Step 1: Creating the right environment

Your grow kit needs to be cool and humid while growing. A garage or basement provide an excellent environment but it is also possible to grow anywhere at home. To create the right humidity we recommend growing our kits inside a Rubbermaid tote. Use a wet towel on the bottom and sides to help create a “microclimate.” DO NOT grow your mushrooms with the lid on though, that will suffocate the mycelium. Your mushrooms will produce Co2 and need fresh air to breath just like you do. Use a spray bottle to wet the inside of the tub and the mushrooms if they look like they are too dry. Cooler temperatures will produce the highest quality mushrooms but will grow the slowest. 60-65 degrees is a good balance for growing most varieties. There are many other methods that work to create a microclimate, use your creativity to find a way that works for you in your space.

Step 2: Preparing your grow kit

Your grow kit is a sealed inside a special mushroom bag. The air inside the bag is Co2 produced by the mycelium and it breathes and consumes the material. In this step you will trigger the mushrooms by cutting the bag to expose a small section of the block to fresh air and humidity. Start by deflating the bag by cutting a small notch in the top corner. Tuck the bag down tight around the block. Next each variety is cut a different way to maximize your harvest size. There are several varieties that “top fruit” very well and are an exception to deflating the bag as you just cut the top of the bag off instead. These varieties are king oyster and piopinno. DO NOT remove the entire block from the bag. The only variety that will produce mushrooms in this way is shiitake.

Oyster varieties
Including: blue, king blue, scallop, snow, pink, yellow, elm

Black pearl

Lions Mane

King oyster

Chestnut

Piopinno