Embark on a journey of culinary and health discovery as you delve into the world of growing Velvet Pioppini mushrooms. These exquisite fungi are not only a gourmet delight but also offer a plethora of health benefits, from immune-boosting properties to antioxidant-rich nutrients. With our expert guidance, you can unlock the secrets to cultivating Velvet Pioppini mushrooms in your own home, transforming your kitchen into a gourmet paradise. Elevate your dishes with the earthy, nutty flavor of these unique mushrooms and reap the rewards of growing your own nutritious and delicious Velvet Pioppini harvest.
Natural Habitat
• Ecosystem:
Broadleaf hardwood stumps and logs. Especially deciduous oaks and beech
• Locations:
China, Japan, Taiwan
• Seasons:
Summer to Fall
• Climate:
Cool Temperate Highlands
• Substrate:
Hardwood
Growing Params
• Difficulty:
Moderate
• Total Time:
38 - 51 Days
• PH Range:
5.5 - 6.5
• Pref Suppl's:
Wheat Bran
Yield Performance
• Units:
% Weight of Substrate
• Poor:
10
• Average:
20
• Good:
30
• Excellent:
40
Culture Instructions
Agar Cultivation
Supplies Needed
- • Agar Powder: Cellular medium for agar plates.
- • Petri Dishes: Containers for pouring agar medium.
- • Agar Jar: Narrow Mouth Jar with Sealing Lid is optimal.
- • Parafilm: For Sealing the agar after innoculation. Grafting Tape is also sufficient.
- • Scissors: Tool for cutting sealing tape to length.
- • Stir Plate: Optional: Thorough mixing with sagenetic stirrir improves results by distributing nutrients evenly
- • Nutrient Medium: Nutrition can be Light Malt Extract, Honey, Karo ext. For Mycelial Expansion.
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the liquid culture medium to increase growth rates.
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Pressure Cooker: Equipment for sterilizing agar mixture and Petri dishes.
- • Scalpel or Innoculation Loop: Tool for transferring mycelium to agar plates.
- • Alcohol Lamp or Burner: Sterilization tool for flame sterilizing instruments.
Growing Params
Recipe: MEA
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
CO2 Range:5000 - 20000 ppm
Growth Duration:12 - 16 Days
Cultivation Notes: Maintain sterile conditions and adequate moisture levels for optimum growth.
Liquid Culture
Supplies Needed
- • Sterile Jar: Clean container for liquid culture inoculation.
- • Modified Lid: Lid should have a filter port for gas exchange. Syringe Port Optional.
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Nutrient Medium: Nutrition can be Light Malt Extract, Honey, Karo ext. For Mycelial Expansion.
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the liquid culture medium to increase growth rates.
- • Pressure Cooker: Equipment for sterilizing liquid culture medium.
- • Scalpel or Syringe: Tool for transferring mycelial mass to growth medium.
- • Alcohol Lamp or Burner: Sterilization tool for flame sterilizing instruments.
Growing Params
Recipe: MHLC
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
CO2 Range:5000 - 20000 ppm
Growth Duration:16 - 20 Days
Cultivation Notes: Use sterile technique to avoid contamination.Stir Daily
Agar Cultivation
- Prepare the agar medium by mixing agar powder with water according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Autoclave the agar medium to sterilize it and let it cool to around 50°C.
- In a sterile environment, pour the agar medium into petri dishes to create a solid surface for the velvet-pioppini mushroom mycelium to grow on.
- Using a sterile technique, transfer a small piece of velvet-pioppini mushroom tissue onto the agar medium in each petri dish.
- Seal the petri dishes with parafilm or tape to prevent contamination and store them in a dark, warm place to allow the mycelium to colonize the agar medium.
- Check the petri dishes regularly for signs of contamination or growth of the velvet-pioppini mycelium.
- Once the mycelium has fully colonized the agar medium, you can use it to inoculate your substrate for fruiting the velvet-pioppini mushrooms.
- Prepare a sterile work area by cleaning all surfaces with a disinfectant and using a laminar flow hood if available.
