- Click the link to check out our YouTube channel if you prefer video: FifthKingdomHQ
- Learn the lingo: check out our post on learning all the basic terminology of mycology
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Let’s get started!
First open the perforated section on the front of the package:
- Tear off the perforated piece of cardboard off of the front of the packaging, this is where the mushrooms will grow out of.
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Cut a small ‘X’ with a scalpel or a pair of scissors:
- The ‘X’ you cut serves as an access point for the emerging mushrooms. This step is essential for the mushrooms to push through the substrate during their growth. The ‘X’ allows the mushrooms to emerge easily while minimizing damage to the delicate mycelial network. It’s important to use a clean and sharp instrument like a scalpel or scissors to ensure precision and reduce the risk of contamination.
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Mist mushrooms 2-3 times a day to keep the humidity high. Mushrooms love high humidity!:
- Maintaining high humidity levels is crucial for successful mushroom cultivation. Mushrooms, especially during the fruiting stage, require elevated humidity to support the development of their caps and prevent them from drying out. Misting the environment 2-3 times a day replicates the natural conditions that mushrooms thrive in. This step helps ensure optimal moisture levels, fostering healthy growth and preventing issues like stunted development or irregular shapes.
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Mushrooms should be ready to harvest between 8-14 days. After a week, make sure to watch closely, as they can double in size in a single day!:
- The timeline for mushroom growth is a key aspect to monitor. The 8-13 day period indicates the approximate duration from the initiation of the fruiting stage to the optimal time for harvesting. However, individual mushrooms within the batch may mature at different rates. The cautionary note about closely monitoring them after a week highlights the rapid growth potential of mushrooms. Some varieties can double in size within a single day, emphasizing the need for vigilant observation to harvest them at their peak freshness and flavor.
What will my mushrooms look like when they are ready to harvest?
- For Oyster Mushrooms:
For Chestnut Mushrooms:
For Lion’s Mane Mushrooms:
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Check out our tasty recipes and enjoy the addition of these delicious and nutritious mushrooms:
- Beyond the cultivation process, this step encourages users to explore the culinary possibilities of the harvested mushrooms. Providing recipes not only adds value to the product but also enhances the overall experience for the consumer. It promotes creativity in the kitchen and offers a practical way to enjoy the fruits of their cultivation efforts.
How to ensure optimal growth and identify what your mushrooms may be missing:
- Mushrooms are the fruiting body of the fungi, so we must try to create the perfect conditions for the fungi mycelium to want to fruit. These conditions will mimic how these wood-lover mushrooms grow naturally, usually in a forest during a humid time of the year, with diffused sunlight and surroundings to block the wind so that the mushrooms don’t dry out, yet receive enough oxygen.
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Lack of humidity / too much airflow / growing temperatures too warm / too much sunlight
Mushrooms are made up of a majority of water, it is paramount that they have the required water content to grow properly! Too much heat or UV radiation from the sun is what causes issues with the mushroom growth. The use of LED grow lights during fruiting will make the mushrooms less prone to these issues.
How to identify: The mushrooms could be stunted in their growth and start to look more brittle.
Possible Causes: The mushrooms could dry out from being in direct sunlight, having too much evaporation due to heavy airflow, or not enough humidity. If you are misting 2 times a day, try increasing this to 4 or 5 times a day instead and/or increasing the amount of water you are spraying each time. If there is too much air flow try to shield the mushrooms, we suggest using the cardboard box that the kit came in. If there is too much sunlight, try moving the mushrooms to a shadier spot or utilizing LED lights to grow instead.
Lack of sunlight
Mushrooms need a good amount of light during their growth. Some mushroom farms run their grow lights over 12 hours per day! If you do not get much natural sunlight then it is best to place the mushrooms under a LED or even fluorescent lighting. With fluorescent lighting be careful of the heat it produces!
How to identify: The mushrooms may not form fully and have stunted growth after pinning. The mushrooms are more likely to be pale in color, this will be more apparent in colorful mushrooms like Golden or Blue oysters.
Possible Causes: The mushrooms could dry out from being in direct sunlight, having too much evaporation due to heavy airflow, or not enough misting. If you are misting 2 times a day, try increasing this to 4 or 5 times a day instead and/or increasing the amount of water you are spraying each time. If there is too much air flow try to shield the mushrooms, we suggest using the cardboard box that the kit came in. If there is too much sunlight, try moving the mushrooms to a shadier spot or utilizing LED lights to grow instead.