Episode: 3
Title: Growing Exotic Mushrooms
Broadcast: August 27th
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Trevor recently showed us his little Bunnings greenhouse, which he was using with a misting system to raise seedlings this spring. He’s not just using that for veggies alone, he’s also using it to grow gourmet food. Exotic mushrooms add amazing flavor to any Asian style meals or risottos, but cost a fortune to buy fresh, so why not make them at home?

• Now is a brilliant time to grow mushrooms. Trev has purchased a DIY box of Oyster Mushrooms from Bunnings. Unlike the typical Button Mushrooms that like the climate dry and cool, these Oyster Mushrooms like a nice, bright position, humidity and good moisture levels.
• They’re best grown in spring as they don’t like it too warm and the greenhouse makes the them so easy to grow yourself. Temperatures in the high-teens-early-twenties are ideal.
• To get started create a slit in the top of the bag, fill with water and let it soak for 24-hours before emptying the water.
• Next, cut the bag in a u-shape around the side of the inoculate straw, but don’t remove it completely. Grab a mister and make sure the straw itself is nice and moist. You should see the fungi spreading across the surface.
• Within a week, if you have sufficient moisture and air, the mushrooms will start appearing. As they grow larger it’s time to harvest, but don’t pull them away. The base will be the source of the next crop, which will appear within the next few days. Cut them cleanly with a knife and you should enjoy at least 3-4 crops.

The Garden Gurus