by Jims Vincent Capuno
Mysteriously, seemingly overnight, the mushroom emerges from the earth – a miniature umbrella unfurling without leaves, roots, or need of sunlight. Not really a vegetable, this fruiting body of an edible fungus is among the most nutritious and popular foods.
There are more than 100,000 varieties of mushrooms discovered, but only 700 of them are considered edible or fit for human consumption. In the Philippines, mushroom consumption is still not popular because of unavailability of this edible fungus.
Likewise, present cultivation of mushroom in this country is limited, perhaps due to insufficiency of planting materials and the limited local knowledge about its culture. But what most Filipinos don’t know is that mushroom growing requires little space and time; in fact, mushroom can be grown the whole year round.
One common type of edible mushroom which can be cultured easily is Volvariela volvacea, locally known as “kabuting saging” or “kabuting dayami.”
“Mushroom is a productive family venture,” says the Sustainable Livelihood Options for the Philippines: An Information Kit, published by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). “The whole family can share the enjoyment and benefits of working together from area preparation to harvesting, packing, and marketing.”
With minimum investment, mushroom culture can be a major source of income. All you need are the following: dry rice straws, banana leaves, leaves of kakawate or ipil-ipil, soaking tank or any similar container, gauge, six plastic sheets, perforated plastic bags, and weighing scale or balance. You can buy mushroom spawns from the Bureau of Plant Industry or agricultural stores.
The DENR information kit shares these pointers in producing your own mushrooms:
1. Select sites that are shaded and free from direct sunlight. Construct a bed or plot with a dimension of 30 centimeters by 300 centimeters. The bed must be supported by pegs placed on its four corners.
2. Gather the basal portion of rice straws or dry leaves from standing banana trees and bundle them.
3. Cut the bedding materials 45 to 60 centimeters long each bundle.
4. Soak bedding materials three to 10 hours in a tank or container. A big basin or a clean empty gasoline tank can also be used for soaking.
5. Set the bedding materials. Press and compact the layer evenly.
6. Wet the bed layer with urea or ammonium sulfate at the rate of one to two tablespoons per gallon of water. Add sugar to the solution at the rate of 33 grams per gallon of water to improve yield.
7. Stop watering when water drips off the bed.
8. Insert thumb-size spawns five centimeters deep, 10 centimeters apart, 5 centimeters on both ends and along the sides of the bed. Cover with a thin layer of kakawate or ipil-ipil leaves.
9. Set second layer by following the same procedure prescribed in preparing the first layer. Repeat procedure until six layers have been laid.
10. Cover the bed entirely with a plastic sheet or clean empty cement bags for five to seven days, then remove the cover.
11. Regularly inspect the beds to check if ants or other insects are attacking the mushrooms. Place pans filled with water at the base of each peg to prevent ants from climbing and attacking the mushrooms.
12. Harvest at button or umbrella stage or on the 13th day after planting. Beds will give three-days-a week yield for one and a half to two months.
Package harvested mushrooms in plastic bags on per kilogram basis. Perforate the plastic bags, allowing air inside to maintain the freshness of the mushroom.
Air-dry mushrooms that are not sold immediately. Dried mushroom can also be sold and these command higher price.
Here are some reminders in producing your own mushrooms:
• Do not use mushroom beddings more than once.
• Do not burn used mushroom bedding. These can be used later as compost for making organic fertilizers.
• Do not plant in the middle section of the bed because mushrooms do not grow there.
