GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

GROWTH PARAMETERS 341
room can also be used in stir fries. In either case, I prefer this mushroom well cooked.
King Stropharia should not be eaten for more than 2 or 3 days in a row. From European reports,
some individuals who daily consumed this mushroom, fail to rebuild the enzymes necessary for digestion,
an event possibly activated by alcohol, resulting in a bad case of indigestion and/or nausea. I
know of one, formerly enthused King Stropharia grower, who grew several hundred pounds of this
mushroom, featuring it at summer garden parties. Upon his third day of imbibing, he was the only one
of twenty guests, to experience extreme gastrointestinal revolt. To this day, he now views King
Stropharia (and me) with great suspicion.
Comments: Stropharia rugoso-annulata is a mushroom with complex biological requirements, and
yet one of great utility for gardeners and recyclers. On sterilized malt agar media, the mycelium
grows anemically. On sterilized grain and sawdust, the mycelium grows out from the site of inoculation
for a few inches and then radically declines in its rate of growth. Unless the mycelium is
disturbed, growth falters. If at this stage, the grain or sawdust is disturbed, the mycelium recoils from
the concussion and bursts into a period of new growth. Often times, the mycelium must be disturbed
severaltimes to assure full colonization on sterilized substrates. When pasteurized sawdust is inoculated,
the growth pattern is unhampered, unless green molds proliferate. The color of the sawdust
changes from a dark brown to a light yellow brown just prior to the appearance of the white
rhizomorphic mycelium.
Once the mycelium is implanted into wood chips outdoors, the mycelium undergoes a radical
transformation in its pattern of growth. The mycelium is activated by microflora in soils, particularly
bacteria. In response, thick cord-like and
braided rhizomorphs form This luxurious
mycelium spreads from the sites of inoculation,
and can travel substantial distances,
generating satellite colonies, often hundreds of
feet away from the mother colony. One mixed
wood chip bed I inoculated had a depth of one
to two feet, measuring approximately 20 by 30
feet in size. This patch yielded at least 200 lbs.
of mushrooms over its two year lifespan. After
3 years, the wood chips were rendered into a
rich soil-like humus. (See Figure 18).
Young specimens of this mushroom have an
excellent flavor. The flavor quality steadily,
nay, precipitously, declines as the mushroom
matures, evidenced by the darkening of the
gills, a sign of spores maturing. Once the thick
veil ruptures and the gills throw spores, the
mushroom rapidly looses any gourmet qualities.
The mushrooms can weigh up to 5 lbs.
Figure 301. LaDena Stamets with King Stropharia
at the idea! stage for harvest.
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