Would you like more information about our Spray and Grow mushroom kits? We’ve put together a list of the most FAQ’S.
Our Spray & Grow Kits don’t need specific training or maintenance as they are created specifically for novices. Their inside blocks have a weight of roughly 4lbs. The species have exceptional adaptability and vitality. They are a wonderful present & these come with a spray bottle!
Our fruiting block kits need a little more attention & they are bigger in size of approximately 5lbs as compared to spray & grow kit, so they can yield more mushrooms. The fruiting blocks perform best in a regulated & controlled setting. They are prepared to be grown in fruiting chamber such as Martha Tent.
Your Spray & Grow Kit contains a living organism so we advise to activate it as soon as it is received. You may keep them in a cold & dry spot where direct sunlight cannot reach or also in the refrigerator for around two to three months if you must have to wait.
Keep in mind: Some mushrooms like pink oyster mushrooms cannot be kept in the refrigerator since they cannot withstand temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Alternatively, store them somewhere else, such as a cool dungeon, pantry, or shaded porch.
Species in our kits can begin to fruit in the bag after storing them for few weeks as they are robust & in good health. Therefore, we have given guidelines for activating & preserving kits as some receivers could be alarmed or surprised but it’s not a problem.
While they are growing, our Spray & Grow Kits should remain in the bag (and inside the box).
Cut an X into the uncovered plastic after removing the box’s front flap along the punctured marks. Enough oxygen reaches the block, causing the mushrooms to grow there through this incision. Always keep in mind that plastic X flaps will assist to keep the humidity inside the bag so they should be retained on the bag; they’ll assist keep humidity inside. Since the mushrooms will readily grow out of the bag once they fruit, there is no need to cut the X further.
5- 10 sprays every time are sufficient, it is crucial to thoroughly wet the spot where you cut & open the bag, but there is no need to empty the bottle after each spray. After some experimentation, trial and error you will be able to find the ideal timing and dosage. If you notice the surface is particularly dry, you should spray it more frequently or give it a little more water. In Air Conditioned or dry environment, to prevent your block from drying out by using a moisture cover will be helpful.
It is improbable that any other rival species would develop in your kit as a specified & chosen mushroom sample was injected into your kit in a clean setting. If you want to confirm that the growing specie is the right one, you can take a picture and email it to us for verification. For future use save the front-facing image on your kit bag or box.
The golden oyster kits occasionally resemble lion’s mane mushroom when they start to develop pins i.e, baby mushroom. So, they are the reason we get this question the most. The start to grow as entirely white, their caps have a disticnt yellow color, look like blob and as they grow older they develop a shelf- like structure. Wait for a day or two to see the yellow cap if you’re doubtful.
Mistakes do happen occasionally by humans; it can be conceivable that mushroom bag was included in incorrect box. Please get in touch, we aim to remediate the situation, if this seems like what occurred.
It’s Mycelium, that’s not mold, it’s totally normal and healthy for your mushroom block. Your kit comes with a mushroom mycelium growing through it & an amended sawdust block. The block may appear covered with a soft, white, mold-like substance, it is more prominent than others in some species. For example, oysters can develop into a very thick and leathery mat than lion’s mane mycelium that tends to be finer and more difficult to see. Reach out to us with a photo & and we will help you identify what’s going on, if you are still unsure about what’s growing on your kit.
It is possible that your kit was damaged during transit & has mold if it has black, green, or orange patches. Send us a photo & we’ll make it right.
You had recently received your Spray & Grow Kit, but there seems to be a problem. We want to ensure that you successfully harvest some mushrooms so we’ll assist you in resolving difficulties.
Check your kit first at the time of arrival and do not throw the packing. There is a batch-specific sticker that is placed on the bottom bag in each kit, to record quality control and these numbers will be useful when you need to contact someone on our team. Please contact us with some pictures, if you notice any odd colors (green, black) before opening your bag. We’ll be able to identify the problem and can send you a replacement kit, if something went wrong during shipping. Additionally a hea;thy kit possess a white or off-white mycelium meandering through its brown substrate with a muddy odour.
