No seeds saved yet. On a product page, use Add to wishlist to save varieties for later.
key growing information
Almond Agaricus & Wine Cap Mushrooms from Sawdust Spawn | Key Growing Information
How to grow Wine Cap and Almond Agaricus mushrooms from sawdust spawn: site, spawn storage, substrates, bed and container inoculation, moisture, casing, harvest, flushes, pests and safe eating.
By Hensley’s Seed Co.
Almond Agaricus & Wine Cap Mushrooms from Sawdust Spawn | Key Growing Information
CULTURE:
Sawdust spawn lets you grow Wine Cap and Almond Agaricus mushrooms in beds or in containers that fruit from the top. Mushrooms need plenty of moisture, so pick a spot that's easy to reach and check, shaded at least part of the day all year, and ideally close to water. Wine Caps adapt to a wide range of conditions and are a good first species. Almond Agaricus loves heat and won't survive cold: where it drops below 35°F (2°C), grow it as an annual. Inoculate it only once average temperatures reach at least 50°F (10°C), with 70–80°F (21–27°C) being ideal; greenhouses or other season-extension methods can lengthen the season.
SPAWN STORAGE:
Take the spawn bags out of the shipping box as soon as they arrive, and untuck them so the filter patch is exposed and air can move. Mushrooms grow from mycelium, a mass of white to light brown threads; in a spawn bag it can look like fuzzy mold, but that's healthy growth. Both spawns keep up to 6 months: Wine Cap in the refrigerator and Almond Agaricus at room temperature. Fresh spawn gives the best results. Don't open a bag until the day you inoculate, since opening early raises the risk of contamination and lets the spawn dry, and use it within a day of opening. Moisture at the start is critical. DAYS TO MATURITY: Both species colonize quickly: beds started in spring can fruit in 1–3 months, and top-fruiting containers may be faster still. Timing depends on conditions, substrate, species and the spawn-to-substrate ratio, and fruiting begins only after the mycelium has fully colonized the substrate. SUBSTRATE SELECTION: Wine Caps grow reliably on hardwood chips and can sometimes take up to 50% softwood. Almond Agaricus prefers richer, higher-nitrogen substrates such as manure and compost. Our chart, Substrate Types for Growing Mushrooms , has more detail. Fresh wood chips are less likely to carry pests and competing fungi than chips that have sat and aged. MUSHROOM BED INOCULATION: Grow both species in outdoor beds, between garden rows, or anywhere you have enough suitable substrate. How much one bag covers depends on bed depth and spawn ratio, but plan on about a 4' x 4' area per bag. Clear the site of unwanted plants and debris. You can soak the substrate first, water between layers, or water everything well at the end. For Wine Caps, start with 1" of substrate and crumble spawn over it, breaking up big chunks, then keep alternating 3–6" layers of substrate with spawn until the spawn runs out or the bed is deep enough. Finish with a layer of substrate to protect the spawn. For Almond Agaricus,lay down 4–8" of substrate, break the spawn into 2" pieces, and tuck them a few inches under the surface about 4–6" apart, at slightly varied depths. CONTAINER INOCULATION: Containers work indoors or out. You need a container with openings for the mushrooms to fruit through, a suitable substrate and sawdust spawn. These two species fruit only from the top, so side holes aren't needed. Start with a sterile container to cut contamination risk, then fill it as you would a bed, using ½ to 1 full bag of spawn per 5 gallons of substrate.
COLONIZATION:
Keeping moisture up between inoculation and fruiting matters most, especially in dry climates or drought; if the substrate dries out too much, mushrooms may not mature. Let colonization happen out of direct sun, and consider a tarp, straw mulch or similar cover to hold moisture. Take the cover off when pins (baby mushrooms) start forming on the surface or the substrate is fully colonized. To check colonization, dig down in a few places and look for mycelium running throughout. OPTIONAL CASING LAYER: If Almond Agaricus is slow to fruit, add a casing layer once the bed or container is colonized, which shows as white strands of mycelium through the bed. Moisten a neutral-pH material such as coco coir, potting soil or sphagnum moss, mix in a handful of native soil, and spread 1–2" evenly over the substrate. HARVEST: Mushrooms grow very fast as they mature, so check at least daily when they're close. Pick either species any time before the caps flatten and start curling up, which signals spore release. Twist and pull, or cut at the base of the stem. Overripe mushrooms bruise easily and don't keep as long. Fading, discoloration or loss of firmness are signs they may be past their best, as flavor and texture decline with age. PRODUCTION WINDOW: How many flushes you get depends on substrate type and density, conditions and species. With enough fresh substrate added each year and the right conditions to keep them going, beds can produce for a few years, and Wine Cap beds sometimes for many.
PESTS AND DISEASE:
Spawn damaged in shipping, or mushrooms stored too long, can grow mold; never eat moldy mushrooms. Diatomaceous earth spread on the beds helps against slugs. Animals are usually a minor problem and rarely take the whole crop, and row cover such as Agribon-15 helps keep them off. Picking young also tends to mean less pest damage. CAUTION: Always cook mushrooms thoroughly. When trying a species for the first time, eat only a little to check for allergies. Outdoor substrate is more likely to be colonized by other fungi, so be sure of a mushroom's identity before eating it, as it could be a local wild species fruiting in your bed.
Get $10 Off
Extend your season and sign up for new product releases, expert tips, and timely growing advice.
Offer valid for email subscribers who sign up through this offer. Minimum $50.01 merchandise subtotal. One use per customer. Cannot be combined with other discounts.
