Buzz
1. Preparing Lime Water for Fermentation
To start, mix 3 kg of lime with 100 liters of water, then immerse the dry straw. Allow the straw to soak thoroughly to eliminate unwanted fungi, as well as to cleanse it of any alkaline or saline residues. After soaking for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, remove and drain the excess water.
2. Selecting High-Quality Mushroom Spawn
This step is crucial and significantly impacts mushroom cultivation productivity. Choosing healthy, young spawn free from contamination ensures high yields and excellent mushroom quality. Good spawn should have white, clean mycelium strands, with a jar lid emitting a mushroom-like scent. The mycelium should evenly cover the interior of the spawn bag. On average, a spawn bag weighs about 120 g. It can be spread over a substrate measuring 0.5 m wide, 0.4 to 0.5 m high, and 4 to 5 m long. Avoid using spawn with brown, black, or orange spots indicating contamination. Discard spawn bags with wet, soggy bottoms and a sour odor.
Prepare for composting
Form a compost pile with dimensions of 4 - 8m in length and 1.5 - 2m in width. Water evenly as each layer reaches 20 to 30 cm high. Use your feet to compact and continue with subsequent layers until the pile reaches a height of 1.3 to 1.5m. Then, use burlap, dry straw, or banana leaves to cover the pile to retain moisture and heat.
Prepare and Spread Seed Bed
Remove outer layer of compost pile then take out compost for mushroom cultivation. Ensure to complete compost spreading within the day. Spread a layer of compost on the seed bed, then water it. Spread the compost evenly and press down so that the compost block has a width of about 50cm along the seed bed, a height of 20cm. Spread the spawn along both sides of the bed, 5 to 7cm away from the edge. Repeat the process for the second and third layers of compost. If using 3 layers, do not spread spawn on the top layer, only use dry compost 4 to 5cm thick. Water after compacting, smooth the surface for a sleek, tidy appearance. Failure to smooth the surface properly will damage small mushroom buds, reducing yield when harvesting.
