Spring here in Tasmania means mowing every week, and the clippings usually go on the compost. This year I tried growing pearl oyster mushrooms on them instead, and it worked.
The short version: mix fresh clippings half and half with sawdust, get them into a hydrated lime bath (about 1 cup per 50 L of water) within an hour of mowing, soak 4 hours, drain, mix in oyster spawn and pack it into old buckets with taped holes. We mowed on 9 September and were picking mushrooms by 8 October.
No pressure cooker, no boiling, and the buckets were free. Use clippings from an unsprayed lawn only.
It's one batch so far. I wrote it up with photos of every step, the lime dose and what to do when a bucket goes mouldy.
Happy to answer questions.
by milkwood_nick
2 Comments
What is the calcium hydroxide for?
This is super cool, thanks!