Growing Mushrooms Year-Round: Indoors or Outdoors?

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• 🌱 Outdoor mushroom beds thrive in spring and fall, especially with species like Morels and Shiitake.
• 🌡️ Indoor environments allow year-round growing by stabilizing temperature and humidity with simple equipment.
• 🌦️ Outdoor mushroom yields drop sharply in winter unless in mild areas, making indoor growing more reliable.
• 🔁 Hybrid growers achieve consistent yields by alternating between indoor and outdoor cycles.
• 💰 Indoor setups cost more upfront but offer predictable harvests and faster turnaround.

Growing Mushrooms Year-Round: Indoors or Outdoors?

Mushroom growing is more than a hobby. It's a way to make good, useful food at home. This method mixes science and nature. With tools like a Monotub or a Mushroom Grow Bag, you can grow mushrooms all year, even if you live in a city apartment or have a backyard. This guide looks at growing mushrooms indoors or outdoors, season by season, and helps you choose the best method — or combine both. Zombie Mushrooms has quality supplies to keep you growing fresh mushrooms every month.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Mushroom Growing: An Overview

Indoor and outdoor mushroom growing each have good points. It depends on your space, how you live, and what you want to do.

• Indoor Mushroom Growing: You can control things like light, humidity, and temperature. This gives you steady results all year. It's good for city spaces, like closets, basements, or empty rooms. You will need some gear, but in return, you get a steady crop of mushrooms any time of year.

• Outdoor Mushroom Growing: This method is like nature. It usually needs less work or supplies. You can set it up simply by adding mushroom spawn to mulch beds, straw bales, or hardwood logs. Outdoor growing follows the seasons. Weather and pests can be an issue, but you can get big crops for a low cost.

Many growers do well by using both methods. They start cultures indoors, and then move them outside when the time is right. This lets them grow mushrooms all year and use the best parts of both places.

Spring: A Fresh Start for Growers

Spring is when nature wakes up, and it's also a good time for mushroom growers to start. Longer days and more humidity help fungi grow well. This makes it a great time to start outdoor mushroom beds. You can also move mushroom cultures started indoors over winter to outside beds.

Why spring is good for mushroom growth:

• Soil gets warmer.
• Rain and humidity help mycelium spread.
• Nature's cycles help things break down. This is key for mushrooms that feed on dead matter, like Morels and Wine Caps.

Before you start growing outside, check your soil:

• pH levels: Most mushrooms like soil that is a bit acidic or neutral (pH 6.0–7.0).
• Drainage/Moisture Retention: Mushrooms do not like soggy soil. But they grow well when the soil is evenly damp.

Spring Outdoor Mushroom Recommendations:

• Morels: These are highly valued. They grow well in woods and places with a lot of natural waste.
• Wine Caps (Stropharia rugosoannulata): These are strong and grow fast. They do well in garden beds or areas with mulch.
• Nameko: These mushrooms have jelly-like caps and taste nutty. They grow well in cool, damp weather.

Moving indoor mycelium from winter to outdoor beds now can greatly increase your crop for summer and fall. Use grain spawn bags to easily start new growth and get them to spread quickly.

Summer: Growing Through the Heat

When it gets hotter, mushroom growers face new problems. Summer brings more heat, changing humidity, and pests like slugs or mites. But with careful planning, you can still get mushrooms from both indoor and outdoor setups.

Summer mushroom growing has these issues:

• Outdoor beds dry out quicker and lose moisture. This stresses the mycelium.
• Pests are most active when it's warm.
• Lights and equipment create heat. This can make indoor grow rooms hotter.

This is why indoor mushroom growing is so good. Air-conditioned rooms or insulated grow tents help you keep perfect conditions, no matter the weather outside.

For indoor summer growing:

• Use grow tents with reflective lining to keep the growing areas stable.
• Get humidifiers that have timers or humidity sensors.
• Use misting systems or spray by hand to keep humidity high, but do not soak the substrate.

Tips for outdoor summer growing:

• Use mulch and straw to keep beds moist.
• Water beds in the early morning or late evening. This helps them soak up water better.
• Put up shade cloths or place beds under trees. This will lessen direct sun.

