Growing mushrooms in shipping containers is one of the most searched topics on Google. Mushroom is vegan, a good source of plant-based protein and full of micronutrients. Mushroom is very delicious and there are many recipe options available as well. So the demand for mushrooms is going high worldwide.
You can also start growing mushrooms in a shipping container at your home. This agricultural method is modern, technology-based and independent of climatic whims.
In this article, I will discuss how you can start growing mushrooms in a shipping container. Also, the advantages and roadblocks that you face during the process.
How To Grow Mushrooms In The Shipping Container?
Mushroom is super tasty and full of plant-based protein. Mushrooms contain low fat and fewer calories. It has minerals or micronutrients like potassium, selenium, etc. Because of its meaty texture many non-vegetarian people like to eat mushrooms.
If you are really into gardening and would like to start farming mushrooms then I would suggest trying it inside a shipping container. Because inside the container you can maintain the artificial climatic conditions and protect the plants from bad weather.
The most interesting thing is you can harvest throughout the year because you can control the atmosphere inside the shipping container. This makes higher yields.
In the below table, I will give a step-by-step guide to growing mushrooms. You can carry out these steps of mushroom farming inside a shipping container.
| STEP 1 | > First thing is the pasteurization of the straw. Heat up the water at around 160 – 170 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the straw in the hot water and keep it for 45-60 minutes to kill all the bacteria in the straw. > Drain the water and put the straw in a pot and cut it into small pieces around 1-3 cm. > Straw should not be wet but must be damp. > Don’t put the mushroom spawn into the heated straw. Otherwise, heat will kill the spawn. |
| STEP 2 | > Once the straw cools down to room temperature, pack the straw in the growing pots like plastic bags tightly and distribute some of the mushroom spawn (3 or 4 pieces) throughout the straw. > Make holes on the bag in 3 inches distance with a skewer to aerate the bag. Before using the skewer, make assured that the skewer is properly sterilized. The bag should be tightly closed with a rubber band or thread. > The bags should be kept in a room where direct sunlight does not come. The spawn requires indirect sunlight for their growth into mushrooms. Temperature should remain at 15-20 degree Celsius. |
| STEP 3 | > To keep your bag moist, continue to spray some water if required. Water should not be dripped. |
| STEP 4 | > Like white furry cobwebs, the mycelium will start to come out during the first couple of weeks. > Latest by 4 weeks, mushroom starts forming. > Mushrooms grow double every day and within a week, they will get good size. > Keep the mushrooms moist by spraying water 2-3 times a day. Be cautious about not using excess water. |
| STEP 5 | > Mushrooms should be harvested while their rims are still curled over a little and pointing downwards. > Leaving the very bottom still in the bag, you may cut the mushrooms. > From that very bottom, subsequent flushes will be formed. Under suitable conditions, you can get 3-4 flushes of mushrooms. |
| STEP 6 | > After the production of 3 or 4 flushes of mushrooms, it will stop producing. >You can use the straw as mulch for your kitchen garden. > You can add some of your old straw with the new one as the substrate of the new bunch of production. |
Check out this USDA link to get a detailed checklist for mushroom cultivation.
Factors To Be Considered For Best Result
During the growing of mushrooms in shipping containers, you have to remember the following factors for better production.
i) Maintain Hygiene
You should remember that you are going to cultivate some edible fungus. So be very cautious about maintaining hygiene.
Any kind of bacterial attack can spoil your efforts anytime. So pasteurization and sterilization of all the equipment is very important.
Don’t forget to wash your hands properly every time before you enter the shipping container to start your work.
Using clean gloves at the time of plantation is mandatory to maintain hygiene.
ii) Time Requirement
There are several steps between planting spawns to harvesting mushrooms. Each step takes a different amount of time.
Usually, mushrooms will become fully developed and ready for harvesting within 4 to 6 weeks after the plantation.
iii) Temperature Plays A Vital Role
Maintaining the temperature throughout all the steps of mushroom cultivation is very important. That is why growing mushrooms inside a shipping container is one of the best available options.
Mushrooms don’t like direct sunlight. But indirect sunlight is good for the growth. So put the shipping container in a place where partial or indirect sunlight is available.
iv) The Usage Of Water Should Be Controlled
Growing mushrooms requires water but in a controlled way.
Your container should be moist and but water should not be dripped. You can to spray water to keep the straw substrate damp.
Check out this link to get a detailed picture.
Features Of Shipping Container Farming
i) Takes Limited Space
Shipping container farming requires limited space.
You can extend your farm by adding more vertical layers. Yet, the acreage occupied by the farm remains the same.
In this era of extended urbanization, the problem of space scarcity can be resolved by installing shipping container farming.
ii) Full Insulation
Glass or plastic-covered farming helps to hold heat inside the shipping container.
Shipping containers are the best option for the cultivation of heat-loving plants like mushrooms.
iii) Automation Friendly
Implementing automation will cut the effort of monitoring all the time. You can enable automation in shipping container farming.
Automation includes heaters for the cold region, coolers for the warm region, exhaust fans, solar systems, water reservoirs, etc.
