According to current estimates, there are more than 100,000 different types of mushrooms worldwide. While some of them are coveted by mushroom connoisseurs as tasty edible mushrooms, other mushrooms can also lead to dangerous poisoning.

Poisonous mushrooms in Central Europe

While some conspicuous toadstools such as the fly agaric or the panther mushroom are already known to children in this country, other mushrooms can be dangerous precisely because of their visual similarity to coveted edible mushrooms. These types of mushrooms include:

  • the white death cap mushroom
  • the green death cap mushroom
  • mutabilis
  • softwood houling

Since these types of mushrooms look deceptively similar to edible types of mushrooms, you should only take specimens with you when you are looking for mushrooms that can be identified with absolute certainty. Even a field guide does not provide absolute certainty here, as mushrooms can often look very different in different growth phases. It is better to ask proven experts or mushroom experts on site for advice.

The cultivation of edible mushrooms

The danger of poisonous mushrooms from the forest can be avoided if you simply grow edible mushrooms yourself for your own use. It is true that some types of mushrooms, such as porcini mushrooms, cannot really be cultivated in a targeted manner, but other types of mushrooms, such as button mushrooms, also thrive in a dark basement room. The specialist trade now has a large number of complete sets and spore packs available with which edible mushrooms can also be cultivated by beginners with little prior knowledge.

Species for growing in the basement

The following species are primarily suitable for cultivation in the basement or in a dark garden shed with constant temperature values:

  • king oyster mushrooms
  • White mushrooms
  • shiitake
  • Pioppinos

Brown caps, oyster mushrooms and lime mushrooms also thrive on straw bales that are watered well before inoculation with mushroom spores.

The cultivation of edible mushrooms in the garden

The cultivation of mushrooms outdoors is usually a little more difficult than in the cellar or greenhouse, since it is difficult to maintain constant temperature and humidity values here. Nevertheless, there are also types of mushrooms that can be grown relatively well in the garden. These include, for example, oyster mushrooms and brown caps, which can be cultivated in the forest garden. The best way to grow parasol or lime mushrooms outdoors is in a small foil or glass greenhouse.

tips and tricks

While the mushroom crate in the cellar offers a good level of safety when eating, foreign fungal spores can also penetrate a fungal culture outdoors. Therefore, caution is also required here when consuming it.

Category:

Vegetable garden