It is currently estimated that there are more than 100,000 different types of mushrooms worldwide. While some of them are sought after by mushroom connoisseurs as tasty edible mushrooms, other mushrooms can also lead to dangerous poisoning.
What types of mushrooms can be grown?
There are over 100,000 species of mushrooms worldwide, including both tasty edible mushrooms and poisonous varieties. Popular edible mushrooms to grow in the cellar include king oyster mushrooms, white mushrooms, shiitakes and pioppinos, while oyster mushrooms and browncaps can thrive outdoors.
Poisonous mushrooms in Central Europe
While some eye-catching poisonous mushrooms such as the fly agaric or the panther mushroom are already known to children in this country, other mushrooms can be dangerous precisely because of their visual similarity to sought-after edible mushrooms. These types of mushrooms include:
- the white death cap mushroom
- the green death cap mushroom
- Stick sponge
- Coniferous Häubling
Since these types of mushrooms look deceptively similar to edible types of mushrooms, you should only take specimens that can be identified with absolute certainty when hunting for mushrooms. Even an identification book does not help with absolute certainty, as mushrooms can often look very different in different growth phases. It is better to ask proven experts or mushroom experts on site for advice.
The cultivation of edible mushrooms
The danger of poisonous mushrooms from the forest can be avoided if you simply grow edible mushrooms yourself for your own needs. Although some types of mushrooms such as porcini mushrooms still cannot really be cultivated in a targeted manner, other types of mushrooms such as button mushrooms also thrive in a dark basement. Specialist retailers now have a variety of complete sets (€26.00 on Amazon) and spore packs with which edible mushrooms can be grown even by beginners with little prior knowledge.
Species for growing in the cellar
The following species are primarily suitable for cultivation in the basement or in a dark garden shed with constant temperature values:
- Royal mushrooms
- White mushrooms
- Shiitake
- Pioppinos
Browncaps, oyster mushrooms and lime mushrooms also thrive wonderfully on straw bales that are watered well before inoculating with fungal spores.
Growing edible mushrooms in the garden
Growing mushrooms outdoors is usually a little more difficult than in a cellar or greenhouse, as it is difficult to maintain constant temperature and humidity values. Nevertheless, there are also types of mushrooms that can be grown relatively well in the garden. These include, for example, oyster mushrooms and brown caps, which can be cultivated in the forest garden. The parasol or lime mushrooms can best be grown outdoors in a small greenhouse made of foil or glass.
Tips & Tricks
While the mushroom box in the cellar offers good safety when consumed, foreign fungal spores can also penetrate a mushroom culture outdoors. Therefore, you should always be careful when consuming it.