CULTIVATIONTIPS ADVISIE
Stagnating pin development Steering growth towards the optimal number of pinheads is not a simple matter.
Obtaining the right number on the bed is vital for the fi nal fi nancial results. This aspect infl uences, for instance, grades, quality, production and the cutting and picking performances. Even so, replicating the procedure every week is not easy. With inactive compost you will notice visibly less evaporation. If the same volume of water is used during preparation, the compost will be wetter. The upper compost layer often has the highest moisture content and the least mycelium, as well as there being a less strong contact layer between the compost and the casing soil. At the moment when pinheads should start developing, the beds may show an irregular appearance and sometimes there are patches of 0.5 m2
By Jos Hilkens
AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Herkenbosch
hilkens@mushroomconsulting.nl
with clearly too few pinheads. In certain extreme situations
you may only see mushrooms growing at the edges of the beds. Ensure there is enough evaporation at this stage. With reduced compost activity there is lower CO2
production, so
this value can be reduced by 200 to 600 ppm. If you want to keep the fan RPM low, then lower the RH by about 2% to maintain enough evaporation. It is also possible to maintain the RH level and raise the fan RPM slightly. In subsequent cycles, try spraying less so you create a stronger contact layer and more mycelium in the upper compost layer.
Correct CAC
CAC, or Compost Added to Casing, has become a standard procedure on many farms nowadays for a variety of reasons: accelerating growth by several days, greater uniformity in the fi rst fl ush, adding ‘airiness’ to heavy casing soils, evening out irregular fi lling patterns etc. Too little CAC will not result in the desired eff ect while overdoing it will give too much mycelium, with all the natural negative consequences. Establishing the right amount of CAC is essential, but diffi cult. On average around 0.5 - 1kg compost per m2 is added – but this depends on the type of compost. With a mildly fermented compost you might think at fi rst you are adding too much compost to the casing, but in fact no mycelium will grow from these harder sprigs. You have to intentionally add more CAC to achieve the desired result.
By Con Hermans
AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Heythuysen
hermans@mushroomconsulting.nl
Photos: AdVisie
On the other hand, a well-fermented compost contains many more shorter pieces and fi bres that you often hardly see in the casing soil, but these all represent points of inoculation from which mycelium will sprout. This means that you can use a lot less CAC. The most common method of adding compost at casing is using a rotating axle that mixes the incubated compost through the top layer of the casing soil at fi lling. This is the least labour intensive way. Regarding the results, these greatly depend on the compost quality, and thereby the correct dose to apply is diffi cult to judge. A far more accurate method that gives stabler results is to scatter a fi xed, pre-determined amount of incubated compost over the casing and then mix it through the upper layer (see photo). Some growers use compost that has had extra mycelium growth days for this purpose to achieve even greater stability. However, this approach demands special attention to the conditions where this CAC compost is prepared to avoid the risk of infecting the entire cell with your CAC material.
(advertisement) Consulting for:
Jos Hilkens +31(0)653 31 6204
Composting 6 MUSHROOM BUSINESS
Mushroom growing
Picking
Con Hermans +31(0)653 29 9396
www.mushroomconsulting.nl
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