Honey mushrooms and flakes belong to the category of woody species. Therefore, they need to be grown not in the ground, but on logs. Hardwoods are best suited for this purpose. It can be birch, willow, maple or alder. But stone fruit or coniferous trees are not suitable for the growth of scales and honey agarics.
Mushroom logs must be harvested not in summer, but in autumn or even winter. This is due to the fact that on warm days putrefactive microorganisms rapidly start and multiply in the wood. And there is a lot of such microflora in the mushrooms themselves, so the mycelium in old or rot-infected wood simply will not take root. In the best case, it will grow, but very badly and slowly. Therefore, for harvesting logs for growing honey agarics or flakes, it is worth choosing absolutely healthy trees full of life. Only in such conditions will mycelium grow quickly and give a rich harvest.
The size of the future "bed" is also important. The block should be at least 20 centimeters thick and about 40 centimeters long. Mushrooms from logs can be collected two (in some cases, three) times a year for 5-7 years. Then the wood will fully deplete its resource and will have to be replaced.
There is also an easier and more effective way to breed woody mushrooms. It is necessary to prepare the substrate from the crushed branches and sow it with mycelium. The requirements for tree species are the same as for logs. Gradually, the mycelium will grow and fasten, cement the branch substrate. To provide the desired microclimate, the branches must be covered with burlap or thick paper. Experts say that this method is even more productive than growing on blockhouses. The first crop appears in spring, and the last one falls in late autumn.
Using the described methods, it is recommended to grow the following varieties of mushrooms:
- summer mushroom. Its mycelium tolerates winter well, transforming the wood of the log on which it lives into microwood. In addition, this species will not harm garden plantings;
- winter mushroom. For country trees, it can pose a threat, as it loves to parasitize on living and healthy trees. It feels best in a basement or cellar. It grows well and bears fruit in the climate of central Russia;
- edible flake. It tastes like the aforementioned autumn mushroom, but differs in increased "fleshiness". This is due to the fact that flake grows in a very humid environment (90-90%). Therefore, the planting of these mushrooms is additionally covered in order to provide a greenhouse effect. Without these measures, you should not count on the harvest.