be more buyers.
How much can you earn from mushrooms?
It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. Growing expensive varieties of mushrooms is expected to bring more profit, but cultivating less demanding ones is easier. In general, a beginner can focus on profit from 200 thousand rubles per year; subsequently, if you make an effort, this figure can increase ten, or even a hundred times.
Let's sum it up
You can grow any mushrooms at home: oyster mushrooms, champignons, white mushrooms and others. It is recommended for a novice farmer to start with oyster mushrooms, gradually switching to more demanding species. In all cases, a dark or shaded room, a heater (thermostat) and a humidifier (sprayer) are required to obtain the result.
You should start registering a business by visiting the tax office. After receiving a positive response, the entrepreneur must apply for the appropriate certificates from the radiological laboratory, Rospotrebnadzor and other government authorities. Products can be sold both to individuals and to shops, retail chains and restaurants.
Many people love mushrooms. Some people love to collect them, some like to cook various dishes from mushrooms, some prefer to eat mushrooms. There is also a rather profitable business - growing mushrooms. Often experienced mushroom pickers who understand mushrooms and enjoy working with them take on this business.
But you don’t have to be a mushroom picker to start growing champignons or oyster mushrooms. Of course, first you need to understand the theory: how, where and under what conditions mushrooms grow, what is needed for the harvest to be high-quality and abundant, where mushroom seedlings are taken and how many kilograms of mushrooms are obtained from one square meter of area. In addition, you need to figure out how this business should be formalized legally and how much initial investment will be required.
To begin with, you can try growing champignons or oyster mushrooms for yourself, in your summer cottage or in the basement if you have a private house. After some time, you will have some experience and you will figure out whether you like doing it and whether you can achieve success in this field. If the answer is yes, then it’s time to draw up a detailed business plan for growing mushrooms.
Oyster mushrooms or champignons?
The technologies for growing these two types of mushrooms are similar, but there are still some differences. Almost all mushroom growers claim that growing champignons is more difficult, since these mushrooms are more demanding on the quality of the nutrient medium and the mushroom mycelium from which they are grown. Growing champignons requires greater costs than oyster mushrooms and very careful adherence to all technological processes.
In connection with the above considerations, it is better for a novice mushroom grower to first start producing oyster mushrooms. And only then master the business of growing champignons. Although, if you are confident in yourself, have studied the technology well and have all the necessary resources, nothing prevents you from starting with champignons.
Where to grow mushrooms
There are plenty of options. Basements, barns, cottages, village houses or any abandoned industrial and agricultural buildings are well suited for growing mushrooms. If you wish, you can grow mushrooms in a city apartment, on a balcony or even in a room. Creating the right conditions is not that difficult. But growing mushrooms in an apartment is more of a hobby than a business, so we will take a closer look at the requirements for professional premises.
The room temperature should be no lower than 12 degrees and no higher than 25. Air humidity should be quite high - about 85%. Basements perfectly meet all these requirements. There must be electricity in the room. Water is also necessary for growing mushrooms, so make sure there is a constant supply. In addition, the room must have a drain to remove excess water.
Ventilation and heating are also required. Options for heating a room can be different: electricity, gas, wood or coal stove. As for air humidity, with small production volumes the required humidity is easily achieved by simply irrigating the bags with the substrate in which the mushrooms grow. In large-scale production, air humidity is maintained using electronic air conditioning and humidification systems.
When you find a suitable room, you will most likely have to renovate it and install heating and ventilation systems. It is best to make the floor concrete and simply whitewash the walls.
The size of the room can vary and start from 15 square meters. m. One square meter usually contains from three to five blocks - bags with a nutrient substrate in which mushrooms grow.
Soil for mushrooms
The soil for growing mushrooms is the substrate. This can be straw (wheat, rye, barley), sawdust (any except pine), sunflower husks, corn cobs, tree stumps, flax production waste, bran, chaff.
There are farms that produce and sell ready-made substrate for growing mushrooms. But you can prepare it yourself, from raw materials.
The substrate for oyster mushrooms is prepared very simply: straw, sunflower husks or other raw materials are poured with hot water, left for several hours, then mixed with seed and placed in large plastic bags. In the industrial production of mushrooms, the substrate is pasteurized in special chambers after infusion.
