5 Mushrooms to Grow in Outdoor Beds | Mushroom Garden Ideas

Wine cap (Stropharia rugoso-annulata) is by far the easiest mushroom to grow in garden beds and is popular among gardeners and farmers. These beginner-friendly, burgundy-capped mushrooms, also known as Garden Giant or King Stropharia, are fast growers and will often fruit within a single growing season. As primary decomposers, they help initiate the soil building process and research has found that they neutralize nematodes, a common garden pest, with specialized cells called acanthocytes. Historical and anecdotal evidence tells us that wine cap is an excellent companion plant alongside corn, potatoes, squash and zucchini, but we encourage you to do your own research using a variety of vegetable and fruit plants. Wine cap grows well in shady beds made of hardwood chips, but will tolerate full sun in moist locations using hardwood sawdust, straw, agricultural byproducts such as rice or bean hulls, and corn stalks. When making beds, be sure to dig into the soil an inch or two as they like to be in contact with soil microbes to grow well. Wine caps can be grilled like a portobello, incorporated into soups, and sautéed and added to pasta, risotto, or tacos. They can also be dehydrated for preservation and long-term storage.

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) include a number of species that take well to garden beds, including blue, pink, golden, Italian, black king, and snow oyster. They are vigorous growers and will outcompete competitors and contaminants, qualities well-suited to the beginner mushroom gardener. Additionally, they are adaptable both in temperature and substrate preference and will grow on straw, agricultural byproducts, and hardwood chips. Italian oyster has been successfully grown on hemlock and pine but as always, we encourage experimentation with different species and substrate combinations. Keep in mind that the pink oyster mushroom is a tropical species (remember to never put this spawn in the fridge) and should only be planted when average temperatures reach 50 degrees F. With an aroma like sweet anise and a delicate texture, blue, snow, golden, pink and Italian oysters are popular culinary mushrooms that pair well with many cuisines and flavors. As an FYI, all oyster mushrooms retain water and may develop a chewier texture when undercooked. If you prefer a firm or dryer texture, continue to cook oysters until their liquid has reduced and cooked off and they begin to brown.

Found throughout North America, the blewit (Collybia nuda, formerly Clitocybe nuda) is less commonly cultivated than oysters and wine caps, but presents an intriguing challenge for gardeners and enthusiasts given their fickle nature and lower yields. Blewit naturally grows on partially decomposed leaf litter, so we recommend constructing beds out of organic yard waste including hardwood leaves, grass clippings, twigs and tree bark, layering these materials with compost or manure for added nitrogen. Mushroom formation is triggered by dips into below-freezing temperatures, which occur naturally in autumn after a full growing season, so be on the lookout for blewit after the first frosts of fall. Blewit should be properly identified before consumption, as there are some poisonous purple mushrooms that can grow in similar habitats. Get to know the blewit’s features, including its gill structure (lacking a weblike cortina covering the young gills) and spore color (all the blewits have creamy white to pale pink spores). Some poisonous look-alikes include members of the Cortinarius or webcap family of fungi which also have lilac-colored fruiting bodies and rust-colored spores. Blewit mushrooms are silky in texture and make a great addition to soups, stews, or gumbos. They also have a lovely perfumy smell!

Almond agaricus (Agaricus blazei) mushrooms derive their name from their almond scent and are in the same family as the white button, portobello, and crimini mushrooms (all three of which are the same species!). Almond agaricus mushrooms are nearly 50 percent protein by dry weight, and can be prepared and cooked in a similar fashion as their more popular cousins. Similar to pink oyster mushrooms, almonds thrive in warmer conditions making greenhouses and high tunnels especially suitable for extending the growing season. If growing outside in a greenhouse, it's best to construct your almond bed when ambient temperatures are 50 degrees F and above, as almond mycelium will die in temperatures under 35 degrees F. Like their portobello cousins, almonds are secondary decomposers and need microbial communities to properly form mushrooms, so they’ll need substrates that are already partially broken down. Similar to blewit, composted materials including manure, hardwood leaves, cereal straws, and other agricultural by-products like corn stalks and bean hulls work best, and mixing in materials with good water retention like coco coir can help keep moisture levels high. This is especially useful for dry climates or in places where regular watering is difficult. Feel free to use materials that are abundant and accessible in your area, and it’s worth keeping in mind when sourcing materials that it’s wise to avoid anything that’s been sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides.

In East Asia, the diminutive amber-colored Nameko (Pholiota nameko) grows in clusters on stumps and fallen trees, typically oak and beech. Its Japanese name, "nameko," translates to "slippery child" due to the shiny gelatinous coating on its cap, which contains galacturonic acid, a primary component of pectin used in jellies and jams. In Japan, nameko is traditionally used as a thickener in miso soup and hot pot dishes and is second only to shiitake in popularity. With an earthy flavor and fruity taste, they are versatile in recipes, are great sautéed, or used to thicken soups and sauces. Another name for them is the butterscotch mushroom due to their sweet smell reminiscent of cashews or butterscotch. Nameko and its close cousin, the chestnut mushroom (Pholiota adiposa) prefer hardwood chips, and unlike robust and aggressive oysters, nameko are less competitive and grow best if planted in the freshest possible wood chips. Native to northern regions, nameko mushrooms are triggered by a dramatic temperature drop, so be vigilant for their shiny amber clusters in the cooler months of fall. Due to their resemblance to poisonous species and their need for some cultivation experience, they're not ideal for first-time growers but can be rewarding for those with a careful attention to detail.