GB2360923A

GB2360923A - A method of growing mushrooms

Info

Publication number: GB2360923A
Application number: GB0105052A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Fay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-02-29
Filing date: 2001-02-28
Publication date: 2001-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 2021-02-28
Also published as: GB0105052D0; GB2360923B; IES20010184A2; IE20010183A1

Abstract

A method of growing mushrooms includes using a number of blocks (1) of compost to form a composite compost bed (10). Each block (1) comprises seeded compost encased in a shrink-wrap plastics outer covering. A number of the blocks (1) are laid out three deep directly on the ground side-by-side on their bottom faces (3) and in an edge to edge configuration to farm an elongate composite bed (10). The top of each block covering is removed by cutting the top of the cover about its edges and removing the top cover piece exposing the block of compost contained within the cover. A layer (15) of growing material (11) is formed on top of the composite bed (10) using a carriage (12) which is wheeled astride the composite bed (10) between the ends of the composite bed (10). The carriage (12) has a container (14) for growing material (11). This container (14) is open at one end so that the growing material (11) can be easily shovelled out onto the top surface of the composite bed (10) covering the blocks (1) as the carriage (12) is moved along the composite bed (10). The top surface of the growing material (11) can then be raked level to form a growing material layer (15) of the desired thickness.

Description

2360923 1 "A Method of Gmweng MILMUM:

Inction The present invention relates to mushroom gw and in particular to a new and impn %%tom for growing mushrooms.

The 9M and shill one of the most axlensively ways of growing muOvwm is to place sd compost in a bag and to place the bags In side by side relationship on a building floor and then to place a smooth layer of a suitable gr me as peat on top of the seeded compost While the height of the bags were plarly su"e for hamedM in that staff did not have to bend down to pick mushroom, U ware certain problems. The first pm is that each bag hn to be sepanat handled with each bag having to have growing medium placed in it which growing medium has to be smoo by hand on each bag to ensure that Is a WM and own surface in the bag. Elecause this is a W Inefficient ard cLE. Am me of growing mushrooms many other systerns have been dev bid the provision of shebres, mounted one on top of the other. each shelf carTyng a b" of seeded compost onto which the growing medium had to be placed. However. there is a relatively high capital cost involved in pmMhg a shd^ system. Also, because of the very nature which sheNes have of having a further on top & in all except the case of the top shelf. the piecing of the 9 iUM On top of the compost is Onie consuming " R is also tme consuming, at d to smooth the corn in the block prior to the application of the growing modiurn. It was suggested that such blocks could be placed on the ground howww it was that the blocks would not warm up enough over sufficiendy quick periods of Uffe to afflow the spawn to be activated.

The present invention is directed W overcoming these problem$ and to providing a method of gfoMng mushrooms using blocks.

Mng of Inverfflon 2 According to the invention there is provided a method of growing mushrs ccwnprising:

providing blocks of seeded com having top and bottom laces and side edges surrounded by a covering material, laying a number of the blocks down on their bottom faces to m a composite bed with a continuous elongate array of blocks in edge to edge configuration:

removing sufficient of the covering material from each block to expose the faces of each block and coveting 2m e top face of the compost with a growing material.

Prbly the blocks have a rectarigular parallelepiped shape.

In one arrangement the me includes the step of plating " blocks on. It should be noted dmt it may not always be nec to place b on their edge for spawnrunning and heating.

POOMMY " method further includes the stop of M the blodw on edge Cr a sufficient time for the compost to achieve a preset temperature. E3locks may swn be avail fully spawrun and at a temperature of 250C so they can be put on flat m day one.

Ideally the blocks are rectangular and may even have square top and bottom faces.

Ideally the length of each edge is about twice h depth.

Bemuse the blocks are of sufficient depth, they can be easily harvo and it is a simple matter to remove the covering iftom each top face in one continuous cnmration.

Ideafly the blocks are pieced three abreast and in a long line.

3 TO remove the covering which is generally of a shrink piastics materiat the plastics material is cut by a krdfe adjacent each edge. This can be acNeved, for example, by a long led knife all more then one block to be exposed with each cut Bemuse ad the blocks now form a compositB flat array R is easy to smooth the compost between the blocks to provide a smooth flat surface onto which the gm' material such as peat may be placed. This growing material will assume a naturaJ a of repose adjacent each edge arbd in practice R has been found that this does 10 not cause any diffic It was envisaged that by leaving the growing medium such as peat on the edge of the blocks that them would not be snt structure rifficrdy. Thi$ bus " been the 00 In practice- Bemuse all Um blocks am in a single array it is very easy to cover them with the growing ium such as for example from a trolley wNffi would have legs to straddle both sides of the blocks and to be propelled thereon as the growing meckurn is being dispensed.

