Mycelium can be described as the vegetative portion of a fungus (where all nutrients and energy are put towards growth instead of gene propagation). Mushroom Mycelium consists of a mass of branching root-like strands, each strand a single cell thick, called Hyphae. If mushroom spores are successfully dispersed in an environment with sufficient nutrients and specific environmental conditions, they will "germinate" and form what is called “ mycelium”. There are several excellent resources that have been published in print (Like The Mushroom Cultivator by Paul Stamets) however we at Spores Lab want to make information on how to safely and efficiently grow your own mushrooms free for all individuals to benefit from!īefore we get into the specifics of cultivation, let’s go over the basics of the mushroom life cycle under natural conditions. These benefits have catalyzed many people in Canada to begin growing their own mushrooms for use as nutrition OR medicine, and while the greatest information repository known to man (the internet) is filled with forum posts/homemade tutorials, most of which give a glossary overview and closer resemble an “easy bake cookies” recipe, rather than an in-depth manual/tutorial describing the intricacies of the mushroom life cycle. Several edible/gourmet mushroom species ( Lions Mane and Shiitake in particular) promote increased cognitive, cardiovascular, and mental health, while Psychoactive varieties ( Psilocybe Cubensis in particular) have shown remarkable results in the treatment of many psychological conditions. The benefits which Fungi provide are not limited to the ecosystem level, and they can also have significant benefit to both the physical and psychological health of an individual. Furthermore, they also have extraordinary capacity to recycle/decompose toxic material, from petroleum oils, to nuclear waste. Therefore, they play a crucial role in the health of any ecosystem as they are the primary decomposers of both plant debris like cellulose/lignin and dead/decomposing animal tissue. This split occurred when organisms in the animal branch began to encapsulate nutrients in a cellular sack (a stomach) for digestion, whereas Fungi continued to digest at an individual cellular level.įungi propagate their genetic code through the dispersion of spores, and survive by consuming non-living nutrients from their environment (mostly in the form of detritus and decaying material). Fungi are some of the oldest organisms on the planet, and interestingly shared a common ancestor with humans until about 1.5 billion years ago, when they split from the “animalia” branch of the tree of life. Mycology (the study of Fungi) is rapidly gaining popularity as society comes to the realization that fungi can provide several physical, cognitive, economic, environmental, and psychological benefits.
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