Grow Your Own Kits
Directions and Tips
Directions
1. Use a butter knife to pop out the perforated square in the box. Using a sharp, clean knife slice an X in the bag as large as the hole in the box. Cut away the triangles to have a clean hole exposing the mushroom mycelium to fresh air and light. It is ok if you cut into the mycelium.
2. Place your box in indirect sunlight or in a room lit at least 4 hours a day. Next to your kitchen sink is a great place to provide extra humidity. Mist the block 2-3 times a day (at least 8-10 pumps of the spray bottle). until you see baby mushrooms or “pins” forming. This should happen within 1-2 weeks. Once the pins are formed, mist the air next to the block 2-3 times a day, avoid misting the pins and fruits directly.
3. Once the pins are formed you will notice much smaller ones that have not matured. Pick these off with clean hands to send more energy to the growing mushrooms. Your mushrooms will be ready to harvest about 5-7 days after the first pins have formed. Harvest when the caps start to flatten out, before they turn up. Harvest by gently grabbing the base of the stem and peel away from the block. With clean hands, also pick off any remaining small pins. These are too small to enjoy and need to be removed to make room for your next harvest. Refer to the safe handling instructions on how to store you mushrooms if you do not eat them right away.
4. You may continue the growing process up to 6 times after your first harvest. Just continue to mist as directed in step 2. After the first harvest the block may be susceptible to contamination. *(see tips) If you see mold growing on your block, it is time to get a new one! After aging your spent block outside for 6 months it would be a great compost addition to any garden.
Tips For Success
🍄You can make a humidity dome for your mushrooms to help them grow larger. Using a plastic bag, cut many holes in the bag and tent it over the block using small garden stakes. Place the bag on the stakes so that the bag sits 5-8 inches above the block to provide adequate air flow. Mist the inside of the bag instead of the mushroom block. You can make a humidity dome out of all sorts of containers you might have in your house. Grape containers, cottage cheese containers, the base of a 2-liter bottle and old rubbermaid containers work well. Poke a generous amount of holes in the container you choose and use stakes or skewers to prop it up approximately 4-6 inches above the mushrooms/grow box. Post pictures of your successful humidity domes on our facebook page for 15% off your next order!
🍄 If you are in Colorado or a dry climate, your block may need extra misting. Before the pins form and in between harvests is a great time to get the block extra moisture by spritzing extra and more frequently if possible.
🍄If at any point you notice the block looking dry or cracking, you can soak the block in distilled water in a large bowl. Put the cut side of the bag down and place something on the block to weigh it down and keep submerged. After 24 hours, dry the outside of the bag and return it to its box. Resume misting.
🍄 Normal mushroom mycelium is white and wispy. The mold you are watching out for will typically not be white but green or black. If it is white it is most likely the healthy mushroom mycelium preparing for your next harvest. If you aren’t sure, contact us with a picture.