Ideally the blocks are between 40 to 70cm by 30 to 50= having a depth of beh 18 ard M=. A ble size is 55 x 40 x 25cm with each dimension t 10%.

Generally the blocks weigh somewhat of the order of 20 to 28 m If required the blocks are stored on their edges until the corn achieves a temperature of 2M.

Because of " very construction the blocks when ready for casing can he covered in 30 a layer of casing by any suitable trolley.

In a preferred embodiment dw me#M Includem.

forming a 9 material layer on top of the composite bed by dativering a 4 carriage containing the grumdng material above the top surface of the composite bed between opposite ends of the composite bed, and discharging ng material from the carriage onto the exposed top a of the composite bed.

In another embodiment the me includes:

prior to Mrming the layer of growing material on the composite bed mounting ring at opposite sides of the composite bed such that they am upstanding at the side edges of the composite bed, discharging the 9ng material onto the top surface of the composite bed be% the laths, and removing Cw laths.

In a particularty preferred embodiment the rnethod includes prior to removing. lath, pmsing the lath inwardly for firming side faces of the layer of growing materW.

In another aspect ta invention provides a block of ad cam having a rectangular parallelepiped shape encased within a wwfm material, the block having a depth of between 18cm and. a width of be 30cm and 50cm and a length of between 40cm and 70cm.

DeMilled Pascrifflon of the Invention Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a block of seeded compost a=rding to OW invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a number of the blocks laid on edge on the ground; Fig. 3 Is a plan view of the blocks of Fig. 2:

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a tnal array of blocks in the position of use; Fig. 6 is a perspective view iilfng construction of a mushroom grovAng bedac=ding to the mathod of the invention: and Fig. 6 Is a perspective view of an attachmaint for a forldift truck for handling the blocks.

Referring to the dfawi" there is Illustrated a block of see corn a to one aspect of the don indicated generally by the refer^ numeral 1. The block has a rular pwWtped shape Mh a top face 2, bottom face 3 md side faces comprising a rear face 4, a frord face 5 and end faces 6. 7. Eachblockl cornprises; seeded compost encased in an outer shdnkmmpped pk co.

Ideally the covering along the hottom face 3 is continuous; w remainder of the covering is perforated to allow air enter the blocks 1 during cultivetion. Each block 1 has a length of about Worn, a width of about 40cm and a depth of between 20CM and 25cm. 26= being thie Preferred depth of the block 1. The m PrW support for the com to help the de recUr parallelepiped shape as the compost Is not compacted sufficiently to be self-supporting.

Ref to Fig. 2 there is illustrated a number of blocks 1 each laid on, to fom an array as illustrated in Fig- 3. When the blocks am laid in 9 rnanner MW they have attained sufficient beat they are then F to lie as illustrated in F9J. 4. A top panel of the covering is cut about its edges and then removed C= the top face 2. Then the sed compost raked W required to level the top surface. A layer of growing medium is then placed on the seeded compost and raked smooth.

It has been found in practice that it is generally not necessary to lay the bi on their edge as uruMr most conditions nwy may be laid from the start In M position ilited in Fig. 4 and vAll attain suffi beat to provide an efficient cam It Y41 be appreciated that the blocks may be made wmitable fully spawnrun and at a temperature of 250C. #m eliminating tim need to place the blocks on their edge and r 6 the time needed for them to obtain sufficient heat for spawning.

Referring to Fig. 5. the formation of a mushroom bed according to the me of the invention is illustrated. A number of the blocks 1 are laid out three deep directly on the ground side-by-side on their bottom faces 3 and in an edge to edge configuration to form an elongate composite bed 10. The top of each covering is removed by. cutting a top panel of the covering about h edges and rernciving the top cover piece which has been cut away exposing the block of compost contained W the covering. With all top cover pieces removed, the level of the top of tie compost is checked and if necessary R can be raked to ensure R is level over the top surface of the composite bed 10. It will be appreciated that some variation can arise in the depth of each blocK for example, depending on the moisture of the compost when packed in the covering. Also when stacked on a pallet for h"port the bme blocks may become somewhat compacted due to the weight of the blocks above.

The raking will even up the top sad compost surface of the co bed, prior to application of a layer of growing material, or casing onto the composite bed 10 of seeded corn blocks 1.

Conveniently, to form a layer of growing material 11 on top of the composite bed 10 a trolley or carriage 12 is wheeled astride the composite bed 10 beh the endis of the composite bed 10. The carriage 12 has a container 14 for growing ml 11.

This container 14 is open at one end so tot the growing material 11 can be wsdy shovelled out onto the top surface of dw composite bed 10 covering the blocks 1 as the caniage 12 is moved along the compoMe bed 10. The top surface of thia growing material 11 can ffien be raked level to form a growing material layer 15 of the desired thickness.

