Eco-awareness and an increased demand for safer products continues to spread in the global marketplace, which could very well be why organic cotton is currently enjoying its well-deserved time in the limelight. Whether we slide underneath cozy organic cotton bed sheets, wrap ourselves in a downy-soft organic cotton bath towel or try on a simple organic t-shirt for size, the opportunities that today’s modern consumer has to purchase certified organic products has grown in leaps and bounds. They say that numbers don’t lie, a claim made even more concrete by the fact that global organic cotton sales in the retail market, which hovered at $1.9 billion back in the year 2007, climbed to $3.2 billion just one year later. As mainstream retailers such as Target, Wal-Mart and H&M hop on the organic cotton textile products bandwagon, global efforts to generate certified organic cotton crops will undoubtedly follow suit. [click to continue…]
We’ve already chosen the location of our brand new white mushroom business, so now let’s find the necessary equipment to make it all come together.
First, we’re going to need some shelves in our mushroom production room. They should be made of iron rather than wood so that the moisture will not compromise them. If we run the first shelf so that it measures just 20-30 centimeters higher than the floor, it will be easy enough to access — ideally, our 3 story storage shelf should be 80 centimeters lower than the ceiling.
Next, we’re going to need some heating, and while the optimum choice is a boiler, it is an expensive system. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive list of heating options for all budgets:
Boiler:
A common radiator boiler would suffice. Steam is pumped into the pipes and through them, into your mushroom room. This takes care of both heating and moistening and is the favored choice in modern mushroom production.
Coal Stove:
While placing a pot filled with water on top of a coal stove would certainly humidify the air, the stove doesn’t heat the room evenly. Because of this, mushrooms are prone to ripen in varying timeframes which ultimately makes the harvest difficult. This option could still be utilized in square-shaped rooms without any problems. If extra moistening is required, spraying water on the walls and floor will help.
Central Heating:
This is the easiest solution to set up and use, but it is also very expensive. The moistening is done by spraying water on the walls and floor.
Gas Boiler: To use simple gas as an automatic heating system in mushroom production, some modifications are needed. A water pump, a steam sprayer and a power mechanism with temperature control are required. The water is heated and with the help of the sprayer, it is sent through the plastic pipes. The drawbacks are that the temperature and water level must always be checked, and ultimately, it is an expensive and somewhat hard method to employ.
Electric Heaters:
These can be distributed throughout the room and moisture can be generated by putting water pots near them. If you also create your own electricity -you can learn electric wiring codes locally, these can be a good solution as well.
Another Very Important Factor In Mushroom Production Is Control. We need to be able to determine the moisture level at all times, so a hygrometer is quite necessary. We also need a thermometer in order to check the room temperature as well as a glass thermometer to keep our compost’s heat in control.
Ventilation is also a concern — and that can be achieved with two high-powered fans that continually keep transferring used air out and fresh air in. The fan we’re going to use to draw air in should be positioned backwards – it does its job by way of a pipe so that the mushrooms are kept away from direct exposure. Just on the opposite side on the wall, a fan should be installed in order to draw out the bad air. Don’t forget to install a spore filter on the fans!
Watering Is a Very Tricky Issue When It Comes To Mushrooms. Never water them in traditional ways! Instead, spray water in very small particles by attaching a suitable diffuser hose pistol.
Sometimes it is necessary to use chemicals, so be sure to wear protective equipment. Breath masks, aprons, gloves, etc. are essential to the process in order to prevent exposure to chemicals in such closed spaces.
Next time, we’ll build on this article series by addressing various other aspects of mushroom production.
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Irrigation is pouring water to the soil using proper methods and in proper times as required by the plant growth as a result of insufficient rain. The success of irrigation depends on the selection of the most proper irrigation method as per the conditions and planning, projecting, establishing and operating the irrigation system necessary for that method. [click to continue…]
The main premise of the drip irrigation method is being able to water plants using a small amount of water delivered through pressurized pipes and drippers without creating problems that might otherwise arise from lack of moisture in the root zone.
One of the most important aspects of this method is that the watered zone is only along the plant line, leaving the rest of the field dry, thus using the least amount of water possible.
The advantages of the drip irrigation method are as follows:
- When water resources are scarce and costly, a much larger highly-targeted zone can be watered rather than covering the whole field with water.
- Because the watered zone is shadowed by the plant itself, evaporation is minimal and the consumption is lowered.
- The required moisture level in the root zone is maintained and the plant gets its water from the soil without using much energy. This is an important advantage that facilitates effective growth.
- Fertilizers can be used via the dripping system (where and when they are required), reducing the volume needed.
- The land between the plant rows remain dry and unwanted plant growth is prevented.
- The surface of the soil is dry which enables processing, medication, harvest and transfer work to be executed more easily and with minimal effort.
- Foliage remains dry, thus reducing the risk of disease.Moisture is spread through the root zone, contributing to properly aired soil.
- The output of each nozzle can be controlled with great efficiency, high water application efficiency and lower labour cost due to the automated system.
Drip Irrigation
Along with these advantages, there are some drawbacks that may restrict the usage of this method:
- The largest problem is that the drippers get clogged. To prevent this, water must be very well-filtered and chemicals must be used to clean out the system.
- Because the surface isn’t watered with the drip irrigation method, there is certain degree of salting. The salt is washed away if the zone receives more than 300mm yearly. If this isn’t the case with the location of the field, supportive surface watering methods must be employed.
- The initial cost of drip irrigation systems are very high, but if the plant grown has a large economical value, the ability to water a larger field will still make drip irrigation a viable option.
Overall, drip irrigation can be a very effective method for:
- Areas where a water source is limited
- The plant grown is sensitive to soil moisture
- Vegetable and fruit farms
- Growth of decorative plants