This applies to oyster mushrooms, now let's look at where and how to grow champignons. To grow champignons you need compost. You can buy it, or you can prepare it yourself. The second option is preferable, as it is more reliable and much cheaper.
Wheat straw is best suited for champignons. It is dried, then crushed in a special grinder, and then soaked in water. Water absorbs water very well, so the proportions of water and straw are approximately 2.5:1. Then manure or chicken droppings are added to the damp straw and left for two weeks, providing air access. Typically, special aerated containers are used to ripen compost.
In such compost, champignons feel great and produce a good harvest. It can also be used for oyster mushrooms, they will also grow wonderfully. But preparing compost is a labor-intensive task, and oyster mushrooms can also grow in the substrate, so compost is usually not used for them. Although it produces mushrooms of better quality.
Mushroom seedlings
The seed for growing mushrooms is called mycelium. Usually, beginning mushroom growers purchase it from large mushroom farms, which produce it both for themselves and for sale. Experienced farmers can grow mycelium themselves.
When purchasing mycelium from a manufacturer, you must make sure that it is of proper quality. It should be white, without spots and with a pleasant mushroom smell. Sellers of mycelium must have the appropriate license.
Growing mycelium in your mushroom farm and its further sale is a very profitable business, but complex and labor-intensive. Mycelium is produced from a mother culture of the fungus, which, in turn, must be regularly updated so as not to lose quality. You can start growing mycelium after all mushroom production processes have been established perfectly.
Mushroom cultivation technology
So, we found out that for the production of mushrooms you need a substrate or compost and mycelium. Both of these components are mixed or placed in layers and placed in containers. Most often, large plastic bags are used as containers - they are inexpensive and convenient. The bags are filled to the top, and holes are made at the bottom to remove excess moisture. The mycelium should now grow through the substrate. To do this, the bags are kept indoors at a temperature of 22-24 degrees and a humidity of 60-70%. There should be no light in this room and there should be good ventilation. After three days, several slits need to be made in the bags. Mushrooms will grow through them.
After about two weeks, the bags with the substrate will become overgrown with mycelium. Now they need to be moved to another room, with lower temperatures and higher humidity, where they will continue to grow. The temperature can be from 12 to 18 degrees. It depends on the type of mushroom. Some people like very low temperatures, others prefer higher temperatures. But in any case, the temperature should not exceed 16-18 degrees. Mushrooms grow very poorly in warm conditions.
The humidity in the fruiting chamber should be kept within 85%. Most often, for this purpose, a pipe system is installed above the bags, which have small holes. Through these holes, water flows onto the bags, moistening them.
Lighting at this stage is mandatory and should last at least 12 hours a day. If necessary, lamps are installed.
Mushroom fruiting has three phases. Each lasts 5-7 days, and there are 12-14 days between them. The first harvest is usually the most abundant, the second and third - less. After the third phase, the bag with the substrate is thrown away and a new one is placed in its place.
Calculations
To organize your own business growing oyster mushrooms or champignons, you need to at least roughly understand what costs await you. This depends on a large number of factors: the size of your production, heating system, type of mushrooms grown, prices for the components needed to prepare compost, etc.
Let's consider the expenses and income of one of the farms that grows champignons. Calculations are given for one production cycle, which is two months.
So first the costs:
- Components for making 30 tons of compost (compost is made independently): straw, manure, other components. Total – 20,000 rubles.
- Mycelium – 10,000.
- Heating and pasteurization costs – 50,000.
- The workers' salary is 60,000.
- Total – 140,000.
Now - income.
One ton of compost usually yields 200 kg of champignons.
1 kg of champignons costs 100 rubles.
From 30 tons of compost you will get 6 tons of champignons worth 600,000 rubles.
Thus, the income will be 600,000 – 140,000 = 460,000.
But this arithmetic applies only to one production cycle and does not take into account initial costs, i.e. starting capital to start a business. Let's list what you need to ideally have in order to launch profitable mushroom production:
- A compost preparation room equipped with a straw crusher, a grain crusher for mixing, water supply and sewerage.
- Pasteurization room. There should be a steam boiler and a steam supply system, preferably an automated one.
- Warm room for mycelium germination with heating, drip irrigation system and ventilation.
- A cool room for growing mushrooms with heating, ventilation and lighting.
- In addition, you will need transportation.
