mushroom lesson

What are mushrooms?Cultivated mushrooms are edible fungi that grow on decaying organic matter, known as asubstrate. Unlike vegetables they do not rely on sunlight to grow. Mushrooms start as verysmall spawns. The spawns will grow in the substrate to produce a fine white fibrous structurecalled mycelium. From the mycelium the mushroom fruit is produced. This is the part that isharvested.Mushrooms have a high nutritional value and are high in protein. They are also a goodsource of vitamins (B1, B2, B12 and C), essential amino acids, and carbohydrates but arelow in fat and fibre and contain no starch. When fresh they have a very high water content ofaround 90%. Minerals present include phosphorus, potassium, iron and copper.Mushrooms grow in bursts known as flushes approximately every 7 to 10 days for a fewweeks with yields falling over time. The first three flushes yield more than 70% of the total.The growing time will be dependant on type of mushroom and the growing conditions.