- Gather all necessary materials including a liquid culture syringe, sterilized liquid culture medium, and a sterile syringe for inoculation.
- Heat the liquid culture medium in a pressure cooker or autoclave to sterilize it and kill any contaminants.
- Allow the liquid culture medium to cool to room temperature before proceeding to the next step.
- Inject the liquid culture syringe into the sterilized liquid culture medium using aseptic techniques to prevent contamination.
- Incubate the liquid culture at the optimal temperature and humidity for velvet-pioppini mushrooms to allow the mycelium to grow and colonize the medium.
- Monitor the liquid culture for signs of contamination such as mold growth or off smells, and discard any contaminated cultures.
- Once the liquid culture is fully colonized with mycelium, it is ready to be used for inoculating substrate for mushroom cultivation.
Spawn Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Mason Jars or Bags: Containers for sterilizing and inoculating grains.
- • Modified Lid: Lid should have a filter port for gas exchange. Syringe Port Optional.
- • Grains: Substrate material for spawn inoculation. (e.g. Rye, Millet)
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the grain medium to increase growth rates.
- • Pressure Cooker: Equipment for sterilizing grain substrate.
- • Inoculation Tool : Tool for transferring colonized spawn to substrate. (e.g. Scalpel, Syringe)
- • Alcohol Lamp or Burner: Sterilization tool for flame sterilizing instruments.
Growing Params
Spawn Material: Whole Oats
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
Moisture Content:49 - 55 %
Fresh Air Exchange:0 - 1 / Hour
CO2 Range:5000 - 20000 ppm
Growth Duration:14 - 20 Days
Grain Spawn Prep and Innoculation
- Prepare your grain spawn by soaking your chosen grain (such as rye or millet) in water for 24 hours.
- After soaking, drain the grain and fill your jars or bags with the grain, leaving some space at the top for shaking.
- Sterilize the grain by pressure cooking at 15 psi for 90 minutes.
- Allow the grain to cool completely before inoculating with your velvet-pioppini mushroom culture.
- Using a sterile syringe or inoculation loop, transfer a small amount of the culture to each jar or bag of grain spawn.
- Seal the jars or bags with a breathable filter, such as micropore tape, to allow for gas exchange.
- Incubate the inoculated grain spawn at the optimal temperature for velvet-pioppini mushrooms (around 75-80°F) in a dark, humid environment.
- Monitor the progress of colonization by looking for white mycelium growth throughout the grain spawn.
- Once fully colonized, your grain spawn is ready to be used to inoculate your fruiting substrate for growing velvet-pioppini mushrooms.
Substrate Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Substrate Mix: Substrate material for mushroom growth. (e.g., Sawdust, Wood Chips, Fast Fruiting Mix, Brown Rice)
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the grain medium to increase growth rates.
- • Substrate Container: Polypropylene Bags or Plastic Containers for sterilizing and inoculating substrate.
- • Mycelial Mass: Typically Colonized Grain Jars or Liquid Culture for inoculation.
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Pressure Cooker or Steam Sterilizer: Equipment for sterilizing substrate.
Growing Params
Substrate: Hardwood Sawdust
Sub to Spawn Ratio: 3:1
Sub to LC Ratio: 4ml/qt
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
Humidity Range:95 - 100 RH
Fresh Air Exchange:0 - 1 / Hour
CO2 Range:5000 - 20000 ppm
Growth Duration:14 - 18 Days
Substrate Prep and Innoculation
- Prepare the substrate by mixing hardwood sawdust with wheat bran in a ratio of 5:1.
- Moisten the substrate mixture until it reaches a field capacity moisture level.
- Fill autoclavable bags with the substrate mixture, leaving some space at the top for inoculation.
- Sterilize the bags in a pressure cooker or autoclave at 15 psi for 2 hours to kill any competing organisms.
- Allow the bags to cool down to room temperature before inoculation.
- Prepare the mushroom spawn by breaking it up into small pieces.
- Open the bags and evenly distribute the mushroom spawn throughout the substrate.
