How to Grow Mushrooms in a Tray

Decide whether you are going to build your own mushroom tray or purchase a kit that comes with everything provided for you, including detailed instructions on how to get started and make the most of your mushroom growing experience. Mushroom kits are great for beginners but may not produce enough mushrooms for the more seasoned grower.

Fill your mushroom tray with a growing medium such as compost, straw or wood chips.

Fertilize your medium by mixing it with manure high in nitrates. The best manure to use, according to the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, is horse manure, though chicken or goat manure would also work.

Inoculate the growing medium with mushroom spawn. Mushroom spawn can be purchased at your local home and garden center or from an online company such as Mushroom Adventures (see Resources).

Place your mushroom tray in a shaded environment such as the basement or closet. Again, according to the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, cooler temperatures, between 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, will result in slower growing mushrooms, which can be harvested over time. Warmer temperatures, between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, will result in an abundance of mushrooms which will need to be harvested in a short period of time.

Water the spawn daily, making sure the growing medium is moist but not overly saturated.

Be patient and within a few weeks your first mushrooms should begin to appear.