My wine caps are growing in the area I spawned under the bean trellis. This is my first adventure in growing mushrooms. Pretty exciting. But, I want to ensure that I have a crop available next year, also. I have no idea if they are hardy from one year to the next in my nasty cold climate.
After a lot of reading, I have not found any information regarding collecting spawn, how to preserve spawn, and how best to keep it alive through the winter to ensure next season's crop. So... this is what I've come up with:
Harvest my largest 2 wine cap mushrooms, and collect their spawn on a piece of waxed paper. I saw that they were releasing spores this morning. I intend to place the caps on a piece of waxed paper, and cover them with bowls to exclude any foreign spores. Then, using sterile water, rinse spores into a bag full of kiln dried aspen shavings for safe keeping for next year's crop. I did not find any information on line about making your own sawdust spawn mixture, so this is the best idea I can come up with. Mushroom peeps... Would this work???
If not, what is missing in my logic? How long can I store the inoculated shavings??? And what is the best storage temp???
Can mushroom spawn be stored dry for any length of time???
After a lot of reading, I have not found any information regarding collecting spawn, how to preserve spawn, and how best to keep it alive through the winter to ensure next season's crop. So... this is what I've come up with:
Harvest my largest 2 wine cap mushrooms, and collect their spawn on a piece of waxed paper. I saw that they were releasing spores this morning. I intend to place the caps on a piece of waxed paper, and cover them with bowls to exclude any foreign spores. Then, using sterile water, rinse spores into a bag full of kiln dried aspen shavings for safe keeping for next year's crop. I did not find any information on line about making your own sawdust spawn mixture, so this is the best idea I can come up with. Mushroom peeps... Would this work???
If not, what is missing in my logic? How long can I store the inoculated shavings??? And what is the best storage temp???
Can mushroom spawn be stored dry for any length of time???