The installation of automation in the farm can provide controlled climatic conditions.
iv) Using Food-Grade Containers
Using non-food grade plastic containers may increase the chance of food contamination.
The containers used in this farming have to be qualified as food grade as recommended by US Food and Drug Administration.
v) Efficient LED lighting
Another vital characteristic of shipping container farming is its lighting system. The system includes blue and red LED lights
Lights replicate the sunlight. It can compensate for insufficient sunlight availability. Lights provide the ideal climatic condition for the plants inside the shipping containers.
vi) Not Dependent On Soil
Shipping container farming is not always dependent on the soil. In the case of hydroponics or aquaponics systems of farming, plants are grown in a soilless medium.
In case of mushroom farming straw substrate is used.
vii) Proper Ventilation And Water Filtration
Having a smooth air-flowing system is another essential feature of shipping container farming.
Proper ventilation is helpful for plants to get oxygen. Regular flow of Oxygen helps in the healthy growth of plants inside shipping containers.
A limited quantity of water is another specification for shipping container farms. An inbuilt drainage system should drain out the excess water.
viii) Controlled Climate
Inside shipping containers, plants are grown in a controlled environment.
An artificial climate-controlled environment provides the ideal climatic condition for plants.
ix) Remote monitoring
This advanced technology-based farming system requires continuous monitoring.
But, monitoring does not need the continuous presence of the farmer.
You can screen all the processes staying distant by the remote monitoring system.
Advantages of growing mushrooms in the shipping container
i) Reusable container
The main component of shipping container farming is the container.
In most cases, those containers are reusable.
Therefore, the cultivation of mushrooms in the same container can be done multiple times.
ii) Slim-fit and easily transferable
The modular structure and easily transferable characteristics help the farmer to shift and adjust the container according to his convenience without hampering the growth of the mushrooms.
iii) Readily convertible
These all-purpose containers are easy to convert.
They are foldable and occupy less space when they remain unused.
iv) Automated climate control
The shipping container has an inbuilt automated climate control system.
Therefore, the temperature and humidity requirement for fruiting mushrooms becomes automated without failing due to any mistake.
v) Production throughout the year
The artificial climate control mechanism provides the mushrooms with the ideal fruiting conditions during the year.
vi) Yields more
Production may fall due to disease, attacks of pests and bugs, and any kind of contamination.
Continuous screening and monitoring help to remove the possibility of a loss of production.
Therefore, shipping container farming yields more production of crops.
vii) Minimum usage of water and nutrient
The mushrooms are not water-loving fruits.
The water requirement of mushrooms is only to dampen the growing bags and substrate.
Under this artificial cultivation system, the usage of nutrient-mixed water is also monitored to remove the possibility of excess watering or wasting water.
viii) Suitable for a range of mushrooms
An artificial climatic control system helps to provide ideal climatic conditions for all types of edible mushrooms.
Disadvantages of growing mushrooms in the shipping container
i) Perishable
The perishable characteristic of mushrooms is one of the disadvantages of growing them in a shipping container.
In this system, mushrooms are growing in a closed, automated environment.
Any dereliction in the procedure will harm other mushrooms by contaminating them too.
ii) Lack of proper knowledge about the nutrition value
Several people don’t know about the nutritional value of mushrooms.
There is a common dilemma among people that mushrooms are not edible but rather poisonous for eating as food.
iii) Inadequate fund availability
Lack of knowledge about the nutritional value of mushrooms and misconception about their edibility, results in inadequate fund availability for mushroom cultivation.
iv) High transportation cost
The total process of cultivation of mushrooms in the shipping container followed by supplying it to the nearby local markets involves high transportation costs.
The perishable nature of the mushroom also requires quick transportation to the marketplace.
All enhance the transportation cost resulting in lowering the interest in mushroom cultivation.
v) Limited number of post-harvest processing options
Each group of substrates for mushroom cultivation can support fruiting twice or thrice. After that the substrate becomes unused.
That limited number of post-harvesting options keeps the farmers uninterested in farming mushrooms.
Check out the below youtube video to learn about the pros and cons of growing mushrooms in shipping containers.
Take Away
I hope I have cleared all the doubts on this topic – growing mushrooms in shipping containers. If you are interested in other agricultural methods or types of vegetables and herbs suitable for your home garden then go through my other articles from the related post section(below) or recent post section(top-right).
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Misty S is the founder and lead writer at GrowOrganicGreens.com, a comprehensive gardening resource dedicated to helping people cultivate beautiful and sustainable gardens. She has a Master’s degree in Economics and specialized studies in agricultural economics, horticulture, and soil science. Drawing from her extensive knowledge and experience, Misty shares practical gardening tips on soil preparation, organic manure composting, fertilizers, plant care, and indoor gardening, making her advice accessible and helpful to gardeners of all levels.
Despite having an high-demanding 9-5 job, Misty dedicates her personal time to researching and exploring various gardening topics. Her keen interest in gardening has grown into a passion, driving her to help new gardeners and anyone interested in starting their gardening journey.
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