Are there any crops that can grow in the dark?

Question

I know that mushrooms can. Is there anything else? It doesn';t matter if the produce is of good quality, but I'm interested in knowing if you can get anything edible from crops grown in the dark.

Answer 1

The answer is no. No true plants can be grown in total darkness, only the fungi, mushrooms, like you said. All of the example given here, the plants have to have some light for photosynthesis in their life cycle. Seedlings can grow in darkness as long as it is getting energy from the seed but as soon as that runs out they will die. Potatoes can grow for a long time in darkness because it has a lot of energy stored up in the potato, but eventually it will die for lack of food and can not reproduce. As far as getting anything edible from plants grown in the dark, you could get sprouts, which are seedlings grown in the dark. Other foods you could produce would be grown for a period of time in darkness but must also have some light.

Answer 2

Here you can find a nice step by step guide on how to grow mushrooms at home http://www.goobypls.com/r/rd.asp?gid=573

If you always liked mushrooms, mushroom growing is a great way to assure your family of a regular supply of this excellent food. Many people think that growing mushrooms takes some special kind of skill, or at least extremely specialized growing conditions. But this is absolutely not true. In reality, mushrooms are as easy to grow as anything else, and can be a good deal easier to grow than many kinds of food.
Cheers.

Answer 3

White asparagus among other things. As soon as it sprouts it is covered from sunlight and left to grow in the dark. Without the sun, photosynthesis doesn't happen and it doesn't turn green. Not only that, people think it is some type of exotic veggie and pay 3-4 times as much for it.

Answer 4

I laughed, my first thought was mushrooms.

I think all crops get some growth in the dark. It's Summer, it's hot in the Sun,
night's are cooler, dew in the morning.

In can't think of anything else that lives in total darkness.

Answer 5

Cardoons (white loaf chicory) are grown in the dark although you have to grow the plants in the light for a year beforehand.

Answer 6

Mushrooms!! Yes, mushrooms. You keep them in the dark and feed them ****. That's how I feel, like a big mushroom.

Answer 7

most crops do their growing at night but if you are referring to the absence of light,the mushroom and fungus families grow in the dark.

Answer 8

Actually all growth takes place in the dark and not in the light.

But all plants require light for growth -- even those mentioned.

When the sun-sets is when the biggest spurts of growth take place.

Answer 9

I think most do. Remember there are many crops grown for animals, especially in this are. Such as hay, grain, corn, peanuts, and more. Then we have the garden types with the vegetables for human consumption. They are pollinating all the time. Most of them grow more in the sunshine, except maybe the root food.....xx

Answer 10

Rhubarb. It is called forced growing and happens in Yorkshire in what is known as the Rhubarb Triangle