Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

the species in the OP is Pleurotus djamor, the Pink Oyster Mushroom

Im getting a bit excited about growing mushrooms after doing a bit of reading. I think I might need to wait till summer though to better control the temps. I also need to do a bit of researching where I might source some spawn without breaking any environmental laws.

Keep away from the magic varieties Charlie

There was a TED talk from a company that grows mushrooms in casts to replace polystyrene.
Polystyrene is a huge environmental problem because it never breaks down, and being non compressible it is estimated that it makes up 75% of landfill.

I think you will have to find a supplier over there mate as one supplier here states that they cant ship to WA, so I guess none of them can

http://www.swanvalleygourmetfungi.com/# ... -mushrooms

there are species for every climate. some are warm weather ones, others are cool weather ones. Even with Oyster mushrooms, there is a wide variety of temperature requirements. I grow whites in the winter, grays/blues in the spring and fall, and pinks in the summer.

All of these do well on straw and cardboard and are very prolific.

So how easy is it to make another batch of straw and inoculate it with mycelium from a bought kit

If you have a hard time finding sources of spawn, follow my instructions in that link for cloning to cardboard. Just buy some oyster mushrooms at a farmers market or local supplier, eat the tops, and use the stems to grow your own!

If you buy a kit, you can take a chunk of mycelium out and start a whole new batch very easily. Alternatively, just clone to cardboard when you harvest the fruits, and you'll have more mycelium than you know what to do with!

Found a fungi farm in swan valley, they do a mushroom kit for $25 delivered. If I get one of those (does approx 3 harvests) and then clone my harvests Ill should get a good amount me thinks

I like this idea!

collect the spores, too! you'll have mushrooms forever!

Yes, I am getting excited
I just read your cloning to cardboard instructions

Charlie, what's the name if the fungi farm? I am a short drive from the swan valley and would be keen to check it out.

Link in my post above but it may not be the same one

they do $25 kits and are in the swan valley, probably is the same one. cheers.

yea thats the one

lovely. cheers guys.