What can you do when your culture has finished growing?

• After the last harvest, you can use the contents of the box as organic fertilizer for the garden!
• When washed, the expanded polystyrene box can be re-used as a planter for seedlings, for example.

How to deal with potential problems?

• If small flies appear around the culture, get rid of them without delay! These flies actually give birth to grubs, which will destroy the mycelium. You can use a feverfew-based insecticide (for example: Bio-Pyrethrex).
• If green mould appears, cover the soil with salt to stop it. This will not harm the mushrooms.

Do the mushrooms need to be aerated?

The place chosen must be ventilated: The box must not be placed in a cupboard or any unventilated place that is too small.

Do the mushroom growing kits have to be kept in the dark?

It is not necessary to grow them in the dark: oyster mushrooms prefer semi-shaded places (in undergrowth), and cultivated mushrooms are protected by their cover, which creates the effect of a mini-cellar.

Does the mushroom culture have to be watered frequently?

Conditions should be damp rather than wet: the surface of the compost should always glisten with damp, but the culture must not be watered too much or the water will gather in the bottom of the box and blacken the mycelium. Oyster mushrooms benefit from atmospheric humidity and do not need to be watered.

What is the most suitable level of humidity for cultivating your mushrooms?

• The essential conditions for successful cultivation are a very humid place. The higher the humidity count of the air, the better. Oyster mushrooms are hardier and less demanding in terms of the humidity count.
• If the place they are in is too dry, put the box in a flat tub containing balls of Argex soaked in water (make sure the box does not come into direct contact with the water). www.argex.be