GROWING GOURMET - Anto2ni.it

474 THE GROWING ROOM
that are not. Some strains of mushrooms are far
more sensitive to temperature fluctuation than
others. In localities where temperature fluctuation
is extreme, insulation is essential. Some
cultivators partially earth-berm portions of
their growing rooms for this purpose. When using
insulation, make sure it is water-repellent
and will not become a food source for molds.
5) Inside roof The inside roof should be
curved or peaked for heat redistribution by the
air circulation system. Furthermore, the slope
of the inside roof should be angled so that condensation
adheres to the sloped roof surface and
is canied to the walls, and eventually spilling onto
the floor. This allows for the re-evaporation from
the floor back into air. The height of a growing
room should be at least 10 feet, preferably 12-
16. At least 4 to 6 feet of free air space should be
above the uppermost plateau of mushrooms.
Flat roofs encourage condensation, and a
microclimate for contamination growth. If the
cultivator has no choice but to work with a flat
roof, I recommend the installment of lengths of
6-12 inch diameter drain-field pipe, perforated
every 2 feet with 1 inch holes, down the length
of each growing room at the junction of the
wall and the ceiling. By installing a "T" midspan,
and locating a downward flowing duct
fan at the base of the "T", air will be drawn into
the holes. This scheme will eliminate the deadair
pockets which form along the corner of the
wall and ceiling. After fine tuning, entrainment
of the air can be greatly improved. (Entrainment
can be measured by a "smoke or steam"
test and observing the swirling air patterns.)
6) Floors Floors should be cement, painted
with a USDA approved, dairy grade paint, and
sloped to central drain. Channel-like drains
used in dairies work well, although they need not
be wider than 6 inches. Before entering the drainfield,
a screened basket is fashioned out of metal
Figure 3 s Reishi production facility. By
modifying hoop-framed greenhouses and covering
them with an open-sided, metal roofed super-structure
growing rooms can be constructed at low cost.
Figure 395. A Japanese mushroom growing house.
mesh to prevent clogging. This basket should be
easily removed for daily cleaning. Once every
several days, a cup of bleach is washed into the
drain to discourage flies from breeding.
Many cultivators install a foot bath prior to
each growing room to disinfect footwear.
(Shoes are a major vector of contamination of
soil-borne diseases into the growing rooms.)
These foot baths are built into the cement slab
before pouring so that a drain can be installed.
A 2 ft. x 3 ft. x 2 in. recessed foot bath is ideal.
The drain is capped and filled water. Bleach
(chlorine) is added as a disinfectant. Placing a
plastic, metal, or sponge-like grate helps re-
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