Mushroom cultivation is a fun hobby that you can use to grow healthy food right at home. Cultivators have discovered various edible mushroom strains, and there’s no shortage of grains for creating spawn.
If you’re just starting out, you might want to know the best types of grain for growing mushrooms. Explore these options to find the best fit for your next growing project.
Rye
Rye berries are a tried-and-true choice that many mushroom growers use to cultivate their spawn. If you want something that’s easy to find, holds water well, and works for most mushroom species, then rye should be your first choice.
If this is your first time cultivating mushrooms, you might want to stick with rye since it has a low cost per volume. Just remember that some strains may require you to add other materials, such as wood, for the best results.
Wheat
Another common type of grain used to grow mushrooms is wheat. A mushroom substrate composed of wheat berries will perform similarly to rye, offering an incredibly nutritious base for most species.
The problem with using wheat instead of rye is that it doesn’t hold as much water, making it harder to keep your substrate hydrated. However, wheat is easy to find, as you can purchase it in many outlet stores.
Rice
Mushroom cultivators can also use rice as a grain for their substrate. Any type of rice will work, and even prepackaged pouches can offer positive results.
In most cases, brown rice will work better because it has more nutrients, but it’s more expensive. You can also use rice flour, but you’ll need to mix it with an additive to make it less compact.
Birdseed
Some growers have used birdseed to grow their mushrooms, providing a cheap and widely available alternative to more traditional methods. Due to its low price, you can get much more substrate for your money.
Expert growers know the best mushrooms to grow at home, but the intricacies of growing can even evade the professionals. One thing to keep in mind is that any substrate should be sterile. Fortunately, finding sterile bird feed is possible, and this grain option will work for several strains.
It’s Easy To Start Cultivating Your Own Mushrooms
One of the nice things about growing mushrooms is that getting the freshest strains doesn’t take much time or effort. Knowing the best types of grain for growing mushrooms will give you a clear picture of where to start.
Try each grain to see what works best for you. You’ll have all the mushrooms you want in no time, no matter what your favorite strain happens to be.