CULTIVATION TIPS ADVISIE Activity: blessing or burden


By Jos Hilkens AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Herkenbosch hilkens@mushroomconsulting.nl


Raw materials change as the seasons progress. Particularly with the raw materials from the new harvest year, it is a question of waiting to see how the composting process proceeds and how the moisture content, structure, degree of fermentation, extent of spawn run and so on ultimately change. Currently, there is clearly more activity and more hard straw fragments in the compost and less spawn run at some composting yards. Greater compost activity during colonisation of the casing soil, the recovery period, cool down and pinhead formation makes it more difficult to maintain an optimal moisture balance. The larger difference between the compost temperature and air temperature usually causes the casing to dehydrate more. The mycelium then contracts more quickly at the start of cool down, fewer pinheads form and the drier conditions during pinhead out grow result in fewer mushrooms. So it’s important to think about action you can take to reduce activity or manage it more effectively and limit moisture loss. The first option is to compact the compost more firmly - a layer thickness of 18 cm instead of 21 cm - and possibly add less supplement - 10 kg/ton instead of 15 to 18 kg/ton. Control the compost temperature by setting the desired compost temperature lower to reduce the number of temperature peaks. Adequate cooling capacity is essential in this case. Ensure sufficient CAC is applied so the mycelium quickly grows to the surface during the recovery period to avoid a lengthy recovery. If the moisture content of the casing is not optimal during pinhead formation, it can be a good idea to set the relative humidity 1-2% higher to retain more moisture and encourage more spontaneous pinning. Critically examine which of these and other options can be used to achieve the ideal cultivation conditions.


Pinning stagnates


By Jos Hilkens AdVisie ‘the mushroom growing consultants’, Herkenbosch hilkens@mushroomconsulting.nl Pictures: AdVisie


It can be quite a challenge to get the right amount of mushrooms on the beds with the right spread in pinhead size. As they are both natural products, fluctuations in compost and casing soil composition and quality and the outdoor conditions ensure that fine tuning is necessary to control of the number of mushrooms that emerge to obtain good quality yields. Patches on the beds with no or fewer mushrooms are seen regularly and this affects production. The initial symptoms often occur on the 2nd bed, as air movement and evaporation are often slightly less here. When the upper layer of the compost is just a little too wet and evaporation is less in certain places, or compost activity is lower, clearly fewer or no mushrooms will emerge. On the upper bed or the bed below, patches without mushrooms are generally first noticed in the middle of the bed. These bare patches are often larger and visible in various beds. The compost underneath is rotten due to excessive compost temperatures in the preparatory phase. Numerous factors may cause the compost to burn. Another cause of stagnating pinning can be localised patches of excessive mycelium growth. On parts of the bed that are too white, pinheads always grow less well and the mycelium is more prone to drying. Irregular application of CAC at filling and changes in the casing structure can also cause this as can a weak contact layer between the casing soil and the compost. A weak contact layer hinders the transport of nutrients, which can cause growth to stagnate. Poor compost quality and/or too much water during preparation are also potential causes.


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