I have a visitor very much into mushrooms and we’re definitely going to grow several varieties. Unfortunately, our high desert dry hot / cold climate is not at all suitable for portobello mushrooms, love those as meat substitute as I’m less and less into eating animals.
In our research we found Lion’s Mane:
https://draxe.com/lions-mane-mushroom/
The described benefits are just incredible and I’m especially interested in enhancing brain function!
If you have any experience eating or growing Lion’s Mane or other mushrooms, please let me know!
Only mushroom I’ve been able to grow outdoors in the high desert is oyster. You might be able to grow Lion’s Mane in a small shed where you can control temperature and humidity.
We might grow some oyster shrooms too. Our new in-ground winter greenhouse in the walapini is performing quite well and it’s a lot more humid and warmer at night. Still struggling with keeping it from overheating on those sunny warm days.
We could dig out a little chamber for even more intense temperature control for mushrooms that don’t need light or very little light.
Appreciate your feedback, I just quit eating meat and love mushrooms.
I know this is an old post but I am new to the area and hoping to link up with people who are growing anything in the area. We love gardening and love mushrooms and not seeing as much abundance here as we are use to so I thought I would seek out farms.
Thank you
Hello Christy, it so happens I just received my Lion’s Mane and Shiitake spores and hope to inoculate later this week. It took a long time to finally get going!
It seems like a hellish process, but we’ll make an effort 🙂
Our climate is the worst for mushrooms, but I’m hoping to be able to grow successfully in my walapini in spring, going to start in containers inside first.
Since you’re new to the area be prepared for major challenges with gardening, but we just had the best summer yet.
So many cherry tomatoes, huckleberries, peaches, tomatillos …
I’m actually concerned about the lack of critters after the two years with practically no rain and the rabbits got wiped out by some virus. So we didn’t have much if any critter damage at all and I’m just floored by all the food we’ve harvested.
And the salad greens are in full swing, just started harvesting, got so much kale and collards …
Are you in Meadview? I might start selling extra food, plants and supplies on Sandy Point in Unit 7, bought a couple acres there for a desert growing demonstration site.