Phase III, mycelium growth in the compost
After phase II, the compost is removed from the tunnel and is mixed with ‘spawn ’. ‘Spawn ’ consists of special prepared grains of wheat that continue to grow with the mushroom mycelium. From the ‘spawn ’ the mycelium continues to grow through the compost. This process takes a minimum of 14 to 18 days. At the end of this phase the compost is called “phase III-compost” or “full-grown compost”. This phase occurs both at the tunnel companies where phase II is carried out as well, as well as at the production farm . In the Netherlands and in the more developed mushroom countries, this phase occurs at the compost company.