WHAT IS A MUSHROOM GROW KIT
A mushroom growing kit is a pre-colonized “fruiting block” which has not yet. into conditions that make it want to fruit mushrooms.
The mycelium covered block is contained in a mushroom grow bag. which can sit dormant for quite some time, especially if it’s kept cool in the fridge.
You can buy grow kits for a variety of different types of mushrooms, although. some species make for better kits than others. One of the most common types of mushrooms you will find in a grow kit is Pleurotus ostreatus. – the regular ol’ “oyster mushroom.”
Oyster mushrooms are pretty resilient to contamination, they fruit. and they can grow on a whole whack of different substrates.
They are super tenacious, and can fruit mushrooms even if conditions. aren’t picture perfect- making them an excellent choice for a kit.
Oysters also grow, which increases the chances of success. Most grow kits only need a few simple steps and minimal maintenance. although the chances of success and potential harvest size increases if the mushroom. block is prepare and placed in ideal conditions.
NEW TO GROWING MUSHROOMS?
Make your first grow successful with an easy to use kit! Three easy steps:
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Soak the kit in water.
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Scrape back some of the mycelium.
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Keep moist and near indirect light
OYSTER MUSHROOM KIT REVIEW
The mushroom grow kit I decided to try was the Back to the Roots Mushroom Mini Farm. This “mini farm” is an oyster mushroom grow kist which produces Pearl. Oyster Mushrooms– a tasty, fast growing. species that can withstand some neglect and still produce good results.
A perfect option for the home grower!
The kit itself is quite small, with the actual fruiting block weighing less than 2 lbs. With this low amount of substrate, I wasn’t expecting a whole ton of mushrooms- although. the point of the kit is more to experience the process of growing mushrooms. rather than for getting a huge harvest.
The fruiting block in a grow bag. The orange coloring is a normal metabolite.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Full disclosure: I bought the kit from the grocery store and left. it in the fridge for many months before I actually went to use it. I thought this might have an adverse effect on the kit. although, as you will see, the results were still actually quite good.
Opening the box, you can see that the kit is a colonized fruiting block in a small grow bag. Back to the Roots says that the substrate is recycle organic material. although I can’t quite tell exactly what it is.
The block passed the initial sniff test (to see if it’s contaminated). and was looking good- smelling like beautiful oyster mycelium should.
There was quite a bit of orange metabolite in the bag, but this is not. contamination and is usually nothing to worry about.
FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS
The instructions are dead simple, and seem to cater to new growers. who are unaware of the complex terminology involved in growing mushrooms.
scrape, soak and water.
In other words,
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cut a hole in the bag and rough up the mycelium,
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soak in water to re-hydrate and shock
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keep humid so that mushroom pins can form
One minor gripe I had was that the kit refers to the mycelium as “soil”. Although this kind of a good analogy, it’s not at all accurate. But, considering most people buying these kits aren’t. hardcore mushroom growers, I understand!
As per the instructions, I cut a small “x” in the front of the bag and scraped back some of the mycelium.
This “roughing up” of the outer layer reactivates the mycelium. and is helpful to start new growth and pinning.
I soaked the block face down in a bowl of water for 12 hours. The block floats, so if you wanted to, you could consider placing something heavy on top of the block to sink it. I opted to let it float, in hopes of the block soaking up the water.
This is an important step of mushroom grow kits
Mushroom fruiting bodies are up to 90% water, and pretty much. all that moisture needs to come from the fruiting block itself. If your mushroom block does not contain enough water, it will fail to fruit, or abort and new mushrooms that do form.
A fruiting block soaking in a bowl of water
FRUITING THE BLOCK
The third step in the instructions is “water”, and the kit instructs us to “sprinkle. 2-3 teaspoons of water per day on the scraped area until mushrooms are form” Again. these are good instructions for those who are new to growing mushrooms, but. the kit needs to be place in a humid environment with indirect light. This is no different than a typical fruiting. environment used when growing mushrooms from scratch.
I opted to leave the bag out of the box and place the kit in a shotgun fruiting chamber. I am sure this kit can be grown on your countertop without the SGFC, and that is the intention of the kit. Also, Pearl Oysters are tenacious fruiters in general.
That being , the chances of your block drying out and not fruiting at all are higher. if you don’t place it in a controlled environment like a SGFC. Plus, shotgun fruiting chambers are easy to make and can be use for any future mushroom project.
SEEING RESULTS!
It took about 15 days before the first pins showed up. This was longer than expected. It may be because the block was in the fridge for so long before use. Other than that, I am not sure why.
The SGFC was humid, the light was indirect, and the temperature was between 16-19 deg C.I did. not “spray” the block as was instruct and it is possible that this delayed fruiting. although direct misting before pinning is not a technique I generally use.
Once the pins arrived, growth was quite quick – the mushrooms were ready for harvest only 7. days from the first site of a pin. Again, this rapid growth is quite common for Oyster mushrooms in general. and Pearl Oysters in particular.
People also ask
Are mushroom grow kits worth it?
Mushroom grow kits are a great solution as they’re easy to use. and allow even the most inexperienced growers to produce fresh. gourmet mushrooms year round. But not all mushroom grow kits are equal, so it’s advisable. to research and find a reliable supplier who offers a grow guarantee.
Which mushroom kit is best?
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Best Oyster: Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit at Amazon
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Best Lion’s Mane: North Spore Lion’s Mane Mushroom Spray & Grow Kit at Amazon
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Best Pink Oyster:
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Best Shiitake: 2FunGuys Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit at Amazon
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Best Chestnut: Hernshaw Farms Big Chestnut Grow Kit at Etsy
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Best Grow Bag:
How long does a mushroom kit last?
How long do mushroom growing kits last? Each grow kit usually lasts for about 2-3 harvests, but this will. vary depending on the variety of grow kit you choose. Kits may produce more or less mushrooms in total before they expire and must be replace
What is the most valuable mushroom to grow at home?
Some easier to cultivate and sell but high value mushrooms are maitake. lion’s mane, and depending where you are shiitakes. The mushrooms that are the most profitable tend to be. mushrooms going for the supplement or health field rather than culinary.