These are average mushroom farming calculations, but they can give you a rough idea of costs and income. Perhaps you will start growing mushrooms in your dacha, in the basement, and your costs will differ from those listed, especially as they relate to starting capital. If you do everything yourself or with your family, you won't have to pay workers.
Legal aspect
In order to make a mushroom growing business legal, you need to register. In this case, the option of private subsidiary plots – personal subsidiary plots that do not require registration – will not work. The requirements for producers of oyster mushrooms and champignons are more stringent.
Now about paying taxes. By choosing to grow mushrooms as a business, you will be classified as an agricultural producer. According to the All-Russian Classifier of Types of Economic Activities (OKVED), you belong to the number A.01.12.31. Your tax form is . This is a beneficial form, it replaces all other forms of taxation. Its rate is 6% of net profit.
Sales of oyster mushrooms and champignons
In order to sell grown products, you need to have:
- Declaration of conformity GOST.
- Phytosanitary certificate.
- Radiology protocol.
- Guide to storage and transportation of mushrooms.
So, where can you sell mushrooms?
Firstly, you can sell them on the market yourself. This is a financially beneficial option, since the price will be retail and not wholesale. But this option takes time, and, therefore, money. This can be convenient if you are growing a small amount of mushrooms.
Secondly, you can supply your products to shops, cafes and other food establishments. In this case, the price may be quite reasonable, and you will be able to sell large volumes. But you will need to take care of delivery and contracts.
Thirdly, you can sell mushrooms to wholesale companies. The price in this case will be lower, but the implementation process is simplified as much as possible. Product volumes in this case are not limited.
Mushrooms are always popular, regardless of the time of year. Some people like to collect them in the forest on their own, others prefer to buy them in stores and markets. Growing mushrooms at home or in the country can be a very profitable business. Its profitability reaches 40%, and entering the business does not require special knowledge or large investments.
What mushrooms to grow?
First of all, you need to decide what kind of mushrooms you plan to grow. There are several cost-effective options:
- Porcini– one of the most valuable on the mushroom market. Soups, sauces, and salads are prepared from it. In high demand. But at the same time, growing porcini mushrooms is a somewhat troublesome task, since they grow best in gardens near the roots of trees. When grown in greenhouses, they need to create conditions similar to natural ones.
- Oyster mushrooms– the easiest type of mushroom to grow. It requires a small area for planting, and the monthly yield per square meter can reach 14 kg. The first mushrooms can be obtained within a month. Oyster mushroom is in great demand because it contains a lot of nutrients, vitamins B, PP, C and H and amino acids.
- Champignon– this type of mushroom is considered one of the most expensive. Requires compost, which is quite difficult to make at home, therefore, you will have to spend money on purchasing it.
Business registration
It is necessary to obtain a number of documents that will allow you to legally sell mushrooms:
- Certificate of registration as an individual entrepreneur. OKVED code – A.01.12.31. (growing mushrooms and mycelium). The tax regime should be the Unified Agricultural Tax.
- Certificate of registration with the pension fund and tax service.
- Permission and certificates from SES.
- Conclusion of Rospotrebnadzor.
- Radiology protocol.
- Certificate of quality obtained from Rosstandart.
- Compiled and approved rules for the storage and transportation of mushrooms and products derived from them.
Please note that laboratory certificates are only valid as long as you grow mushrooms on the same substrate. When changing the substrate, it is necessary to undergo laboratory tests again.
Selecting a room
You can grow mushrooms both in your garden and indoors. The second is relevant if you plan to open a mushroom farm and receive crops constantly, and not just in the warm season. A basement, a warehouse, a greenhouse, and even an ordinary living room are suitable.
To grow mushrooms, you need a dry and clean room with good ventilation. During the cold season, it is also necessary to install additional stoves or radiators to maintain thermal conditions.
It is worth paying attention to humidity, which should reach 80-90% depending on the type of mushroom being grown. To maintain it, it is necessary to install containers filled with cold water in the room.
Despite the fact that mushrooms do not like bright light, it is still necessary to provide short-term artificial lighting. It will be needed during the ripening of the crop.
It is advisable to divide the room into several zones, based on the main stages:
- For preparing and storing the substrate.
- For planting mushrooms.
- For germinating mycelium.
- For direct cultivation and collection of mushrooms.
