Growing mushrooms on your own, indoors, can be a lot of fun, and there are a lot of ways to do that. A mushroom terrarium is one of the best ways to grow mushrooms around other natural species.
It is possible to grow mushrooms in a terrarium as long as you meet all the growing requirements. It is different growing mushrooms in a terrarium compared to growing them in a yard or around fungi. The successful growth of Mushrooms in terrariums depends on the substrate and the other growing conditions.
If you plan to grow a mushroom terrarium then all you need is some guidance on how to do so. This article will guide you on how to grow mushrooms in a terrarium, and also provide you with some helpful tips when planting and growing mushroom terrarium.
The Purpose of Growing Mushrooms in a Terrarium
There are many reasons why you should consider growing a mushroom in a terrarium. If you love keeping terrariums, mushrooms are the best feature. You add color and texture to the overall look. Once these are combined with other tropical plants, your mushroom terrarium will look amazing. Mentioned below are the advantages and disadvantages of growing mushrooms in a terrarium:
Advantages of Growing Mushrooms in a Terrarium
Achieve an improved Appearance to Your Terrarium
As mentioned earlier, if you love keeping terrariums and want to add more to their unique look, growing mushrooms is the best way to achieve that. Mushrooms help create a more topical naturistic look, along with all the other plants accompanying the growth.
You can place a terrarium anywhere in your house. You will notice a nice decorative piece that helps create a lovely setting around the house. Many people get the sense of an SC-FI-feel from mushroom terrariums. You can grow different springtime flowers in your terrarium as well.
Keep Changing the Look
You can attain a constantly changed look with a mushroom terrarium as mushrooms don’t remain for that long. Once they grow to a certain point, you will have to take them out and grow fresh ones. Every time you add new ones, you will note different changes in scenery. Hence, growing mushrooms in a terrarium will help you achieve a new look every time you change them.
Mushrooms Help add Texture and Color
If you’re looking for a way to add color and texture to your terrarium, then you can easily do that by growing mushrooms in your terrarium. All you need to do is add any mushroom, and you will see the bright and unique changes it brings to the overall terrarium in no time.
May Gain More Mushrooms
When growing mushrooms in a terrarium, there is a possible chance that you achieve baby mushrooms. They always say the more, the merrier, and with more mushrooms growing in your terrarium, you can achieve quite the look and ambiance through these.
However, the growth of extra mushrooms depends on the substrate you use for the terrarium. Some substrates have spores that encourage the growth of extra miniature mushrooms terrarium. So if it’s in your luck, and if there is enough moisture, you will surely come across more mushrooms in your terrarium.
Improve Your Gardening Skills
Maintaining a mushroom terrarium is a good way to enhance your gardening skills indoors. Everyone needs to have gardening skills as these come in very handy and keeps you busy doing the right things. Once you know how to grow mushrooms, you can keep growing these in bigger batches on a bigger platform.
Disadvantages of Growing Mushrooms
All Mushroom Spawns are Not Decorative
The purpose of mushrooms is to make a terrarium look more decorative; however, sometimes mushrooms spawns have more of eating and medicinal properties. This reduces its decorative side, and you may hate the way it comes off. It may ruin the outlook or your Terrarium.
There is no doubt that you will find some colorful; oyster mushrooms; however, the ones with the wrong spawn will definitely ruin the whole outlook of your terrarium.
Mushrooms in a Terrarium Are Now Long Lasting
One major downside of growing mushrooms in a terrarium is that they don’t last very long. Mushrooms are more like fruits, and they tend to fall off at one point, so you will have to keep growing new mushrooms to maintain the terrarium’s look. You can increase the livelihood of a mushroom terrarium by maintaining it properly.
Your Mushrooms can Get Poisoned
Having a terrarium means adding more to it to make it look more unique and attractive. If you plan to add animals in your terrarium like frogs, then your mushrooms could get poisoned especially if you’re growing edible mushrooms.
If you still do decide to grow your mushrooms with poisonous frogs, make sure never to eat the mushrooms, as the thing you need is getting poisoned by a couple of mushrooms.
How to Grow Mushrooms in a Terrarium?
Usually, it is always recommended for beginners to use a mushroom growing kit when growing them in a terrarium. But, if you want to get a bit to the advanced level, then below, you will find out how to grow edible mushrooms without a kit.
Growing mushrooms without a kit become necessary if you want to gain more mushroom growing skill, or if you can’t find a kit for a specific mushroom species. Just follow the steps below and you’re good to go with growing a mushroom terrarium on an advanced level:
- The first thing you will need is a spore print or spore syringe for the pawns.
- Next, once you have the spores, you can inoculate the spawn along with the spores and continue to grow mycelium.
- Once you have colonized the spawn, you can place it in a growth medium
- Finally, you can now wait for your mushrooms to grow properly. Make sure that there is proper moisture, and you must remain patient for them to grow properly.
Requirements to Grow Mushrooms in a Terrarium Successfully
A mushroom growing terrarium is a bit different when growing mushrooms separately; hence, you will have to follow a few requirements when growing a mushroom terrarium. Mentioned below are the few requirements you must follow
Grow Mushrooms in a Dark and Cool Temperature
When growing a mushroom terrarium, you must make sure it’s in a dark and cool environment, as these don’t need much sunlight to grow in. Every type of mushroom has a different temperature requirement, but most of them should be kept at around 70F. You will have to adjust the temperatures accordingly depending on the type of temperature you live around.
You also have to keep the soil moist with a mushroom growing terrarium as you must keep it out of direct sunlight, as this will prevent the soil from going dry. Research a bit on the species of terrarium you use so that you can properly adjust the temperatures.
Keep Everything Sterile
You want to make sure everything is sterile to keep away fungi and bacteria from your mushroom terrarium. It is best to sterilize the substrate if you want a specific type of fungi presents only. To sterilize the substrate, you will have to boil or pressure cook the substrate at high temperatures as this will help kill off any unwanted bacteria organisms.
Should have Enough Oxygen to Breathe
Mushrooms need oxygen to breathe as they are not plants. You may not achieve healthy growing mushrooms if you grow them in a closed terrarium, especially if you’re only growing mushrooms and not other plants around them. The best way to add oxygen is by growing extra plants or choosing a terrarium that will help reach oxygen to the mushrooms.
Choose the Right Substrate
To choose the right substrate to grow your mushroom terrarium, you will have to consider the species. The main types of substrates you can choose from are:
- Coir
- Manure
- Straw
- Cardboard
- Sawdust
- Coffee grounds
Mushroom Terrarium Products
Naturalistic Terrarium Mushroom Ledge
A simple Mushroom terrarium that comes with a silicone adhesive, easy for you to attach to the wall. Buy now from Amazon.
Mushroom on Rock Aquarium Terrarium
If you’re more into a decorative piece this product from Amazon is surely worth a try, creating a natural-like environment wherever you place it.
Terrarium Mushroom Growing Kit
You can get this turkey tail mushroom growing kit from Amazon, and achieve a wonderful terrarium. These mushrooms have medicinal use, and commonly used in tea.
Takeaway
Now that you know everything about growing a mushroom terrarium, it’s time you start planning to grow one at home. Terrariums are beautiful, especially once you add mushrooms. The best part is that these allow you to be creative and achieve some marvelous natural decoration.
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