Mushroom production (fungiculture)

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Figure 13: Mushrooms can be cultivated outdoors or indoors. The photo on the left shows mushrooms grown outdoors at Real Food Farm, Baltimore, MD and on the right is a display of mushrooms grown indoors by Sharondale Farms. Photos taken by Neith Little, UMD Extension

Edible mushrooms can be cultivated outdoors on inoculated logs, or indoors on a substrate such as sawdust, grain, or compost. Outdoor production is popular with hobbyists and farmers who have small woodlots. Indoor production is more common among mushroom producers who specialize in growing mushrooms for sale and is particularly well-suited for urban agriculture that attempts to produce food indoors in underutilized buildings. For all mushroom production methods, success depends on careful attention to sterile procedures and inoculation methods.

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