Mushrooms good for summer:

• Pink Oyster: Grows well in warmer temperatures (65–85°F). It will even make colorful, thick groups in partial shade outdoors.
• Reishi: This mushroom has medicinal uses and grows slowly. It does best in warm, indoor places.
• King Oyster: Best grown indoors, where you can change CO₂ levels and temperature.

Tip: Check your logs or beds every day in hot summer weather. Make sure your substrate does not dry out.

Fall: Peak Mushroom Season

Fall is the best time to grow mushrooms. Many people think it's the best season for growing mushrooms outdoors. This is because of the natural balance of moisture and cool temperatures. It is also when you find the most types of wild mushrooms in most mild areas.

Fall is great for growing mushrooms because:

• Rain happens more often, which keeps substrates damp.
• Cooler nights make many gourmet mushrooms start to fruit.
• Mycelium that grew over summer quickly turns into mushrooms.

Now is a good time to:

• Add plugs to logs. These will grow mushrooms in future springs and falls.
• Make outdoor beds bigger with new substrate.
• Start indoor mushrooms that like cold. You can harvest these all winter.

Best mushrooms for fall:

• Shiitake: People usually grow these on hardwood logs. They produce a lot of mushrooms in cool, damp weather.
• Lion’s Mane: This mushroom is good for brain health. It grows well in fruiting chambers or on sawdust blocks with added nutrients.
• Maitake (Hen of the Woods): This mushroom gives thick groups that taste great and have good nutrition. Many people like to grow it on tree stumps.

Fall is also a good time to pick your outdoor mushrooms and let the beds sit. Your mycelium will rest when it gets cold, but it will come back stronger next year.

Winter: Go Inside for Consistent Results

Winter brings quiet and cold. But this does not have to stop your mushroom growing. Most fungi stop fruiting when outdoor temperatures stay below 50°F or freeze. But indoor mushroom growing becomes more important in winter. It gives warmth, steady conditions, and safety from bad weather.

Why indoor growing works in winter:

• You can control temperatures, which stops freezing.
• LED lights copy natural light cycles.
• Humidity systems keep fruiting conditions steady.

Best mushrooms for winter:

• Blue Oyster: Likes cooler indoor places. It makes thick caps and gives a lot of mushrooms.
• Enoki: These mushrooms are common in Asian food. They do well in colder fruiting areas (around 45°F–60°F) with high humidity.
• Lion’s Mane: You can grow this through winter with some warmth and humidity.

Tips for indoor winter growing:

• Use a small heater in your grow tent. Check it with thermostats.
• Keep a hygrometer where you can see it to check humidity levels. It should be above 85%.
• Keep air moving gently. This stops mold and controls CO₂.

If you have outdoor mushroom beds, cover them with straw or leaves. This will protect the mycelium and keep it safe until spring comes again.

Environmental Factors by Method

Temperature

Temperature is key to whether your mushrooms will fruit. Outdoor growers depend on the seasons. Indoor growers can control everything from start to finish.

• General Ranges:
  • Oyster (Pink): 70–86°F
  • Oyster (Blue): 50–65°F
  • Shiitake: 45–75°F
  • Enoki: 45–60°F
    (Source: Barrios-Gonzalez & Mejía, 2020)

Humidity

Mushrooms dry out easily. They will stop growing if there is not enough humidity.

• Optimal Range: 80–95% RH
• Indoors, use foggers or ultrasonic humidifiers.
• Outdoors, maintain moisture with regular watering and mulching.
  (Source: Green, Le Tacon & Grandjean, 2018)

Light & Airflow

• Light: Most mushrooms need some light, but not strong sun. Indoors, use 6500K daylight-spectrum LEDs for 12 hours at a time.
• Airflow: Fans and fresh air stop bacteria and mold from growing. Outdoors, natural breezes are good. But do not let things stay wet and still.

Pests & Contaminants

• Indoor Risks: Mold, bacteria, and mites. Use clean tools and clean growing material.
• Outdoor Risks: Slugs, squirrels, and unwanted fungi. Wire mesh and netting can help reduce problems from animals.

