Outdoor Mushroom Beds & Garden Cultivation
Establish outdoor beds of wine cap and other robust species using wood chips, straw and garden companion planting.
An overview of what you will study and build.
Outdoor Mushroom Beds and Garden Cultivation shows how to grow mushrooms outside, using the same materials gardeners already handle: wood chips, straw and leaf litter. You will learn which species tolerate outdoor conditions, with particular attention to wine cap, and how to build beds that colonise well and fruit for several seasons. The course covers integrating mushroom beds into vegetable gardens, orchards and permaculture systems, timing work around local seasons, and dealing with slugs, wild fungi and other competitors.
Outdoor beds need little equipment and can turn garden waste into food while improving soil structure, which makes them attractive to gardeners, small farms and community projects. Results depend on understanding local climate and site conditions. This course suits gardeners, permaculturists and farmers with an interest in low-input production. In the final project you design an outdoor mushroom bed system for your own garden or land, with species choice, bed materials, placement, seasonal calendar and maintenance plan, reviewed by your professor.
6 modules, one growing line of knowledge.
Hover or tap a module to follow the path from the first session to the final project. Open a module to see the topics it covers.
- Wine cap and its growth habit
- Other robust outdoor species
- Choosing species for your climate
- Wood chip bed construction
- Straw beds and layering
- Inoculation methods outdoors
- Beds between vegetables and fruit trees
- Mushrooms in permaculture designs
- Effects on soil and mulch
- Best times to build beds
- Shade, moisture and frost
- Planning a seasonal calendar
- Slugs, insects and animals
- Wild fungi and look-alikes
- Keeping beds productive
- Recognising harvest stage
- Safe identification of your crop
- Topping up and renewing beds
Outdoor Mushroom Beds & Garden Cultivation
By the end you will be able to:
- Choose mushroom species suited to outdoor cultivation in your climate.
- Build and inoculate wood chip and straw beds.
- Integrate mushroom beds into gardens and permaculture systems.
- Plan bed work around seasons and local weather.
- Harvest safely and renew beds for continued production.
Where this programme sits in the school.
Where this programme can take you.
Roles and uses that build on what you learn here. Outcomes depend on your experience and local market.
- Gardener adding mushrooms to home production
- Market gardener diversifying crops
- Permaculture designer
- Community garden coordinator
- Garden educator running mushroom workshops
Requirements, assessment and certificate.
Admission requirements
No prior knowledge is required. Access to a garden, allotment or small plot of land is recommended for the practical exercises.
How you are assessed
Progress is assessed through participation in live sessions and practical exercises after each module. The professor reviews the final project and provides written feedback.
Final project
An outdoor mushroom bed system for the student's garden or land, with species, materials, placement, seasonal calendar and maintenance plan.
Certificate
Course Certificate
On completing the programme and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Accreditations are assessed according to the training completed and the local regulations of each country.
How the programme grows, phase by phase.
- Species for Outdoor Cultivation
- Wood Chip and Straw Beds
- Integrating Mushrooms in Gardens
- Seasonal Timing and Climate
- Managing Pests and Wild Competitors
- Harvesting and Bed Renewal
Related searches
Questions about this programme
Do I need experience to study Outdoor Mushroom Beds & Garden Cultivation?
No prior knowledge is required. Access to a garden, allotment or small plot of land is recommended for the practical exercises.
How is Outdoor Mushroom Beds & Garden Cultivation taught?
Live online, in 6 modules with a working professional, a small group and a final project.
How am I assessed?
Progress is assessed through participation in live sessions and practical exercises after each module. The professor reviews the final project and provides written feedback.
What is the final project?
An outdoor mushroom bed system for the student's garden or land, with species, materials, placement, seasonal calendar and maintenance plan.
What certificate do I get?
On completing the programme and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Accreditations are assessed according to the training completed and the local regulations of each country.
What can I study after Outdoor Mushroom Beds & Garden Cultivation?
The natural next step is Diploma in Gourmet Mushroom Production.
Read before you start.
CultivationHow to Grow Shiitake on Logs: A Step-by-Step Outdoor GuideLog-grown shiitake takes patience, but a well-made stack of logs can fruit for several years. Here is how to do it step by step, from cutting wood to harvest.Read the article 
CultivationHow to Grow Oyster Mushrooms at Home: Step-by-Step GuideOyster mushrooms are the most forgiving gourmet species to grow. This step-by-step guide takes you from straw and spawn to your first harvest, and on to a small farm.Read the article Keep branching.
From our species guide.
EdibleGolden oyster mushroomPleurotus citrinopileatusGilled mushroomsEdibleOyster mushroomPleurotus ostreatusGilled mushrooms
EdibleShaggy ink capCoprinus comatusGilled mushrooms
EdibleSheathed woodtuftKuehneromyces mutabilisGilled mushrooms
EdibleWine capStropharia rugosoannulataGilled mushrooms
EdibleWood blewitLepista nudaGilled mushroomsJoin the next intake.
Pay in full with a 20% reduction, or reserve your place with 40% and pay the rest in monthly instalments. All prices are stated in US dollars (USD).