- For processing and storing finished products.
The selected room must be pre-treated with a disinfectant solution and then the walls must be whitewashed.
Purchase of mycelium
Mycelium is a mycelium that looks like thin light threads 10 microns thick or less. After planting, mushroom growth begins. When choosing mycelium, you should pay attention to the variety, type and timing of ripening of mushrooms, their resistance to diseases of various kinds.
Be sure to check the expiration date of the mycelium, their color and smell. The seller must have a license for the product.
To get started, buy a small trial batch.
Equipment
To properly organize a business on a mushroom farm, it is important to have the following equipment and consumables:
- plastic bags for planting mushrooms;
- refrigerator and cold rooms;
- heaters;
- humidifiers;
- racks;
- packaging containers;
- boxes for harvesting.
Staff
If you have established serious production on an industrial scale, then you should acquire assistants. To operate a mushroom farm you need:
- technologist;
- harvester and packer;
- handyman;
- Sales Manager.
The number of workers depends on the size of the farm and the volume of harvest.
How to grow porcini mushroom
The technology depends on where you grow mushrooms:
In an open area
First you need to prepare a special solution according to this recipe: break the cap of an adult mushroom and soak it in cold water for a day. Then you need to remove the top layer of turf from the area directly next to the trees, and water the cleaned area with an infused solution with fungal spores.
It is worth planting mushrooms in late May - early June, if you are in the southern regions; in the middle zone, planting dates fall at the end of August - early September.
To speed up growth, you can buy porcini mushroom mycelium. It is planted in a small pit, about 20-30 cm deep. It is first filled with substrate. The substrate can be:
- dry tree leaves;
- bark;
- various types of nutritional mixtures.
The thickness of the layer reaches 7-10 cm. Then a second layer is laid, consisting of humus or ordinary soil, the mycelium is placed on it, then another layer of the nutrient mixture 3 cm thick. Then everything is sprinkled with a layer of earth 3-5 cm thick.
In the greenhouse
Seeds must be planted in boxes and placed on shelves. For planting, special compost is used, consisting of:
- dry chopped straw;
- sawdust;
- sunflower husks;
- chalk or plaster in small quantities.
Chicken, cow or horse droppings can be used as fertilizer. The resulting mixture is poured with hot water and infused for 2-3 weeks. During this period, the compost is shaken and watered. Then mycelium is added to the compost and placed in boxes.
In the room it is necessary to arrange dim lighting, a high level of humidity and provide ventilation.
Growing oyster mushrooms
There are two options for growing these mushrooms:
First option
Involves the preparation of a substrate, which includes:
- chopped and soaked straw;
- sawdust;
- fresh sunflower husk.
The mixture is crushed and poured with hot water. After cooling, it is placed in polypropylene bags. You should alternate between a substrate layer and a mycelium layer. In this case, the mycelium makes up 3-5% of the total mass of the bag. The polyethylene should have holes for ventilation, about 2 cm in diameter. It is advisable to make holes every 15 cm.
For the first month, the blanks are stored in a closed, dark room at a humidity of 90% and a temperature of about 25 degrees. After the specified period, everything moves to a cooler place with a temperature of 12-18 degrees, where the mushrooms ripen.
The first mushrooms can be obtained within a few weeks, and they grow in waves. With each new wave, the amount of harvested crop is smaller.
Second option
Involves the use of wood and stumps to grow crops:
- Take stumps of deciduous trees, preferably young ones that are not infected with other fungi. You can also use pre-treated tree trunk cuttings.
- Stumps and cuttings are infected with mycelium and kept at high humidity until they are overgrown with mycelium.
- They are then planted in the ground to ensure constant moisture.
This method is characterized by low productivity and is used extremely rarely.
You can learn about the real experience of growing such mushrooms from the video:
Growing champignons is considered a more complex process. Firstly, this is due to the fact that they require special compost or substrate, and secondly, the microclimate must be strictly observed.
You can prepare the substrate yourself. For him they take:
- fresh dry straw – 12 kg;
- fresh chicken droppings or cow or horse manure - 8 kg;
- gypsum or chalk – 0.5-1 kg;
- Ammonium sulfate – 200-250 g.
All this is laid out in layers, then left for a month, watering daily, shaking it once every 6-7 days. The absence of a characteristic ammonia odor will help determine whether the mixture is ready for planting. As soon as it disappears, you can sprinkle the compost with soil and plant the mycelium.
