El Pleurotus eryngii or thistle mushroom as it is also known It is together with the also known chanterelles, one of the varieties of mushrooms that can be eaten that exist in Sierra Espuña.
They belong to the Pleurotaceae family and generally its first bud appears during the spring time and in autumn they emerge once more after the rains end. They can be found in open areas, especially where there is a great abundance of runner thistle, since these mushrooms usually grow on the roots in a state of decomposition of the thistle, they can also develop on the roots of other types of plants.
Characteristics of the Pleurotus eryngii
The thistle mushroom is a well known and appreciated mushroom especially for its great flavor, among its most outstanding characteristics, we can mention the following:
This kind of mushrooms they usually have not very big hats, in their adult stage, they can measure between five and ten centimeters in diameter.
They are a bit curved, however this is only during their first stage of life, after this begin to take on a flatter shape and sometimes they tend to get just a little depressed in their core area. As for its color, it is quite diverse, there are some specimens of these mushrooms that have a fairly dark brown color while in others the hue can be a very light ocher.
The surface of these edible fungi It is usually somewhat flaky when they are not yet mature, after this it becomes a little smoother, its edges have a rolled appearance especially in younger mushrooms, however and when they reach full maturity they become more wavy already turn more delicate.
One of the most notable characteristics of these mushrooms from the Pleurotaceae family is that they have quite decurrent plates.
These are tight and at the same time have small sheets interspersed. The color of these sheets usually vary depending on the stage in which the mushroom is.In young people, the tonality is quite light, while in adults it becomes a little grayish or they also acquire a light ocher color.
As for its trunk, it is very short and also light in color, when they are more mature they become a little darker. They can always be found anchored just above the roots of thistles.
The most attractive thing about this kind of mushroom is its meat. This usually has a quite solid, consistent and at the same time dense appearance with a very striking white color. Pleurotus eryngii have a mild, almost imperceptible aroma while their flavor is completely exquisite and pleasant.
Cultivation of Pleurotus eryngii
The sowing of these mushrooms does not require any kind of complexity, on the contrary, its cultivation is usually a fairly simple task keeping the most minimal care.
Thistle mushrooms They are considered an exquisite delicacy in the world of mushrooms This is due to its delicious flavor and the ease with which it can carry out any type of culinary preparation.
In general, the meat of these tasty mushrooms has an elastic and at the same time fluffy appearance, with a delicate aroma and a sweet taste.
The most appropriate way to grow thistle mushrooms in our garden is acquiring from a specialized store is this type of crops, some bales that are already pregerminated, this is done to guarantee the first outbreak of mushrooms.
After buying said bullets, planting these mushrooms is very simple. The first thing we are going to do is place the pregerminated bullet inside a preferably cardboard box, also using a plastic cover where we will put it covered, so that it is not exposed to lighting.
On the other hand, the humidity of the environment should preferably be approximately 80%, making sure it has at least some ventilation. For this, we can make small holes in the box.
The appropriate temperature should not exceed 18 ° C and when irrigation is necessary, we are not going to do it directly but we are going to spray the bullet only in places where there are no mushrooms.
Due to its characteristics, the humidity must be distributed in its entirety over it. Before starting watering, it is best to use rainwater, and if we do not have then we use normal water but that does not contain any chlorine.
In case we are going to have some mushrooms, we are not going to cut them, what we will do is tear them offAs we turn the bunch and before consuming them we must wash them with plenty of water and cut them as we like best.
After the culture bullet runs out, we can make use of this as recycling for our garden because it is made of organic materials. Growing thistle mushrooms is very simple to do and it is also quite cheap.
Pleurotus eryngii care
Environmental conditions are essential for the production of thistle mushrooms, it is for this reason that if we want get healthy and delicious mushrooms we must do the following:
- The humidity should not be below 75% or above 90%.
- La suitable temperature must be between 4 and 18 ° CIt is important that we bear in mind that violent changes in temperature can damage mushrooms.
- The place where we place these mushrooms must be ventilated.
- The ideal season to cultivate this type of hedge is between the months of October and March.
- Exposure to daylight should not exceed 4 hours.
- It is essential that the substrate we use is previously sterilized, this is to prevent our mushrooms from being contaminated with certain bacteria.
- The harvest is done before the hats of the thistle mushrooms begin to take on a depressed shape.
Plagues and diseases
These mushrooms and despite being quite simple to grow, may be prone to attack by some pests and in turn of certain diseases, so you have to be very careful.