The Simplest Way to Create Your Own Mushroom Grow Chamber

Are you thinking of growing mushrooms on your own? If yes, I can’t blame you for wanting to do so. After all, it is a fun and rewarding activity to be able to reap what you sow. But like any plant, you’ll need a place to grow them. In the case of mushrooms, you’ll need a Mushroom Grow Chamber.

Making a mushroom grow chamber is one of the most difficult things in Fungiculture. However, making one doesn’t have to be complicated. Want to learn how to make your mushroom grow chamber? Read on to find answers.

Establishing A Mushroom Grow Chamber

The purpose of making a mushroom grow chamber is to build a natural environment for the fungi. It’s like recreating a humid forest at home. High humidity, less light, and great ventilation are what a mushroom needs to grow.

Those who grow mushrooms for business invest a lot for their mushroom grow chamber. They build grow rooms and even underground tunnels for their grow chamber. But, you don’t need to do that. A simple growing chamber is enough.

What Is Required In A Mushroom Grow Chamber

What is required in a mushroom grow chamber is very simple. You’ll need the right amount of CO2, humidity, temperature, and light. You might have heard of different mushroom chamber ideas. But either way, they all have the same requirements.

Usually, CO2 needs to be under 800 ppm. But, that will depend on the mushroom type you will plant. That is also the case with humidity. But usually, humidity needs to be over 80%. Temperature is usually around 16-18℃. Then again, that will all depend on what fungi you will plant. So a piece of advice, before you make your grow chamber, be sure you already decided on the fungus type.

How To Create A Mushroom Grow Chamber

As I mentioned earlier, you don’t need a complicated growing chamber. As long as it fulfills your mushroom’s requirement, it is good to go. Here are the steps in creating the simplest mushroom grow chamber.

• Provide a clear plastic storage bin with a lid.
• Drill 4-5 holes around the bin. Make sure there is at least one hole on each side.
• Wash the bin clean.
• Air dry or dry it with a clean cloth.
• Fill the bin with 1-2 gallons of perlite.
• Add water in the container. Make sure the perlite absorbs it but not soaked.
• Make sure that you have at least 2 inches of wet perlite at the bottom of the bin.
• Find a good location for the bin. Make sure the area fulfills the requirements (CO2, humidity, temperature, and lighting).

How To Plant The Mushrooms

Now, you have the basic setup for your mushroom chamber. Now, it is time to plant your mushrooms. Usually, the colonized mushrooms are inoculated in a mushroom cake.

A mushroom cake is created from brown rice powder or “flour”. It also has vermiculite, water, and other ingredients. Then, the mushroom spores are injected into this “cake”. Eventually, the mycelium will grow in this medium. 

You can create this cake. For more information, check out our “How To Grow Mushrooms At Home” article. If that’s too hard, you can always buy a mushroom growing kit as an alternative.

Now, here is how to plant mushrooms in a mushroom grow chamber.

• Before anything else, make sure to wear a pair of sterilized gloves. You can use your bare hands too. But make sure to use hand sanitizer.
• Carefully prepare the mushroom cake and place it in the bin on the wet perlite.
• If you have more than one mushroom cake, keep about 3 inches of distance between each cake.
• Spray distilled water on the cakes twice a day. Don’t get the cakes too wet. They might get molds. Use a very fine misting bottle and spray them a good distance above.
• Fan them too using the bin’s lid.
• Spray distilled water on the lid too.
• Monitor the humidity level and temperature. Make sure it is consistent.

Here are some bonus tips.

• Research the specific requirements for the type of mushroom you intend to plant. If it needs you to shift the temperature or humidity level at some point, then do so.
• If necessary, you can use a fan to move the air.
• You can place a humidifier or a heater near the chamber if the season is too cold for your mushroom.

Wrap Up

Now you know the simplest way to make your mushroom grow chamber. There are other ways to grow mushrooms. You can use buckets, plastic bags, and so much more. Anything is okay as long as you meet the requirements of your mushroom species.