Friday, January 18, 2008
How long does it take to grow mushrooms? This is a frequently asked question from mushroom consumers. The answer is, it depends. Each mushroom farm is different. There are many factors to consider including quality of raw materials, processing equipment, and various methods used in each step.
At our facility, it takes about 80 days from the start of composting to the final day of harvesting the mushrooms. There 5 basic steps in the growing cycle, including:
- Phase I – Composting (19-22 days)
- Phase II – Pasteurization (8 days)
- Spawning (13-14 days)
- Casing (17 days)
- Harvesting (21 days)
Each step plays an important role in the quality and yield of the mushroom crop. To learn more about these steps, please read Basic Procedures for Agaricus Mushroom Growing, provided by Penn State University.
So, it takes almost 60 days to begin harvesting. Once harvested, mushrooms enjoy a 9-10 day shelf life. Sure seems like a lot of work for such short period of enjoyment. We hope this helps you further understand the growing process of mushrooms, and as always this encourages you to …eat more mushrooms!
