Milky mushrooms are called ‘milky’ for their white color. They are the only mushroom species that are both native to and cultivated in, the hot moist climate of India. Milky mushrooms are also known as ‘Swetha’ mushrooms and are rich in nutrients, have a good shelf life, and are the only fungus that can be cultivated in the tropics. They are one of the low-cost varieties to grow and are quite big in size.
Besides milky mushrooms, there are many other types of mushrooms growing all over the world.
Milky mushrooms grow from spores, which are dust-like particles that evolve into a mass of thick white tangled threads called mycelium. Mushroom spawn is just sawdust that has been infiltrated with mushroom mycelia. And from the mycelium grows an umbrella-shaped crop known as mushroom.
Here is how you can easily grow the milky mushrooms at home:
Things required
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Milky mushroom spawns
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Substrate - Paddy or rice straw
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Casing mixture - Sterilized soil
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A Plastic bag - approximately 60 cm x 30 cm in size
Steps to follow
1. Sanitization
To begin, chop the straw into little pieces ranging from 1 to 3 inches in length. Then, for approximately an hour, boil it in water. After then, drain the water until there are no more straw drops in it.
2. Preparation
Once the wet straw has cooled to room temperature, stack it tightly inside the plastic bag, which should be 6-10 inches high. Following that sprinkle, a smattering of milky mushrooms spawns across the straw. Later, secure the bag from the top and poke few holes in it for the spawning to breathe through.
3. Incubation
You must now keep the bag in a cool, dark place at home, away from direct sunlight. Then, at irregular intervals, spray some water over the plastic bag to keep it moist. When you notice spawns developing into a white hairy cob-web layer called mycelium after 15 -20 days, it's time to do the casing.
4. Casing
To casing, open the bag and lay an inch thick coat of sterilised soil over it, which will keep the moisture in and promote the growing fungus. Place the bag in a brighter location to begin producing mushrooms.
5. Harvesting
Little mushroom heads will emerge from the soil in around 10-12 days and will grow to full size in about a week. When the mushroom caps have completely separated from their stems, they are ready to be harvested. Milky mushrooms can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to 20 days.
The milky mushrooms are ready to be cooked. So enjoy the fresh taste of home-grown mushrooms!!!
Also read: Guide To Grow Button Mushroom
