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Mold formation on your mushrooms is something you always want to prevent. Any mold can stunt the growth of your mushrooms and ruin your harvest. How can you prevent mold and what can you do if it does bother you? In this blog, we address this so that you have the best chances of a good harvest.
Fungi are microorganisms that can grow almost anywhere where moisture and oxygen are present. The striking thing is that magic mushrooms are also a type of fungus. But in this case, we mean a different kind of mold. Yet they have similarities, because the fungi that can be a pest to your mushrooms also reproduce through spores.
These tracks can travel far through the air and are very robust. They can survive in extreme conditions. As a result, it takes little effort for fungi to spread. Fungi (and so do mushrooms) grow on organic material. That means fungi such as Aspergillus and green mold can infect the substrate of your mushrooms. Therefore, the substrate provides a food source for the fungi.
As the fungus spreads, it consumes your mushrooms’ nutrients and inhibits their growth. This may even prevent fruiting bodies from forming. Therefore, mold is a serious problem for home growers and professional growers alike.
Now why are fungi such a serious problem? When you see the first signs of mold on your mushroom growing kit, it’s time to act. This contamination may in fact be harmful to your mushrooms.
If the fungus is not harmful to your health, you could still eat contaminated mushrooms. However, these will no longer taste good.
The appearance of your mushrooms is also affected. Discoloration can be seen on the caps and stems, giving them an unnatural green, black or blue color. Growth can also be disrupted, giving them a deformed appearance.
A fungal infection can lead to a lower yield from your mushroom grow kit. Growth is so stunted that you will harvest fewer mushrooms.
It is important to properly address a mold infestation. Because fungi are very hardy and spores can survive for a long time, you can suffer from repeated infections.
Fungi can be toxic to humans and cause allergic reactions. You can get very sick from this. Thus, it is not recommended to consume moldy mushrooms.
There are a wide variety of fungi that can be found in a mushroom grow kit. Here are the most common:
If you see a soft, cobweb-like mold on the walls of your grow kit and the mushrooms themselves, then you’re dealing with cobweb mold or Datcylium mildew. The fungus can grow very quickly, within a day or two your mushrooms and grow kit can be completely covered. Spiderweed fungus is often difficult to recognize, especially for beginners, because its color resembles the mycelium. High humidity promotes the growth of cobweb mold.
Black mold, also known as Aspergillus niger, can occur on plants and mushrooms. There is also a yellow and a green variant. This fungus produces harmful mycotoxins (ochratoxin A and patulin), which can cause severe allergic reactions if inhaled or eaten.
The fungus begins as a white or yellowish infection and then turns black as the spores are produced. The colonies look fluffy with a powdery texture. It is wise to pay close attention to possible infection because of the health hazard. Aspergillus likes higher temperatures, so make sure the temperature in the culture kit does not get too high.
Wet rot forms easily in pots with grains used as substrate. The fungus can sometimes survive sterilization. If the medium is infected with wet rot (also called acid rot), a smelly, grayish slime forms. The grain looks moist.
The scientific name of pink mold is Neurospora. It likes to grow on grain, but infection can occur anywhere in nature. The fungus can be recognized by its distinctive color and powdery texture and a fairly flat profile. Pink mold is difficult to remove. If you have found this fungus in your grow kit, there is nothing else to do but destroy it immediately and clean the environment thoroughly.
An infection with green mold (Trichoderma harzianum) causes a soft rot in your mushrooms. The fungus produces green spores and covers the grow kit and your mushrooms with a white mycelium. An infection is often caused by poor hygiene, as well as flies.
Ideally, of course, you want to prevent your grow kit from becoming contaminated with fungus. The most important thing to remember is to work as hygienically as possible. By sterilizing your tools and the environment, you can combat microorganisms, preventing the spread of spores.
So make sure you clean tools with alcohol or in a pressure cooker. At temperatures above 121 degrees, you can kill microorganisms such as fungi.
In addition, it is important to pay attention to humidity. Mushrooms absorb moisture through their cell walls, allowing them to grow well and preventing dehydration. But if the humidity is too high, the grow kit becomes an attractive place for fungi. A humidity of 80 to 90% is ideal for mushrooms, but prevents mold from forming.
Thus, by working carefully, you can avoid suffering from mold in your mushroom growing kit. But what should you do if you do see spots of mold? If you act quickly, hopefully you can prevent the fungus from spreading. Therefore, keep a close eye on your grow kit. The sooner you spot the infection, the better chance you have of preventing worse. Do you see fuzzy spots, discoloration or mucus? Then you probably have a fungus.
If so, remove the infected area immediately. You can then disinfect the spot where the mold was with hydrogen peroxide. Also be sure to check that the humidity or temperature in the grow kit is okay. With this hygro and thermometer, you’ll keep a close eye on that. This way you can prevent formation of new mold.
