Are you a beginner interested in mushroom farming in Kenya? Worry not. I have a complete beginner friendly guide to get you started and farm like an expert.
When compared to button mushrooms, oyster mushroom farming are easier to cultivate, produce larger yields, and have more nutritional value. Its low production costs and great yielding capacity make it an attractive option for small-scale growers.
Starting Oyster Mushroom Farming
Oyster mushroom farming is the simplest type to grow in Kenya. These are the simple steps to follow to get started in Oyster mushroom farming in Kenya.
Step 1: Get A Spawn And Substrate Spawn And Substrate.
To begin the culture, you’ll need a spawn. You may either make your own spawn using a sterile culture or purchase ready-to-inoculate spawn from a provider.
Producing your own spawn may be less expensive in the long term, but the initial expenditures might be prohibitive, so you’re better off buying ready-to-inoculate spawn.
You’ll need to purchase the substrate as well. Many producers rely on straw or wood chips for their crops. The most common way is to use straw. You’ll need straw that can be cut into little pieces.
Step 2: Substrate Preparation
With the assumption you are making your own substrate instead of buying readymade, then to begin, cut the straw into little pieces. After that, moisten the straw.
The straw should now be heated in boiling water. Boil for another half-hour, then remove the straw and drain it. After that, lay the straw out on a clean surface to cool.
Step 3: Pack Plastic Bags With Straw And Spawn
It’s now time to fill the plastic bags with straw and spawn. Fill the plastic bag with two or three inches of straw, then lightly sprinkle the spawn on top. Rep until the bag is nearly full, then seal the top and poke holes in the bag.
Step 4: Incubation Process
It’s time to start the incubation process. Mushrooms are temperature sensitive. Having the right control of temperatures allows you to do oyster mushroom farming in Kenya wherever you are.
So, if you are wondering how do you maintain temperature for oyster mushroom? The easiest approach to control temperature is to produce oyster mushrooms that are appropriate for your area and season.
Pink oyster mushrooms, for example, prefer a tropical temperature, but a type of blue oyster prefers a moderate and colder climate.
You may reduce the amount of ambient temperature management you have to undertake by cultivating the correct kind. This results in a lower energy and frequently monetary input is needed.
Maintain a temperature of approximately 25 degrees Celsius in the growth area. The bags are placed on a shelf unit. Remember to block any potential sources of natural light from entering the room. Cover all gaps and windows.
When you need to check on your baggage, use a red “darkroom” light. When you start to detect small pinhead mushrooms around your bag’s air openings, it’s time to go on to the next step.
Step 5: Fruiting.
You’ll need a lot of humidity in your fruiting chamber. The temperature should be between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius. Unlike the incubation chamber that require darkness, you’ll now need at least 12 hours of natural light every day.
Move the bags to a cold area for a day, such as a cellar or other chilly place, to shock your mycelium and push it to fruit, and then return them to the fruiting room. After that, cut the bag open to allow for mushroom development.
Step 6: Harvest.
It’s time to harvest your mushroom caps just before they completely uncurl. To do so, twist the stem as close as possible to the developing block. Your mushrooms have now been harvested. It’s that easy as it’s written.
Oyster Mushroom Productivity
Oyster mushrooms could easily generate 10kgs in a year with just 1 square foot of area. With the current wholesale pricing of Ksh 400 per kg, a 10′ by 10′ area is expected to generate Ksh 400,000 in revenue. The mushroom requires a minimal amount of area to develop.
Balcony Oyster Mushroom Farming
Oyster mushroom farming in Kenya may also be cultivated in plastic pots on your balcony, especially in Nairobi. A beginning capital of around Ksh may be required for this mushroom cultivation approach.
The mini-farm will cost Ksh. 800 to set up. In exchange, the mushroom farm may be able to bring in Ksh. 8,000 per season. The returns can be more if your balcony mini farm is large enough.
