The conditions mushrooms need to thrive are the right temperature, high humidity, fresh air, and indirect light. You need to get these four factors right for your mushrooms to fruit well. Miss any one of them and you'll face problems with your grow.
I learned this the hard way during my first few grows. My oyster kit stalled for two weeks before I figured out the room was too cold. A small space heater fixed the problem and pins appeared within days. Small changes in your conditions make a huge difference with mushrooms.
Your temperature needs change as your mushrooms grow. During colonization, the white mycelium spreads through the substrate. At this stage you should aim for 72 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 24 degrees Celsius). Your substrate should feel warm but not hot to the touch.
Once you want mushrooms to form, drop your temps down a bit. Aim for 68 to 71 degrees Fahrenheit (20 to 22 degrees Celsius) during fruiting. This cooler phase triggers pins to form in most species. You can use the natural cool of night to help with this drop.
Humidity ranks just as high in your mushroom growing requirements. Your growing area needs to stay at 80% humidity or higher for good fruiting. Lower humidity dries out the edges of your mushrooms and stunts their growth. You should mist two to three times a day to keep moisture levels up.
Fresh air matters more than most beginners realize. Mushrooms breathe like animals do. They take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. High CO2 levels cause long, skinny stems with tiny caps. You need to keep carbon dioxide below 1000 parts per million by adding a fan or cracking a door.
I once sealed my growing area too tight to hold in humidity. The mushrooms came out with stems a foot long and caps the size of nickels. Opening a gap for air flow fixed the problem on my next flush. Now I always leave some way for fresh air to get into my growing space.
Light plays a smaller role than the other factors but you should still think about it. Mushrooms don't need light like plants do for food. They just use it to know which way to grow. Indirect light from a window or a lamp on for 12 hours a day works fine for your setup.
You'll want some tools to track your optimal mushroom environment. Buy a thermometer that shows humidity as well. You can find one for under fifteen dollars at any hardware store. Check it a few times each day until you learn how your growing space changes.
Small changes fix most problems you'll run into with your grows. Too dry? Mist more often or add a tray of wet perlite to your space. Too warm? Move your kit to a cooler spot or add a small fan to push air around. Too much CO2? Open a door or add holes for air flow. You can dial in the right conditions with some patience.
Read the full article: How to Grow Mushrooms at Home: Beginner Guide
