Growing Mushrooms

Phase 1 – Creation of Mushroom Compost

Mushroom compost is made to meet the very specific requirements for the growth and fruiting of mushrooms.

Bales of wheat straw are mixed with recycled poultry material, water and other organic material. When mixed, the material immediately gets put into large chambers, called aerated bunkers. During this phase the substrate reaches temperatures of 80 degrees Celsius.

After 13 days the finished substrate is ready to be pasteurized and conditioned.

Phase 2 – Pasteurisation of the Compost

The substrate is then delivered to the pasteurization tunnels.

Pasteurisation and conditioning of the substrate takes approximately 6 days. The climate controlled “tunnel” heats the substrate to 58 degrees Celsius for pasteurization and then conditions it at 48 degrees Celsius.

Phase 3 – Incubation of the Compost

At the end of the conditioning process the substrate is then cooled down to 26 degrees Celsius. The substrate is then transferred to an incubation tunnel. During this transferring process spawn is added to the substrate. Spawn is usually made with rye or wheat grain that has been sterilized and inoculated with mushroom tissue (mycelium).

This incubation process takes 14-17 days. During this time the white fuzzy mycelium grows throughout the substrate.

After the 14-17 day incubation period, the substrate mixture is loaded into specially designed lorries for transport to the growing rooms.

Phase 4 – Growing Stage

As the mushroom substrate is filled into the growing rooms a layer of peat is applied to the surface of the compost. The layer is called the casing layer and is essential for the formation of the mushrooms.

Over a 3-4 day period, the mushroom tissue grows throughout the substrate and up through the casing layer.

The environment is then altered to simulate an autumn day, which stimulates the formation of mushrooms. As a result, tiny mushroom heads (pins) begin to appear.

During the next two weeks the levels of moisture, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and air movement are carefully monitored.

The pins eventually grow into mushrooms. The mushrooms are picked by hand to maintain the highest possible quality.

All our mushrooms are cooled quickly after harvesting are transported in specially designed refrigerated trucks.