Tasty, meaty and succulent…
Just a few words to describe the superfood, mushrooms.
We’ve eaten so many yet still feel daunted by the thought of growing them.
You’ll feel confident to grow your own at home in just a few minutes
Not Much Time? Skip To What You'd Like To Learn...
What Is A Mushroom Growing Kit?
Why Buy A Kit?
How Does A Mushroom Growing Kit Work?
5 Health Benefits Of Eating Mushrooms
Common Types Of Mushrooms In Kits
Optimal Environment
Which Vessel To Grow In?
Indoor Vs Outdoor Growing
Magic Mushroom Growing Kits
Buying Considerations
Top 10 Mushroom Growing Kits Of 2019
What Is a Mushroom Growing Kit?
An all-in-one solution for those looking to grow mushrooms at home. Whether for your child’s school project, your new kitchen hobby or just as a great gift, growing is an enjoyable pastime!
Nurturingfungi andseeing them grow and then creating delicious recipes for all of your family. There’s nothing that compares to growing your own dinner.
Included below is everything you need to know, consider and think about before buying your own.
Why Buy One?
1. Reconnecting With What You Eat as our lives become increasingly busy it’s far too easy to lose the connection between what we eat and where that food has come from. There is a profound sense of enjoyment that comes from nurturing, watching and experiencing this process.
2. Perfect Gift give to a friend or loved one this isn’t a present they will open, smile and forget. They will enjoy the process of “seed to feed”, for months to come!
3. Educational Toy ideal for children and young adults. Let them learn the process of growing mushrooms, during which they will discover the fun science behind growing.
4. Save Money a high quality kits will flush frequently, potentially for months into the future. Producing kilograms of mushrooms and in turn saving you money. Especially if your preference is for the more expensive varieties.
5 Health Benefits Of EatingFungi
Often thrown around loosely are terms like “superfood” or “miracle cures” however with mushrooms scientific research may prove that they’re just that…
1. Make You Live Longer fungicontain tonnes of antioxidants which are reported to promote anti-aging and the natural healing process in our bodies (source)
2.Improve Digestion reportedly improving the health of “good bacteria” within the gut
3. Fight Cancer containing bioactivities which are proven to be anti-cancer causing (source)
4. Reduce Inflammation reported to help reduce the symptoms associated with inflammation too (source)
5. Cardiovascular Disease certain species are reported to treat cardiovascular disease risk factors (source)
CommonVarieties Of Fungi Found In Kits
Shiitake Mushrooms: Originating from East Asia this is a popular variant in traditional herbal medicine. Often smaller in size and meatier in texture they appear frequently in vegetarian recipes. A lot of people refer to this as the best tasting mushroom.
Oyster Mushrooms: To be eaten raw or cooked this mushroom is commonly bought from both supermarkets and farmers markets. Slightly chewy in texture they often accompany meat dishes or as a meat substitute.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom: Found all over the world this beautiful mushroom is best to be eaten on its own. Saute in a pan and serve fresh, no complex recipes needed, often noted to resemble the taste of seafood - this sure is a unique fungi.
Reishi Mushrooms: A beautiful flat kidney shaped mushroom it’s bitter and tough in texture. Due to its herbal healing properties it’s often consumed as tea in specific dosed amounts. This mushroom is one to watch out for due to its potentially toxic effects. Consult a health professional before taking.
Portobello Mushrooms: Possibly the most eaten mushroom in the western world, to which this mushroom is native. Thick, dense and meaty they were marketed as a great alternative to meat in the 1980’s. They can be eaten alone or accompany almost any dish.
Optimal Environment
See Also
What's the Best Light for Mushroom Growing?Mushroom Grow Kit Manual | Tip & Tricks | SiriusHow To Grow Mushrooms Continuously: A Step-By-Step Guide - GreenHouslyThe Ultimate Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home with a Mushroom Grow Kit — RyzaEach mushroom requires a specific environment to grow best in depending on the variety of mushroom. The main factors outlined below will need to be considered before growing. Most kits are pre-made and only containvarieties that can be grown indoors or in almost any environment. Meaning that 80% of the kits grow just a few species of mushroom.
Factors to consider...
Environment mushrooms favour dark and dank conditions, such as damp woodland in autumn. When growing at home to replicate this condition it could be advised to place the mushroom kit under the sink or in your basem*nt.
Temperature too cold and they won’t grow too hot and you risk killing them. When picking the ideal spot inside your home look for a consistent temperature of between 55-80F, above 80F you may kill them, below 50F they may not grow at all. Also make sure to avoid direct drafts from A/C units or heaters, this change will affect the yield of mushrooms.
Soil PH it’s key you keep the ph steady between 6.5 - 7.5 for optimal growth. Too high or low you will promote other spawn and mould growth which will affect your mushroom yield.
Which Vessel To Grow In?
Inoculated Log
Most commonly grown on logs are shiitake mushrooms although many other species will grow too. Best suited to being left alone outside they’re low maintenance and easy to produce. Normally coming pre inoculated with wax on the outside to protect the mycelium. You will need to find a suitable outdoor environment to start to see growth.
Sawdust / Hay Block
The easiest of environments to maintain and grow in. Often Oyster Mushroom kits are grown in sawdust blocks. A straw growing kit must have the straw pressure sterilised but after that they normally just require misting twice per day until fully grown. Easy to maintain and less mess too - perfect for indoor growing.
Indoor Vs Outdoor Growing
Indoor growing is the most popular choice for beginners. The main advantages is that the indoor mushroom growing kits provide is that they generally require less work and maintenance. When you’re new to growing it’s very encouraging and exciting to see rapid growth!
Growing outside, in your garden or yard, tends to favour more experienced or adventurous growers. They can be seasonal in nature and may take a few seasons before they start to spawn. If you’re looking to experiment and have time on your hands this could be a fun project.
Magic Mushroom Growing Kits
Magic mushrooms are illegal in almost every country, due to their psychedelic properties. Growing psychedelic mushrooms or being in possession of magic mushrooms is also strictly illegal.
Surprisingly there are magic kits available to purchase online in the USA. This is because the spores and mycelium of psychedelic mushrooms is not illegal, according to an article published by The Third Wave.
Considerations
See Also
How to grow mushrooms at home – 3 of the best and easiest ways to cultivate your own shrooms