How to grow button mushrooms without buying kit?

Pixiechic

Hello,

I thought taht I would like tot ry my hand at growing some button mushrooms. I did some research and found that horse manure and compost work well and to keep them in a dark room. Thought I would pop to garden centre to get some 'spores' and see how I go. I just went to do some more research and found that it is a bit more complicated than that! Has anyone here grown own mushrooms? I would prefer to grow them minus the 'mushroom' growing kit as I enjoy learning and feel that it might be a bit of a costly 'gimmick'. Could anyone advise please as I would be most grateful! Thank you. Any money saving suggestions would also be most welcome

summerday

Hi Pixiechic, this does not really answer your question I'm afraid but I noticed that there was a kit half price in B&Q last weekend, quite a big one so maybe good value for money? If noting else you may be able to insopect the components of it to see what you might need to DIY next time. Sorry I can't help you in the way that you asked.

katholicos

I recently bought manure, compost and spawn and followed the instructions...and it failed. I repeated the instructions a couple of weeks later and it still failed. I still have some mushroom spawn left so may just try it one more time. I have been very disappointed so far and would like to try a kit if i ever see one reduced.

balloo_2

I tried a kit one time followed the instructions put it in the attic where its dark and waited and waited every day looking nothing after about 2 months and I remembered about them went to the attic and there was the biggest bl--dy mushroom i had ever seen it was bigger than a dinner plate and tough well it must have been a tough little b----rd because it killed all the others. :eek:

Pixiechic

balloo wrote: »

I tried a kit one time followed the instructions put it in the attic where its dark and waited and waited every day looking nothing after about 2 months and I remembered about them went to the attic and there was the biggest bl--dy mushroom i had ever seen it was bigger than a dinner plate and tough well it must have been a tough little b----rd because it killed all the others. :eek:

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: That's so funny!!!! One huge button mushroom!!!

Thanks sarat, thinking maybe a kit could be useful now! I might check b and q this weekend.

Katholicos, thanks for the advice, I think the kit might be best way to go too now, B and Q sounds like the place to go!!!

Thanks for the advice and the giggle!

heynonnynonny

balloo wrote: »

I tried a kit one time followed the instructions put it in the attic where its dark and waited and waited every day looking nothing after about 2 months and I remembered about them went to the attic and there was the biggest bl--dy mushroom i had ever seen it was bigger than a dinner plate and tough well it must have been a tough little b----rd because it killed all the others. :eek:

Ooooh that sounds scary!! :eek: Did you eat it???

balloo_2

Nope threw it at next doors cat who used to wee and poo in my garden seriously i did throw it away i wasn't sure if it was edible.

delerium

Asda;s have kits for £5 at the moment.....I couldn't believe it when I saw them so snapped them up but I wasback in the same store today and the shelf was full of them!!