To grow lobster mushrooms, you need to start by growing host mushrooms for H. lactifluorum, prepare a clean growing area for your mushrooms, and inoculate them with the compost material, which will force them to grow.
Lobster mushrooms are a unique type of mushroom that is actually a parasite that infects and takes over another mushroom species, usually Russula or Lactarius mushrooms.
The fungus turns the infected mushrooms a bright orange, orangey-red, or even a purplish-red on the outside, hence the name “lobster” mushrooms.
They have a seafood-like taste, making them a popular ingredient in seafood dishes.
If you’re interested in growing your own lobster mushrooms, you can start with a Russula brevipes or a Lactarius piperatus mushroom and follow the right conditions.
Key Takeaways:
- Lobster mushrooms are a unique type of mushroom that is actually a parasite that infects and takes over another mushroom species.
- Lobster mushrooms can be grown at home with some patience and the right conditions.
- To grow lobster mushrooms, you will need spores or live culture, substrate such as logs, wood chips, sawdust, or straw, large plastic bags or containers, a water spray bottle, and humidity and temperature gauges.
- The substrate should be pasteurized by soaking in hot water to kill off competing fungi, and then allowed to cool and drain before inoculating with lobster mushroom spores or culture.
- Once inoculated, the substrate should be kept in a warm, humid, and dark area for 2-12 months until fully colonized.
- To fruit the substrate, move it to a cooler area with more air flow, and within a few weeks, orange lobster mushrooms should begin forming.
- Harvest mature mushrooms using a knife to cut them at the base.
- Growing lobster mushrooms requires patience and careful attention to detail, but it can be a very rewarding experience.
Materials Needed
To grow lobster mushrooms at home, you will need the following materials:
- Spores or live culture of lobster mushroom (Hypomyces lactifluorum)
- Substrate such as logs, wood chips, sawdust, or straw
- Large plastic bags or containers to store substrate
- Water spray bottle
- Humidity and temperature gauges
Once you have the spores or live culture, you can inoculate your prepared compost material with pieces of mycelium.
The substrate can be made of low moisture compost, sawdust, straw, or wood. You will need to water the substrate sparingly.
It’s important to monitor the humidity and temperature levels to ensure optimal growing conditions.
Selecting and Preparing the Substrate
Lobster mushrooms grow on decaying wood, so materials like logs, wood chips, sawdust, and straw work well as a substrate.
To prepare the substrate, you should first pasteurize it by soaking it in hot water to kill off competing fungi.
After pasteurizing, allow the substrate to cool and drain before inoculating with lobster mushroom spores or culture.
It’s important to keep the substrate moist but not too wet, and to monitor the humidity and temperature levels to ensure optimal growing conditions.
Inoculating the Substrate
To inoculate the substrate for growing lobster mushrooms, you can follow these steps:
- Use a sterilized needle or loop to transfer live lobster mushroom culture onto the substrate, or sprinkle lobster mushroom spores evenly over the surface of the substrate.
- Mix the spores or culture into the top layer of substrate material.
- Once the substrate is inoculated, keep it in a warm, humid environment and monitor the humidity and temperature levels to ensure optimal growing conditions.
It’s important to keep the substrate moist but not too wet, and to avoid contamination from other fungi or bacteria.
Incubation
To incubate the inoculated substrate for growing lobster mushrooms, you can follow these steps:
- Place the inoculated substrate into a large plastic bag or container and seal it tightly.
- Store the bag or container in a warm (60-75 F), humid, and dark area to allow the spores/culture to spread through the substrate.
- Periodically check the bags and monitor humidity and temperatures. Mist with water if needed to maintain the desired humidity level.
- It can take 2-12 months for the lobster mushrooms to fully colonize the substrate.
It’s important to keep the substrate moist but not too wet, and to avoid contamination from other fungi or bacteria.
Once the substrate is fully colonized, the lobster mushrooms will start to fruit and you can harvest them for use in your favorite recipes.
Fruiting and Harvesting
To fruit and harvest your grown lobster mushrooms, you can follow these steps:
- When the substrate is fully colonized, move the bags to a cooler area with more air flow to induce fruiting.
- Within a few weeks, orange lobster mushrooms should begin forming.
- Use a knife to cut mature mushrooms at the base to harvest.
- You can get several flushes of mushrooms from each inoculated bag.
Once harvested, the mushrooms should be used immediately for the best quality and flavor.
However, they can also be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for 3-7 days.
Once cooked, it’s important to consume the mushrooms within two days.
Conclusion
Growing lobster mushrooms at home involves several key steps, including:
- Selecting a substrate such as logs, wood chips, sawdust, or straw.
- Inoculating the substrate with lobster mushroom spores or culture and mixing it into the top layer of substrate material.
- Incubating the inoculated substrate in a warm, humid, and dark area for 2-12 months until fully colonized.
- Fruiting the substrate by moving it to a cooler area with more air flow to induce fruiting, and harvesting mature mushrooms using a knife to cut them at the base.
Growing lobster mushrooms requires patience and careful attention to detail, but it can be a very rewarding experience.
Once harvested, the mushrooms should be used immediately for the best quality and flavor, but they can also be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for 3-7 days.
With proper substrate selection, inoculation, incubation, fruiting, and harvesting techniques, you can enjoy growing and using your own lobster mushrooms at home.
