FAQ

What is the ideal temperature for a mushroom grow kit?

It depends on what type of mushroom you have. You will have the specific temperature range for each mushroom in your instructions. For example, Pink Oyster mushrooms generally enjoy warmer temperatures around 18-22 C (64-72 F), while Blue Oysters do best in colder temperatures between 16-20 C (60-68 F). Room temperature usually works for most mushrooms unless it’s a hot summer day and you don’t have an air conditioner. In that case, try to find a fan that can cool down the air around the mushroom block without being directly positioned on it, or keep the block in the basement if you have one.

How much light does the grow kit need?

Mushrooms do not have chlorophyll, so they do not need light to make food. However, some indirect light helps orient and encourage the mushrooms to grow as they would outdoors. If you’re using artificial light, you should turn it off nightly, so the mushrooms do not dry up. We strongly recommend you do not have the mushroom kit in direct sunlight. It will heat the plastic and will be too hot for the mushrooms

How many harvests can we get from one block?

We are able to get two harvests out of each block when we grow fresh mushrooms in the facility. Those will be the larger harvests. The mushrooms will take out a lot of the water content from the block. However, if you continue to mist frequently, the block and mushrooms should absorb the mist and can help get you a bonus one to three flushes of mushrooms. It depends on how the mycelium spread throughout the block, how many nutrients were used in the first harvests, the temperature in the room and the humidity. You will usually only get one harvest per side, since harvesting the mushrooms will take off some of the base. If you would like to try for the bonus harvests, try the smaller sides of the bag, then the top and bottom. We give some tips in our growing instructions that come with every grow kit.

The perfect spot to place our mushroom grow kit is right at the window. Is that OK?

If your window is in the shade, then it should be alright as long as you mist the mushrooms, keep the temperature within the recommended range, and follow our instructions and tips. However, you should not have the mushroom block in any direct sunlight. The mushrooms only need a bit of indirect light to help them grow – direct light will heat the bag. The mushrooms may also dry or grow differently if you have too much light or leave artificial lights on at night.

My Blue Oysters are white. My Lion’s Mane looks branchy. My Pink Oysters look faded. Should I throw them out?

Keep them! These appearances usually happen when it is too hot, when there is too much light, or when there is not enough air circulation. But do not worry; these mushrooms are still good to eat and will taste fine.

Do I keep the growing medium in the bag?

Yes, the bag retains the necessary moisture. If you remove the block from the bag, it will dry out quicker.

What happens if the growing medium has orange growth or becomes moldy?

If you have orange or black mold, it unfortunately means your mushroom block is contaminated. You should carefully dispose of it as soon as you can. The orange substance can be powdery, so avoid breathing it in. If there is green mold in a small area of the block away from the mushrooms, you can try to remove it with a knife before it spreads throughout the block. If the contamination happens before your first harvest, please take a picture and contact us. All of our grow kits are hand-selected once they develop enough mycelium and are close to growing mushrooms. Most of the contamination would happen before that phase when the mycelium is not fully developed. Nevertheless, if the temperature is too hot (usually more than 25 Celsius) or the block is overly wet, there is a higher chance for contamination.

Where can I find the instructions?

We provide step-by-step instructions in your grow kit as well as additional tips.

I am getting a grow kit as a gift for someone. How long can I keep it before setting it up?

You should set up the grow kit as soon as you can, but likely no later than three days. When we decide a mushroom block is ready for a grow kit, it is because the mycelium has grown enough in the bag and will soon be growing primordia, or baby mushrooms. As such, the block must have enough oxygen to breathe and enough moisture as well to grow gorgeous and healthy mushrooms. You may have some leeway, but if you see growth from the block, you should cut your x-shaped holes near these spots so the mushrooms do not have too much carbon dioxide (CO2) around them. If you decide to wait up to three days after receiving the grow kit, keep it in a cool place and out of direct sunlight so the mycelium does not overheat.

Why do we keep the mushroom block inside the bag? Why is it a single-use bag?

Our mushrooms naturally decompose hardwood trees. With hardwood pellets in the growing medium, the polypropylene bags mimic tree bark. The mushrooms seek the spots in the bark – or in this case, the holes in the bag – where they will receive the oxygen they need. Polypropylene bags are also durable and withstand the heat of our sterilization process.

Why do we need a humidity tent instead of growing out of the box?

We want to give you the best chance to grow as many happy mushrooms as the block allows. Part of that means the humidity must be between 80% and 90%. It would be uncomfortable for humans to live in that humidity level, let alone that heaters and air conditioners reduce humidity as well. The humidity tent is the large clear bag that you will slide the mushroom block into. It will contain the humidity for the block alone.

Why are your grow kits more expensive than others we can buy online and elsewhere?

Most grow kits available online weigh about one kilogram and cost between $26.00 and $30.00. Our grow kits weigh three kilograms. You can get three times the amount of mushrooms over the competitors. We also hand-select which blocks are mature enough to lower the chances of contamination when the grow kit gets to you.

Can I place my grow kit underneath a grow lamp or heat lamp like my plants?

No, we do not recommend putting your grow kit beside any heat source. Mushrooms are not plants and do not require light for food. A heat source directly beside the grow block will overheat the bag and harm the fungi inside it. Only some indirect light will help orient the mushrooms without overheating or drying out the block.

What do I do with this humidity tent? Can I just leave it off and spray the mushrooms directly?

The tent (large clear plastic bag that goes over the block) will give you a much better chance of achieving and maintaining the humidity your mushrooms need to grow. The humid environment within the bag is what mushrooms love (and need) to grow in. All you have to do is put it over the block and stand it up. If you find it flopping over, you can try flipping it inside out and then putting it over the block. When you mist the humidity tent, simply lift up the tent, mist the inside of the bag with about 15 to 20 pumps on the spray bottle, and place back overtop.

I have a Chestnut, Black King Oyster or Pioppino grow kit. It's been two weeks, I've been misting at least three to five times everyday and following the instructions, but no mushrooms are growing yet. What do I do?

You are actually on the right track! These mushrooms take longer to grow after the holes are cut than the other Oyster mushrooms and Lion's Mane. They take closer to three weeks to grow. You may not see anything happening until that point, but if you are following the instructions then it is likely going well.

We still have a lot of mushrooms left and we are worried they could spoil. What should we do?

You should store Oyster mushrooms in a plastic or Ziploc bag. Other mushrooms store better in a paper bag. You can check our recipes page for some potential recipes you may like, but even sautéing or stir-frying them can briefly extend their shelf life or preserve the taste and texture when frozen. If you have a food dehydrator, you can put your mushrooms in there for about 11-14 hours, and then they will last for up to a year in a cool place, such as a fridge or freezer. You can eat dehydrated mushrooms as chips, or you can eventually rehydrate them in boiled water for 30 minutes before adding to sauces, soups, and what have you. You may also want to put the dried mushrooms in a blender to make a mushroom powder, which is still rich in nutrients and adds another depth of flavour to any meal.

What ingredients are in the growing mixture and compost? Is there soil?

We have the Masters Mix and the Supplemented Sawdust mix. The Masters Mix contains hardwood pellets, soy bean hulls, millet that carry the mushroom spores, and water. The Masters Mix is for Blue, Pink, Snow, Italian and Yellow Oyster mushrooms, as well as Lion's Mane and Pioppino mushrooms. The Supplemented Sawdust mix contains hardwood pellets, wheat bran, a small amount of gypsum powder, and the millet to carry the spores. It is used for Chestnut, Shiitake, Black King Oyster and Reishi mushrooms. The compost will have everything plus the mycelium that developed on the block.