Fascinated by fungi? Or ever marvelled at the mysteries of mushrooms? Then this two-day course is for you!

Starting out with a brief introduction to fungal biology, diversity and ecology, we will explore how incredibly strange and important this hidden Kingdom of Fungi is to us and all life on Earth. Once we’ve established a good understanding of what fungi are, we will then work practically with several outdoor and indoor growing techniques that can be applied to produce a range of delicious edible fungi in any home, garden or allotment.

The course will cover:

• An introduction to the biology, life cycles and ecology of fungi
• Growing fungi in ground level and raised bed systems
• Log cultivation and natural culture techniques
• Choice species of edible and medicinal fungi
• Site selection and observations
• Choosing and grading substrate
• Irrigation, care and maintenance
• Sterile cultivation techniques on a budget
• Grain spawn, production blocks and sawdust spawn
• Fruiting chambers and dealing with pests

This course is open to anyone with an interest in fungi and is suitable for total beginners, through to those who have some experience but would like to learn better techniques. It will be taught by mycologist Rich Wright (Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Avon Wildlife Trust) and fungi cultivator Patrick Mallery (Upcycled Mushrooms).

Comments from previous participants:

“This has been a seriously interesting course and I feel like I’ve opened the door to a fascinating world that I knew very little about before. Rich used very accessible language and teaching styles which were greatly appreciated.”

"Rich's and Patrick's knowledge and experience combine to give you a good overview and introduction to the world of fungi combined with practical in-depth step-by-step cultivation tuition."

“Excellent delivery from an extremely knowledgeable tutor. Interesting and fun! The weekend of learning has been inspiring and has held my attention from start to finish.”

Terms and conditions: Please note that refunds will only be able to be made if requested 7 days prior to the event date (2nd June 2018) or earlier, refunds will not be available after this time. Refunds if requested will be returned minus the Billetto booking fee.