Oyster Mushroom Growing In Toilet Paper

Oyster mushroom farming is a good idea for anyone who likes mushrooms.  Oyster mushrooms are often considered the easiest to grow. It's not as complicated as you think. . You can use various types of substrates, including wood, straw, sawdust and toilet paper. The easiest way is to grow them in a clean toilet paper that has been wetted. 

Here is the procedure to grow oyster mushrooms on toilet paper.

Equipment & Materials
Kettle for boiling water, large saucer or paper plate, plastic wrap or large plastic bag, Pleurotus ostreatus starter culture, 50 g soft paper toilet roll.

Procedure

1.Place a new, clean toilet roll on saucer or plate.

2.Carefully pour boiling water from the kettle

3.Remove the cardboard tube from the centre of the toilet roll. pour the Pleurotus starter culture into the middle of the  paper.

4.Cover the inoculated toilet roll loosely with plastic wrap or a plastic bag to stop it drying out, and leave it in a warm (25-30 C) dark place for about two weeks, until a dense white mycelium completely covers the paper. The Pleurotus fungus will grow through the paper, breaking down the cellulose and using it as an energy source. In 2-3 weeks the roll should be completely colonized with the white, fluffy mycellium of the oyster mushroom and smell strongly of mushrooms.

5.Put the still-covered toilet roll into a refrigerator at about 4 C for 48-96 hours. This brief cold shock will trigger the  production of fruiting bodies (mushroom).

6.Remove the toilet roll from the refrigerator and unwrap it. leave the toilet roll in a cool (8-14 C), ligtht and air  place (a window sill from which inquistive neighbours can see it is ideal).

It is important that the toilet roll does not dry out. a hand sprayer may be used to moisten the paper from time to time.

After 12-17 days oyster mushrooms start to be produced; the exact time depends upon the temperature, humidity and the wavelength and intensity of ambient light.