Tools, Tech & Supplies to Grow Year-Round

Indoor Mushroom Growing Setup

• Grow Tent or Grow Shelves: To keep the growing area separate and controlled.
• LED Grow Lights: Copy daylight and help mushrooms fruit faster.
• Ultrasonic Humidifier: For keeping humidity high.
• Hygrometer & Thermometer: Give live data to watch conditions.
• Grain Spawn Bags: Spread faster and grow mushrooms more steadily.

Best spaces: Closets, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and cool basements.

Outdoor Mushroom Growing Tools

• Hardwood Logs: For Shiitake, Reishi, or Maitake.
• Mulch, Straw, or Wood Chips: This is the base for Wine Cap and Garden Giant mushrooms.
• Shade Structures: These protect fungi from getting too hot or drying out.
• Watering Timers & Misters: To keep the surface moist.

Zombie Mushrooms’ kits are adaptable to both growing environments and include spores, substrates, and grow instructions specific to indoor and outdoor scenarios.

Planning for a Year-Round Cultivation Cycle

You don't have to just react when growing mushrooms. Plan ahead. Think about these cycles:

• Early Spring: Put spawn in new outdoor beds or logs as the soil gets warmer. Move some indoor cultures outside.
• Summer: Grow mostly indoors, or use outdoor species that handle heat. Lessen pest and heat problems.
• Fall: Increase outdoor fruiting. Start getting indoor setups ready for winter.
• Winter: Move growing indoors. Focus on species that like cold, and keep conditions steady.

By planning your growth calendar, you reduce gaps in productivity and keep a continuous harvest flowing. Zombie Mushrooms’ newsletter provides helpful timelines and seasonal alerts.

Costs, Yield, and Maintenance Comparison

Factor	Indoor Growing	Outdoor Growing
Setup Cost	High (lights, tent, humidifier, etc.)	Low (minimal tools, uses natural settings)
Yield Consistency	Stable, frequent harvests if managed well	Seasonal, but can be large once established
Maintenance	Daily monitoring required	Weekly checks with nature’s support
Sustainability	Power-consuming setups	Eco-friendly; fewer energy inputs
Best for	Urban dwellers, precision farming	Permaculture gardens, large yards

(Source: Finch-Savage & Bassel, 2016)

Hybrid Growing — The Best of Both Worlds

Hybrid mushroom growing uses the good points of both methods. Indoor growing offers control, and outdoor growing allows for more quantity.

Common ways to use a hybrid method:

• Start spawn indoors, then move it to outdoor beds in spring.
• Bring logs or containers inside in winter to get mushrooms outside of their usual season.
• Take parts of good mushrooms from outdoor beds and grow them again indoors.

This method gives steady results all year. It also lets you grow more types of mushrooms.

Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Method For You

Both indoor and outdoor mushroom growing are good ways to have a satisfying experience all year. Choose based on your space, money, time, and what kind of mushrooms you like.

• Live in a small apartment? Then focus on growing indoors with kits. They give steady and fast results.
• Have a backyard or wooded area? Then use outdoor beds or grow on logs. Follow seasonal plans.
• Want the best of both? Try using both methods to keep your grow cycle going all year.

Whatever your choice, combinations of planning, the right species, and trusted supply sources like Zombie Mushrooms will equip you for success.

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Citations

American Mushroom Institute. (2022). Outdoor mushroom cultivation guidelines. https://www.americanmushroom.org

Barrios-Gonzalez, J., & Mejía, A. (2020). Mushroom growing conditions and optimization. Journal of Food Mycology, 15(2), 112–128.

Finch-Savage, W. E., & Bassel, G. W. (2016). Monitoring grow environments to prevent contamination. Agricultural Systems, 143, 13–25.

Green, F., Le Tacon, F., & Grandjean, J. (2018). Humidity control in mushroom fruiting systems. Fungal Ecology, 32, 19–25.

United States Department of Agriculture. (2016). Mushroom production timeline and species data. https://www.usda.gov