Growing Blewit Mushrooms

judsoncarroll4

Just got this from Mushroom Mountain":

Blewits (Clitocybe nuda = Lepista nuda) are lilac to purple mushrooms that can be found fruiting during the fall and winter months.

They like a heavy frost or freeze to initiate fruiting, for this reason blewits will not fruit in tropical climates. They taste mild and silky, and are best sliced and seared before adding to creamy potatoes soups with a dash of Sherry!

A great recycler of hardwood leaves and compost, we mix this into our kitchen compost, shredded leaves, and mulch it into our vegetable garden, where it fruits. Two flushes a few weeks apart are normal. Beautiful purple-lilac caps. Spore print is white, this one can resemble a Cortinarius mushroom (spore print is rusty orange) so make sure you have a positive ID before you consume them!

What You Will Need

1. Spawn.
2. Substrate (up to 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 10x10 area, 4” deep=400 square feet), composted hardwood leaves, and composted manure/straw.
3. Cardboard with dyes that do not contain heavy metals.

Method 1 (outdoor method)

1. Prepare an area by creating a rectangular hardwood log frame for the bed in a shady area. You can use inoculated logs, like Reishi and Oyster, or just any wood that you have laying around (non treated). You can also add spawn to mulched beds around your home or garden.
2. If there is a lot of vegetation, cover the entire floor with cardboard from flattened boxes. Water the cardboard until it is saturated.
3. Sprinkle spawn lightly onto the cardboard over the entire surface.
4. Add 3” of your substrate, and mix in a generous amount of spawn. Pack surface to get rid of any pockets.
5. Sprinkle lightly with water.
6. Add another layer of torn up cardboard, so that the moisture can make it to the bottom layer.
7. Repeat steps 3 and 4, until you have reached a height of a little less than 6”.
8. Cover with wheat straw or leaves to a depth of 1-2” to help preserve moisture and to shade the substrate.
9. Water every day for the first week, every other day for the 2nd - 4th week, and then once a month thereafter, unless the bed receives sufficient rain.

Read More here: https://mushroommountain.com/growing-blewit-mushrooms-in-your-garden-or-on-your-patio/

Torey

Growing mushrooms is something I would love to do. I once tried oyster mushrooms but I think our climate is too cold. Too cold for any of the mushrooms that grow on a log structure. I think I would be better off starting with one of the packages of button mushrooms to see how they will do in my basement. I'm no expert but pretty sure I am limited to indoor mushroom farming. These ones look and sound quite delish!

judsoncarroll4

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/871529#Comment_871529

I know some shitakes and blewits do well in cold climates. Some oysters do well, too. Check the various strains - some are better for cold climates.

Torey

I will look into it. Hadn't thought of there being different strains for different growing conditions.