In a recent post I mentioned that mushroom production in my mushroom shelter has been poor due to inadequate watering. The system I installed had a 0.5″ diameter water pipe run from a nearby slightly higher rainwater collection tank to the ceiling of the mushroom shelter from which the water flowed via bubblers onto the spawn impregnated logs. Water flow was weak and the bubblers often clogged.
I rectified this by replacing the 0.5″ diameter pipe with a 1″ pipe and by eliminating the bubblers and using adjustable .75″ pipes to torrent the water onto the logs. I do not have the dispersion I had with the bubblers but the flow is strong and there is no clogging – any debris is blown out.
Another watering improvement I made is to collect rainwater from the roof of the mushroom shelter and direct it onto the logs. First step was to install a gutter.
The open lower end of the gutter feeds into a 90 degree 4″ elbow attached to a 10ft 4″ water pipe. I crumpled chicken netting into a ball and inserted it into the open end of the elbow to trap leaves and debris before they entered the water pipe.
It was then a simple matter to lead the 4″ diameter 10ft pipe into the shelter, cap the far end, and secure it ensuring it dipped from the elbow end to the capped end. With a power drill I made holes staggered along the length of the pipe.
The improvements should ensure more reliable mushroom production.