Mushroom Casing Vs Substrate
Mushroom Casing
As with many other aspects of mushroom growing, mushroom casing is a highly technical process that requires a lot of consideration. For those who are completely new to mushroom growing, they may be unclear as to which type of casing is the best one for them. To aid in this decision, we are going to look at both mushroom casing and substrate.
So what exactly is a casing? Simply put, it is a thin, air tight wrapper around the mushrooms prior to their planting. This allows the mushrooms to have optimal growing conditions and greatly reduces problems that grow because of improper growing conditions. One type of mushroom often planted in mushroom tunnels is Shroom, and these mushrooms are placed inside small, plastic “cages” that are referred to as “casing.” There are many reasons why mushroom farmers use this type of casing, but there are also many reasons why they use substrates instead.
So let’s start by looking at substrate. Although not technically a mushroom casing, substrate comes in a similar material, albeit a bit more squishy. When mushrooms are planted, their roots grow into the substrate and then attach themselves. Substrates are used as a “base” for the mushrooms to grow on.
Mushroom Casing Vs Substrate
When mushrooms reach a certain stage in growth, they stop growing and die off. If the mushrooms do not have a proper substrate on which to rest, their roots will grow into the sides of the tunnel and they will prevent the mushrooms from growing properly. If the mushrooms are placed on top of the substrate, the roots cannot grow and therefore, the mushrooms are prevented from maturing.
So what about mushroom casing? A mushroom case is simply a thin sheet of cardboard, plastic or other material that is used to cover and protect a mushroom. The purpose of a mushroom casing is to prevent moisture from getting to the mushroom. If there is too much moisture on the outside of the mushroom, it can cause it to mold and if the moisture is allowed to get inside, the mold can be very difficult to remove. In fact, if the mushroom is allowed to sit around outdoors without any protection, it can dry out and die.
So why use mushroom casing instead of just leaving your mushrooms out in the sun? Well, the mushrooms have spent all their life in a controlled environment and if you take away that environment, they will not be able to reproduce. If you want to be able to harvest your mushrooms, then you should protect them and that is why you should use mushroom casing. It really is a no brainer when you look at it that way!