Flammulina velutipes, commonly known as golden needle mushroom, is renowned for its remarkable regenerative branching ability. When the mushrooms are dried, new fruiting primordia often develop on the stalks, offering a great opportunity to cultivate high-quality mushrooms if managed properly. This technique allows for dense, uniform growth, with fine stems, closed caps, and an excellent appearance, leading to higher yields and superior quality. Below are the detailed cultivation methods:
First, place the fully colonized bags into the growing room and maintain a temperature between 12°C and 15°C. Once the fruiting bodies reach 2–3 cm in height—appearing as fibrous roots without open caps—open the bag mouth carefully. Gently roll down the material surface and press the existing fruit bodies to lay them flat. Spread the material evenly across the surface. If some mushrooms have already developed caps, trim them off to promote even growth.
Next, ensure proper ventilation after opening the bags. The stipes will begin to dry and turn brown within a day. About four days after opening (or five to six days at lower temperatures), the bacterial layer will dry out, and small white spots—indicating new fruiting bodies—will start to appear on the stems. When the stipes reach 2–3 cm in height and the caps are uniform in size, it's important to maintain good air circulation. Ventilate before covering with a wet cloth for 30–60 minutes, and open windows at night for about an hour. If the temperature exceeds 15°C, extend ventilation to 4–5 hours during the night.
Then, straighten the bag mouth when the stem diameter reaches 2–3 mm. If humidity is high or the stems are not drying quickly, pressing too hard may prevent bud division. In such cases, buds will grow from the stems the next day, resulting in longer, denser, and more uniform stipes.
Adjust the humidity accordingly. When the stipes grow to around 10 cm, ensure the air humidity stays above 85% by placing a damp cloth over the bag mouth or misting the cover paper. When the stipes reach 15 cm, the cap diameter should not exceed 13 mm. Harvest promptly once the product meets specifications. After harvesting, remove old mycelium and leftover stipes, let the surface dry for 1–2 days, then re-cover the bag with a loop and tampon. Cultivate for another 8–15 days to produce a second batch of mushrooms. If the substrate is dry, moisten the cloth before covering the bag mouth. The second round follows the same management steps as the first, ensuring consistent quality and yield throughout the growing cycle.