To assist in forming the growing material layer 15 it is useful to mount side rtfli s. or retaining laths 16 along opposite sides of the composite bed 10. Each lath 16 has spikes projecting downwardly from a lower edge of the lath 16 which am pressed into M bales along outside edges of the composM bed 10 to support the 16 in an upstanding position along the side edges of the composite bed 10. The laths 16 conveniently prevent spillage and wastage over the sides of the composite bed 10 when forming the layer 15 of growing rna an top of the composite bed 10. The 7 laths 16 am typically about two or three met" in length and can be easily &W quickly moved along the composits bed as the carriage 12 progrs along the composite bed 10.

Before removing each lath 16 it is useful to press the lath 16 irwMty to compact am firm the side edges of the growing material 15. so "t the growing m doamlt fall away from the sides when the lath 16 is rem.

Refe" now to Fig. 6 there is shown an attachment for a forldift for handling blocks. the attachment hoN indicated generally by the reference numeral 20. The attachment 20 has a conventional m 21 for wable engnemant with ffio"m of a forldift truck to mount the attachment 20 an the forldIft buck. A aWpod 22 carried m the mountirn means 21 has at its kmer end a number of spaced- apart tines which project outwardly thom. Mounted above the tines 23 is a pLLsher frame 24 wKich is connected to M support 22 by means of a sdss= ge 25. In operation. with the sd linkage 25 In a coUa position the pusher "m 24 is n closely adjacent the support 22. The attachment 20 is mounted on a Imick and can be manipulated on to mast of the forklifi: buck for impaling a rim of the blocks 1 for case of handling the bkdm 1. To remme the b from the tines 23. the pusher frame 24 is simply advanced by means cif the S6S linkage to disengage the blocks 1 from the tines 23.

The mushroom method of the invention has a number of advantages. F it is tively cheap as there is no capilal cost inv with " or the like. The blocks 1 can be mounted directly on the around to form the composIte e beds on the ground. The depth d the bWM Is such the mushroom crops are at a comfortable height for picking M mushrooms when harvesting the mushroom. It has also been found that the particular size of block used in the invention excellent quality mushrooms wMi a relatively high crop yield.

It will be noW OM the outer wrapping or covedrig for each block may have a coloured to clearly indicate the b of the bk)ck which is UWM when budding the composite bed and also ensures that the cmdnuous face of the covering is in contact with the ground to prevent MW - il- r of the compost: within the 8 covering.

Another advantage of this growing method Is that no side supports are required to retain the compost and casing material.

While the growing me of the invention is ideally suited to forming mushroom growing beds on " ground. the compo6M compost beds cc)uld be formed on a elevated platform or on shelving to Increase the grWing capacity In a 9nyMng..

A further atage of this covering is it helps to retain moisture in the compost during the growing period.

The kmntion is not limited to the embodiments Nbefore described, but rmy be varied in concdon and detail whin the scope of the appended claims 9

Claims

1, A m- of growing mushrooms comprising:

is providing blocks; of ad compost in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having top and bottom fa and side faces encased in a covering material which sup the compost in the rg parallelepiped sMpe.

laying a number of the blocks down on their boftom faces to form a composite bed with a continuous elongate array of blocks; in to edge configumdon,.

removing suWdent of the covering material from each block to w the top faces of each bkdc and; coveriT the exposed top face of the compost with a growing rial.

21 A method as cJakned in claim 1 wherein the blocks have a depth of between 18cm and.

3. A method as claimed in daim 2 wtx the blocks have a width of 30cm to 50cm and a of 40cm to 70cm.

4. A me as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the blocks; have a depth of about 25cm, a width of about 40= and a length of about: 55cm.

5. A me as claimed in any pro claim wherein the od includes:

forming a growing no layer on top of the cb bed by delivering a ca containing the growing rial above the top su of the cmp bed be opposite ends of the comp bed, and dirging growing material from the carriage onto the exposed top surface of the composite bed.

6. A me as ciaimed in daim 5 wherein the method includes:

prior to forming the layer of growing material on the camp bBd mounting retaining laths at opposite sides of the composite bed such that they are upstanding at the side edger, of the composite bed.

rging the growing material the top surface of the composM bed between the lathe, and removing the laths.

is 7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the method includes prior ID removing each lath, pressing the lath inwardly for firming ride faces of the layer of growing material.

8. A method as claimed in any Preceding daim wherein the me kes # step of placing M blocks on edge for a period ung the temperature of to blocks rises to 2M and #m laying the locks on their bottom faces.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding d;aim wherein the block covering is af a shrink plastcs material and the meffiW includes cutting the mat with a knife along each top edge of the block and removing the top c piece which has been cut away from the cow" thus exposing a top of seeded compost in each block, and optionally raking the top of the corn If required for levelling the top of the composM bed.

10. A method of growing mushrooms subStanfl2liy as described heroin with reference to the accompanying drwMngs.