Meadow honeydew (Meadow, Negnium meadow, Clove mushroom), lat. Marasmius oreades (Agaricus oreades, Collybia oreades) is an edible lamellar mushroom.
Fruit bodies are very small, weighing about 1 gram. Hat 2-5 (8) cm in diameter, smooth; in young mushrooms it is hemispherical, later convex, in mature mushrooms it is flat-spread, with a blunt tubercle in the center. Old, dried specimens may become cupped. The edges of the cap are translucent, slightly ribbed, often uneven. The cap is hygrophane - in damp weather, sticky, yellowish-brown or reddish-ocher, sometimes with a weakly noticeable zoning; in dry weather it takes on a lighter, pale cream color. The center of the cap is always darker than its edges.
Blades 3-6 mm wide, sparse, adherent in young mushrooms, later free, with clearly visible intermediate blades; ocher in damp weather, creamy-whitish in dry weather. Spores 7-8.5 x 4-5.5 µm, ovoid or ellipsoidal, smooth, colorless. Spore powder is white or creamy.
The leg is high and thin, 2-6 (10) cm long and 0.2-0.5 cm thick, sometimes slightly sinuous, cylindrical, slightly thickened at the base, solid, dense, in old mushrooms it is stiff and fibrous, pale ocher, one color with a hat or slightly lighter, fine velvety or mealy.
The pulp is thin, whitish or pale yellow, does not change color when cut, with a slight sweetish aftertaste and a strong peculiar odor, reminiscent of the smell of cloves or bitter almonds.
Honey honey fungus saprophytic mushroom. It grows on soil from late May to late October, meeting mainly in open grassy areas - in meadows, pastures, pastures, in vegetable gardens, orchards, along the edges of fields, on roadsides, on forest edges or in forest glades, in ravines and ditches. Bears abundantly, often forming rows, arcs and "witch circles".
Distributed in Eurasia, including Iceland and Japan, North Africa, North America, Argentina, Australia, the Canary Islands. In Russia, it is widespread and common in the European part of Russia, in the North Caucasus, in the Altai and Primorsky Territories. Very well known in the Baltics, Belarus, Ukraine.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CULTIVATION OF MEADOW STUFF
The technology for growing meadow mushroom is very similar to the technology for growing mushrooms.
1 package of meadow honey fungus mycelium is intended for sowing on an area of 0.5-1 m2.
In open areas, meadows grow in shady places, in partial shade - under trees, shrubs, in raspberries, in strawberry beds, from the shaded sides behind the households. buildings and fences where they cannot be damaged by direct sunlight.
The soil must be fluffed. In this case, weeds, grass roots, if they do not harm other crops, do not need to be removed. Sow mycelium on the loosened surface. Then sprinkle humus (compost) on top with an even layer of 5-10 cm.
The mycelium will begin to bear fruit in 2-2.5 months. Until this time, no visible changes on the soil surface are noticeable. Fruiting lasts from early spring to late autumn. Throughout this period, honey mushrooms can be planted. But it is more advisable to do this at the beginning of September - before the beginning of December and from the end of February to mid-May. The productivity of meadows is high, from 1m2 to 6kg of mushrooms per month.
The plantation is not insulated for the winter. Spores do not die even at very low temperatures. They simply stop in development, "fall asleep". In the spring you will see them “awaken” in the form of a bountiful harvest.
Once a year, a layer of 7-10 cm of humus or humus and / or dry plant residues is sprinkled directly on top of the mycelium as fertilizers. It is best to do this in late autumn, when the fruiting of the mushrooms has stopped.
Mycelium will “live” from 4 to 6 years, every year it grows slightly and increases its area.
For year-round cultivation of meadow mushroom, any premises are used - sheds, garages, basements, loggias, storerooms, attics, etc. The advantages of growing mushrooms indoors is the ability to get fresh mushrooms all year round.
Mushrooms are grown in boxes, in plastic bags, etc. A layer of 10–12 cm of earth is poured onto the bottom, mycelium crumbles, then it is covered by 7-10 cm of compost / humus. The first mushrooms appear in 2–2.5 months. Unlike areas in open places, this mycelium will bear fruit 4-5 times, with each wave less and less abundant. Moisten without creating a swamp. Place a container of water next to the boxes, which will gradually evaporate. If this is not enough, water from a watering can or spray with some mechanical device.
The growing temperature range is very wide + 5 + 30.