Description

• Colour: Smooth white.
• Size: Big depending on the number of fruiting bodies, that can change with the manipulating conditions.
• Shape: Domed and thick cap, with a straight cylindrical stalk. Thick velum.

Growing Characteristics

• It needs good quality compost, correctly finished, with an optimum moisture content that should oscillate between 68% and 72%. It should be a selective compost, with plenty of Actinomycetes and humic.
• Quick growth in the incubation period (12–14 days), as also in the soil covering invasion, and the fruiting period.
• It easily yields a crop.

Recommendations

• The compost temperature during the INCUBATION should not rise over 30ºC, being the optimal temperature 24/26ºC. Special care should be taken in temperature control so it does not rise in excess if supplements are used.
• The moisture content of the CASING SOIL should be high to keep a rough, thick and lumpy texture. This way, the mycelium that invades the covering will develop thick filaments that will help to transport the nutrients to the fruiting bodies. The quality of this mycelium that invades the covering, will determine the number and size of the mushrooms.
• The casing soil should be as uniform as possible, and should have a great water retention capacity, that will be related to the environment’s humidity and ventilation. The thickness should also be uniform in order to make the fructification timing easier. It should be about 4 cm thick.
• During mycelial growth in casing soil, a high relative humidity and CO2 concentration should be kept, ventilating only to prevent the compost temperature from surpassing 30ºC.
• PINHEADING induction should be done when the mycelium is uniformly and completely extended through the soil.
• If we want to harvest small/medium sized fruit bodies for canning, the compost temperature should be lowered to 18ºC. Once this compost temperature is reached, we may let the room temperature rise slightly.
• In order to harvest medium/large sized fruit bodies, the room temperature should be lowered less and slower.
• If mushrooms for the fresh market are required, we will stay in these temperature ranges, but the temperature drop should be slower, encouraging the growth of different generations of mushrooms.
• The CO2 concentration during pinheading should not descend below 1.100 ppm, although it depends on the number of fruiting bodies wanted.
• The level of CO2 after that moment should be kept between 1.500 and 2.000 ppm.
• During the HARVEST TIME, sometimes it will be difficult to keep those CO2 levels, but as long as the CO2 level does not exceed 2.200 ppm, there will not be serious damage, but it will cause a lengthening of the stalks. Humidity should stay at 85% and always under 90%.
• This variety yields a crop very quickly, being able to harvest big crops and for a long time, so it is possible to see the pinheads of the next crop before the first one has finished growing. It is recommended to keep mild and continuous ventilation, always in the conditions specified above, even and specially after the third crop, to prevent a production slow down and also to keep contamination problems away.

Destination

Strain suitable for the fresh market, but also for canned mushrooms. If the number of fruiting bodies is big, a good quality mushroom for canning will be collected. On the other side, if there is a small number of fruiting bodies, a medium/large sized mushroom for canning or an excellent mushroom suitable for the fresh market will be collected.

Availability

From September to April.