The Mushroom Cultivator. Practical Guide to growing Mushrooms at home (2024)

FAQs

What is the easiest way to grow mushrooms for beginners? ›

Spray-and-grow kits, a block of colonized substrate inside a small box, make for the easiest way for beginners to get started. “They're inexpensive. You get a lot of mushrooms out of them. And they're super easy,” says Lynch.

High humidity – mushrooms need about 90% humidity to fruit really well. Airflow – mushrooms need a good amount of fresh air exchange (called FAE in mushroom lingo) to fruit properly.

Gypsum is a mineral that helps speed up the mushroom growing process in small amounts.

The 3 types of mushrooms that are easiest to grow at home are oyster, white button, and Shiitake. The method for growing each mushroom is similar, but the ideal growing medium differs. Oyster mushrooms grow best in straw; Shiitakes grow best on hardwood sawdust; button mushrooms grow best in composted manure.

Choosing the Right Space

Look for a cool, dark, and well-ventilated area in your home. A basem*nt, spare room, or even a large closet can be transformed into an ideal environment for mushroom cultivation.

Physical damage to the hypha stimulates fruit body formation in mushrooms [8,10]. The other explanation involves the activation of enzymes. Some enzymes are activated by applying a high voltage, and consequently, mushroom fruit bodies develop abundantly [5].

Very little energy is required, basically the cells just enlarge with water. So a mushroom can increase in size as fast as water can be pumped into its cells. Almost overnight a mushroom can go from a pin head to a large mushroom.

Fresh air, humidity, light, and temperature are the four main environmental variables that trigger fruiting from fully colonized substrates.

During the colonization phase, the mycelium needs oxygen to grow and develop. The mycelium uses O2 to break down nutrients and convert them into energy that is needed for growth. Furthermore, O2 is also necessary for the fruiting phase of mushroom cultivation.

How do you encourage mushroom fruiting? ›

To initiate fruiting, lowering temperatures and increasing oxygen levels generally encourages mushroom formation. Initiation can be in the form of cold shocking, water shocking or introducing more oxygen by cutting a hole in the bag.

Another easy, inexpensive option for growing mushrooms at home is inoculated sawdust in a plastic bag. These come in kit versions, but you can also make them yourself. Store them in a bathroom where it is dark and moist and you'll start to see flushing pretty quickly.

Where to Grow Mushrooms. Mushrooms like dark, cool, and humid growing environments. When you're growing mushrooms at home, a place like your basem*nt is ideal, but a spot under the sink could also work. Before you start growing, test out your spot by checking the temperature.

Some of the best edible mushrooms to grow at home include: white caps, brown caps, Portobello, Shiitake, Morels, Oyster mushrooms, Pearl Oyster mushrooms, Enoki, Maitake, Lion's Mane, Wine caps, and Chanterelles.

Lion's Mane Growing Kit

They are also one of the easiest, and one of the most delicious… a perfect candidate for a beginner growing at home! For Lion's Mane, as long as the humidity is above 60% RH, you can simply cut “x's” in the side of the bag and wait.

Oyster mushrooms are by far the best mushrooms to grow at home for beginners. They come in many varieties, including pearl oysters, king oysters, and strikingly colorful pink, blue, and golden oysters.

A smaller tent, such as a 2x2 or 3x3, can work well for smaller-scale mushroom production. Ensure the tent is lightproof, as mushrooms require darkness to develop properly. Set up the tent in a clean, well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight and extreme temperature fluctuations.