The temperature regime for champignons is at least 15 degrees, preferably 20-25. The humidity level is within 70-80%.
The mycelium germinates within two weeks, and the first harvest can be obtained in 2-3 months.
Sales of mushrooms
Finished products must be sold as quickly as possible or specially processed for long-term storage. Fresh mushrooms can be sold:
- selling them to restaurants and canteens;
- supply to markets and shops, supermarkets;
- sell to individual customers.
Leftover products can be canned or dried.
During Lent and holidays, the cost and demand for mushrooms increases.
How much money will it take to start a business?
Here is a sample business plan for expenses:
- Rent of premises of 40-60 sq. m. – 7,000 rubles.
- Purchase of mycelium or mycelium – 10,000 rubles.
- Purchase of substrate or compost – 20,000 rubles.
- Packages of 500 pieces – 5,000 rubles.
- Plastic boxes, 10 pieces – 1,000 rubles.
- Equipment for organizing a microclimate – 15,000 rubles.
- Refrigerators and cold rooms – 40,000-60,000 rubles.
- Transport costs – 15,000.
- Registration and execution of all papers – 20,000 rubles.
- Utility bills – 30,000 rubles monthly.
To open a business, you will need on average 183,000 rubles. The exact cost item depends on the volume of production and the region.
Pros of business
The main advantages of the mushroom business include:
- mushrooms are easy to care for and do not require constant care;
- no special training or skills required;
- use of simple and accessible materials in production;
- high demand and stable income.
To begin with, it is best to try growing mushrooms on a small scale, for yourself. Once you understand the growing process, you can expand your mushroom farm and enter the market.
When working with mushrooms - planting, collecting - use gauze bandages, as mushroom spores can cause allergic reactions.
Video: Mushrooms - an idea for a private business
You can learn more about growing mushrooms and organizing a mushroom business from the video below:
Growing mushrooms is a fairly profitable and simple type of business. It does not require any special knowledge. Its profitability reaches 40%, and it pays off within a year.
First of all, you need to prepare the room; you can grow mushrooms in the basement of a private house or in a barn. It is recommended to treat the walls in the room with a disinfectant solution.
To grow mushrooms, you need to prepare a special substrate, which may include sawdust and straw. There are technological features for preparing the substrate for various types of mushrooms. To grow oyster mushrooms, the substrate should be finely chopped and steamed in hot water. The substrate for honey mushrooms is pasteurized with a hot nutrient solution, to which starch, jam or corn flour is added. Ready compost is added to the champignon substrate.
The substrate is placed in layers in plastic bags measuring 40 by 90 cm. Mycelium is laid between the layers. Every 10-15 centimeters a small hole is made in the bag.
You should purchase mycelium from a trusted supplier, since the yield depends on the quality of the mycelium.
Mushrooms should be germinated in a closed, dark and humid room at a temperature of about 22°C. As soon as mushroom shoots appear in the cut holes, the bags with mycelium should be moved to a cooler room. In order for mushrooms to grow quickly, it is necessary that the room temperature be about 15 ° C, and the room with myceliums must be illuminated for 12 hours a day.
Fluorescent lamps can be used to illuminate the room.
Organization of business and product sales
At the initial stage, you can grow mushrooms in the basement of a farmhouse, in a garage or in a barn. It is recommended to insulate the walls in the room with expanded polystyrene. It is recommended to divide the room into three zones. In the first zone, the substrate and mycelium will be placed in bags. In the second zone the mushrooms will germinate, and in the third zone they will grow and develop.
In order for a mushroom business to generate a stable income, you need a large premises (about 600 sq. m.), so at the first stage it is worth treating this business as a source of additional income.
The most difficult thing is not to grow mushrooms, but to sell them. It is difficult for a beginning mushroom grower to find a regular wholesale buyer. You can sell mushrooms through restaurants and shops, but to do this you need to obtain documents confirming the quality of the mushrooms. Therefore, at the first stage, it is best to sell mushrooms through friends and acquaintances. You can store mushrooms in the refrigerator for no more than 7 days.
Growing mushrooms can be turned into a waste-free business; the used substrate can be used as an excellent fertilizer for the soil and sold to residents of rural areas.
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