- Seal the bags with a filter patch or micropore tape to allow for gas exchange.
- Incubate the bags in a dark, warm (75-80°F) environment for 2-3 weeks until fully colonized.
- Check the bags regularly for contamination and discard any bags that show signs of mold or bacteria.
- Once fully colonized, move the bags to a fruiting chamber with high humidity and indirect light to induce fruiting.
- Harvest the velvet-pioppini mushrooms when they reach the desired size, typically within 1-2 weeks of initiating fruiting conditions.
Primordia Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Fruiting Chamber: Controlled environment chamber for pinning and fruiting.
- • Control Automation: Optional. Controller and sensors for maintaining temperature, humidity, lighting ext.
- • Casing Layer: Optional. Species Dependant. Humidification material for maintaining humidity in the fruiting chamber.
- • Hygrometer: Instrument for measuring humidity levels.
- • Humidifier: Optional. Could be spray bottle or humidifer. Tool for misting and humidifying the fruiting chamber.
Growing Params
Casing Layer: None
Temperature Range:50 - 60 °F
Humidity Range:98 - 100 RH
Light Wave Length:395 - 480 nm
Light Intensity:500 - 1000 Lux
Light Duration: 12 Hours/Day
Fresh Air Exchange:4 - 8 / Hour
CO2 Range:800 - 1200 ppm
Growth Duration:7 - 10 Days
Cultivation Notes: none
Primordia Initiation
- Prepare a clean and sanitized growing area with proper humidity and temperature control.
- Inoculate the substrate with the velvet-pioppini mushroom spawn, ensuring even distribution.
- Cover the substrate with a casing layer to promote primordia formation.
- Maintain high humidity levels (around 90%) and optimal temperature (around 70-75°F) to encourage primordia initiation.
- Monitor the growing environment closely for any signs of contamination or issues, and address them promptly.
- Provide adequate air circulation to prevent CO2 buildup and promote healthy primordia development.
- Continue to monitor and adjust humidity, temperature, and other growing conditions as needed until primordia formation is observed.
Fruiting Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Fruiting Chamber: Controlled environment chamber for fruiting.
- • Temperature Control System: Equipment for maintaining optimal fruiting temperatures.
- • Fresh Air Exchange System: System to provide adequate fresh air exchange in the fruiting chamber.
- • Light Source: Light source to provide required illumination for fruiting. (e.g., LED Grow Light)
- • Harvesting Tools: Tools for harvesting mushrooms without damaging the mycelium. (e.g., Knife, Scissors)
Growing Params
Temperature Range:55 - 65 °F
Humidity Range:90 - 95 RH
Light Wave Length:395 - 480 nm
Light Intensity:500 - 1000 lux
Light Duration: 12 Hours/Day
Fresh Air Exchange:4 - 8 / Hour
CO2 Range:800 - 1200 ppm
Growth Duration:5 - 8 Days
Flushes:1 - 2
Flushing Schedule:10 - 14 Days
Cultivation Notes: none
Fruiting Preparation and Conditions
- Prepare a fruiting chamber by cleaning and sanitizing it thoroughly to prevent contamination.
- Fill the fruiting chamber with a substrate suitable for velvet-pioppini mushrooms, such as a mix of hardwood sawdust and wheat bran.
- Moisten the substrate to achieve the proper moisture content, which should be around 65-75%.
- Inoculate the substrate with velvet-pioppini mushroom spawn, ensuring even distribution throughout the substrate.
- Cover the substrate with a layer of casing material, such as peat moss or vermiculite, to help maintain moisture levels and provide a microclimate for mushroom growth.
- Place the fruiting chamber in a well-ventilated area with indirect light and maintain a temperature of around 60-70°F.
- Monitor the humidity levels in the fruiting chamber and mist as needed to keep the substrate moist but not waterlogged.
- Continue to monitor the growth of the mushrooms, ensuring proper air circulation and humidity levels throughout the fruiting process.
- Harvest the velvet-pioppini mushrooms when they reach the desired size, typically within 2-3 weeks of initiating the fruiting phase.