GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

GROWTH PARAMETERS 233
aspen, willow, birch, beech, etc.), and some softwoods (Douglas fir) although the latter is, in general,
less productive. The pH range for fruiting falls between 5-6. Enokitake also grows on a wide variety
of paper products.
Recommended Containers for Fruiting: Most automated Enoki farms utilize polypropylene
bottles for ease of handling and speed of harvesting. A cylinder of plastic or paper is formed into a
cylinder fitted within the open top of each bottle. This causes the stems to grow long and facilitates
harvesting. If grown in bags, the side walls of the bags should extend 6 inches above the plane of the
fruiting surface to encourage the desirable elongated stems. The plastic walls are stripped down just
prior to harvest.
Yield Potentials: Biological efficiency rating to 150%, the preponderance of which is stem mass. If
grown in 1 liter bottles, yields of 3-5 oz. are standard for the first flush.
Harvest Hints: The difilculty of picking several hundred mushrooms, one by one, is daunting. By stimulating
the elongation of the stem through CO2 elevation, cropping can be quickly accomplished. If culturing in
bottles, firmly grasp the cluster and pull. With either method, trim any residual substrate debris off with a
knife or a pair of scissors. Some strains of Enoki re-assimilate the damaged stem butts and form more primordia
upon them for the second flush. If only minor cap development is allowed, and the mushrooms are
picked before the gills mature, shelf life is greatly extended. However, some connoisseurs favor the flavor of
the tender cap over the tougher, stringy stem.
Figure 207. Enoki mushrooms fruiting from block of supplemented alder sawdust.
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