Fungi! The general topic on mushrroms, yeasts, molds, and more in the kingdom!

[Mytten]

Hewwo!

This is just a general topic on all things fungi.

• Share your pictures,
• Share some facts and info,
• Ask some questions,
• And whatever else you may feel is related.

I personally really love fungi. I am fascinated by them, and always love to learn more.

[Mytten]

And No. I did not misspell mushroom. I would do no such thing!

[caracalled]

Oh I love this thread! I currently live in Japan and the mushroom selection at the grocery stores here is immaculate! I will attach a picture, but it doesn't even show all the kinds available even at that store. (Can you tell I'm very excited about the mushrooms here?)

I am fated to return home to Europe soon and I'll miss them, but I have some friends who have experience growing mycelium... I think I will have to ask them to help me get really into growing my own mushrooms. They recommended me these books by Paul Stamets, so I will leave the links here!

[Mytten]

They recommended me these books by Paul Stamets, so I will leave the links here!

I would also recommend this YT channel. He makes a lot of good information not only for growing but also for mycology.

[Licheus]

They recommended me these books by Paul Stamets, so I will leave the links here!

I would also recommend this YT channel. He makes a lot of good information not only for growing but also for mycology.

Thanks for the links! =D


This is a great topic, so sorry in advance for nerding out. ^^

No-dig pioneer Charles Dowding often suggests that mycelial networks do enough for plants that it’s warranted not to disturb soil specifically because such disturbance breaks apart mycelial threads. He has done experiments where he established two test beds twelve years ago, one which he dug every year and one which he left alone (every other parameter the same). He gets little over 10% more harvest by weight from the bed he leaves alone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3I9qwSSl9Y&t=712s

7% less harvest by weight in a forked bed compared to a bed left alone (here he explicitly mentions fungi):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3I9qwSSl9Y&t=797s

I have a fantastic Swedish book, “Skogsträdgården: odla ätbart överallt” by Philipp Weiss, which I think unfortunately isn’t in print in English, where I found a pedagogical and well-researched explanation. Apparently, the thinnest mycelial threads are much smaller than the thinnest root hairs of plants, 1/10 of the diameter. This means that the mycelial network can get in between soil particles to find water and nutrients unavailable to plants unless the plants connect their roots to the mycelial network. It’s apparently worth it for the plant to trade 10 to 15% of its products created through photosynthesises to the mycelial network.

Another cool thing I’ve heard is that the fungal network directs more effort to create mycelium at locations of dead trees (food for the fungi), which would be obvious I guess but maybe the network sends information within itself in cool ways. After all, there’s a lot we’re yet to discover about fungi. It’s all very fascinating, really. =D

(Attached artwork is not mine, it’s a classic.)

[Mytten]

This is a great topic, so sorry in advance for nerding out. ^^

maybe the network sends information within itself in cool ways. After all, there’s a lot we’re yet to discover about fungi. It’s all very fascinating, really. =D

First of all, don't be sorry. That's the whole point of this topic.

Second, from my accumulated knowledge, (and I apologize for not having a citation) mycelial fungi have like an open system inside of them where they can direct nutrients and chemical signals to areas within its body. Usually as far as I know going to the hyphal ends to continue growth and excrete digestive stuff into whatever they're eating. Also similarly but also a little off topic, recently I believe we found out that fungi have a microbiome inside of them. Similar in concept to your gut microbiome. I would recommend actually doing your own research though as I could entirely be talking out of my ass right now.

Love that artwork btw.