Growing mushrooms from waste is a logical step if we want to reduce the carbon footprint of the mushroom supply chain. Cultivating them directly on natural substrates, such as straw or almond husks, however, requires a lot of knowledge and experience. Luckily, growing mushrooms on waste materials such as spent grains or sugar beet pulp are more accessible and also more eco-friendly. Let’s discover where do mushrooms grow in cow poop!
Do Mushrooms Grow In Cow Poop?
One of the most common questions that I get asked is if mushrooms grow in cow poop. This is a very common myth that people have, but it is not true. Mushrooms are actually more likely to grow on the ground than they are in cow poop. One of the main reasons why there is so much confusion around this question is because mushrooms and cow poop look very similar.
Is Growing Mushrooms From Waste A Good Idea?
- If the manure is given back to the fields as a fertilizer, it is a good way to save on fertilizers.
- In addition to saving on fertilizers, it results in the production of more food per unit area of land.
- The manure can be used for mushroom cultivation and thus will result in more mushrooms being produced from one cow than from one cow directly because instead of using the manure directly for growing crops, it will be used for growing mushrooms first. This results in higher crop production per unit area of land than if the manure is directly used as a fertilizer or if it is not used at all.
- The land that was previously being used for growing crops can now also be used to grow mushrooms, which means more food per unit area of land than before and less pressure on natural resources due to additional crop production without additional use of natural resources like land and water.
- It helps protect the environment by reducing pollution due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers, which has been associated with a decline in groundwater quality and soil fertility as well as eutrophication in ponds and lakes that are located near farms where chemical fertilizers are heavily used (Khan et al., 2013).
- Growing mushrooms from waste is a good way to use up the waste that is not easily disposed of otherwise.
- Mushrooms are a good source of food for people and thus growing mushrooms from waste is a good way to reduce hunger.
- Growing mushrooms from waste also help create jobs for people who would otherwise be unemployed, and it provides income for farmers.
- While growing mushrooms from waste is a good idea in many ways, it may not be a good idea in some situations.
- In some regions where there is a lot of rain, growing mushrooms from waste might not be a good idea as the rain will result in the loss of nutrients that are essential for the growth of the mushroom.
- Also, growing mushrooms from waste may not be a good idea if there isn’t enough space to grow mushrooms in fields.
Which Mushrooms Can Be Grown On Cow Poop?
- Oyster mushrooms are a good choice for growing on cow poop.
- Shiitake, brown beech and white button mushrooms can also be grown on cow poop.
- Lion’s mane can also be grown on cow poop but is harder to grow than the other options listed above and requires more experience in growing mushrooms from waste, so it may not be the best option if you are starting with growing mushrooms from waste.
- If you want to grow oyster mushrooms from cow manure, you will need to use straw or wood chips as a substrate for the mycelium to grow on until it is ready for fruiting on straw or sawdust. Once it is fruiting on straw or sawdust, you can then use that straw or sawdust as a substrate for growing oyster mushrooms from waste instead of using fresh straw and sawdust each time you want to fruit oysters from your mycelium. This will save you money which is especially important if you are just starting out with growing your own food supply and don’t have much money to spend buying mushroom substrates.
- If you have access to large amounts of fresh grass clippings (like after a lawn mowing), this would also be a good option for growing oyster mushrooms as long as there aren’t too many weed seeds in the grass clippings (if they contain too many weed seeds, they may not fruit properly).
- If you want to grow oyster mushrooms from waste, you can also use straw, hay or wood chips as a substrate for the mycelium to grow on until it is ready for fruiting on straw or sawdust. You can then use that straw or sawdust as a substrate for growing oyster mushrooms from waste instead of using fresh straw and sawdust each time you want to fruit oysters from your mycelium. This will save you money which is especially important if you are just starting out with growing your own food supply and don’t have much money to spend buying mushroom substrates.
- Shiitake, brown beech and white button mushrooms can also be grown on cow manure but they are harder to grow than the other options listed above (oyster mushrooms) and require more experience in growing mushrooms from waste, so they may not be the best option if you are starting with growing mushrooms from waste.
- If you have access to large amounts of fresh grass clippings (like after a lawn mowing), this would also be a good option for growing shiitake, brown beech, and white button mushrooms as long as there aren’t too many weed seeds in the grass clippings (if they contain too many weed seeds, they may not fruit properly).
- If you want to grow shiitake, brown beech, or white button mushroom from waste, you can also use straw, hay, or wood chips as a substrate for the mycelium to grow on until it is ready for fruiting on sawdust. You can then use that straw or sawdust as a substrate for growing shiitake, brown beech, or white button mushroom from waste instead of using fresh straw and sawdust each time you want to fruit shiitake, brown beech, or white button mushroom from your mycelium. This will save you money which is especially important if you are just starting out with growing your own food supply and don’t have much money to spend buying mushroom substrates.
- Oyster mushrooms are the easiest mushrooms to grow from waste and can be grown in many different situations (anywhere there is access to fresh grass clippings), so this is why we recommend starting off with oyster mushrooms if you want to learn how to grow mushrooms from waste (and are not sure where you will be able to get access to large amounts of fresh grass clippings).
Summing up
Mushrooms are grown on waste materials such as spent grains or sugar beet pulp. These substrates are rich in nutrients and provide an ideal environment for mushrooms to grow. Growing mushrooms on waste materials is a great way to make use of the nutrients in the waste and reduce the carbon footprint of the supply chain. If you want to try growing mushrooms from waste, choose the best option for you. Such species as shiitake, oyster, and reishi do best when grown on spent grains and sugar beet pulp.