Movement during shipment can make this to happen commonly. Before slicing it open to begin the fruiting process, we advise to gently push the block back together while it’s still in the bag and giving it some more time to up to a week to bounce back. If your bag is already open, making sure to keep the block wet, mash it as lightly as you can together. It is advised to us a humidity tent by grabong a garbage bag or other large loose bag, and make several 1/2″ holes all over it as for proper growth mushrooms require fresh air. Spray the inside of you bag daily and place the bag over your block. Once you see young mushrooms forming (pinning) remove the bag and continue spraying the block.
There are a number of possible factors why your mushroom block appears “lifeless” or as if nothing is happening.
Particularly when compared to oyster kits, lion’s mane mycelium is renowned to be finer and more difficult to see. If you have a lion’s mane kit and the block stays together, it could be challenging to see the mycelium. It’s possible that the block got split during shipping and will take some time to heal in case of other kits. Make sure to keep it moist & see whether the mycelium emerges more clearly after a few days. We’ll send you a replacement as all of our kits come with a two-week fruiting guarantee.
It’s likely that the bag was damaged during shipping, and these cunning animals decided to settle in. Mushrooms are not just a favourite food of humans. Send us a few pictures and we’ll replace it for you. You might try these tactics to see if you can still fruit it outside while waiting for a new kit to arrive.
You can use a humidity tent if you notice dryness in your mushroom block and hasn’t yet grown any mushrooms. It is advised to us a humidity tent by grabong a garbage bag or other large loose bag, and make several 1/2″ holes all over it as for proper growth mushrooms require fresh air. Spray the inside of you bag daily and place the bag over your block. Once you see young mushrooms forming (pinning) remove the bag and continue spraying the block.
If your block still seems dry using the humidity tent or if your block has produced once or twice and dried out in between, you can give it a boost by soaking it in some water. Take your bag out of the box and let it soak, cut side down, in a bowl of water for an hour for oysters. Keep an eye for a lion’s mane kit & soak it for 10-15 minutes, soaking for too long can result in the block disintegration if you soak them for too long as the mycelium of these mushrooms tends to be more delicate. Before putting the block back in the box, pat it dry. Spray as you would 2-3 times per day, if you live in an arid or dry climate a little extra than usual.
This is quite typical; it seems like you have a fairly robust kit! If you’re cultivating oysters, lion’s mane, pioppino, or chestnut instead you can disregard any mushrooms that may be growing within your bag. You can start over you can cut them off and discard them if they are readily available.
When the mushrooms are young and just start to grow, their tops may have strange, crooked appearances. When there’s insufficient hydration or oxygen, the mushrooms may distort as they develop. Lanky, stringy or scant mushrooms may require more ventilation, you can try transferring them somewhere airier, or position a fan close by so let them breathe.
You might try using a moisture tent for the mushrooms with unusual shapes may require additional moisture. Moisture problems can cause lion’s mane to become yellow. They can quickly become water-logged, if they are sprayed directly. Try to spray them with spritzer bottle from a greater distance instead of saturating them. They’re perhaps a bit past their prime, as an alternative, if they’re yellowing but not wet. Prepare your kit for more fruit as it’s time for harvesting!
More natural light is required for pale caps. They produce deep colours thanks to ambient sunshine. Do not store your kit in cupboards or closets.
It is a normal and benign result of the mycelium’s metabolic activity, referred to as “mycelial exudate.” The amber beads resemble digestive fluids in certain ways. Fungi release enzymes into their surroundings to help in material breakdown after they decompose outside of their bodies, in order they can absorb it more readily.
There is nothing to worry! Mushrooms pins frequently cease growing, when there is insufficient humidity in the neighbourhood. Your mushroom kit still has all the nourishment necessary to develop mushrooms. Just remove the brittle pins and let the block dry out on a dish for a week. Lastly, remove all the water from your kit (species that develop in the bag) and soak the block in cold water for 20 minutes and restart the procedure. If you didn’t use a humidity tent the first time it could be useful the second time. In the damp environment your block should flourish.
Once you see young mushrooms forming (pinning), bag can be removed and you can continue spraying the block. To keep it moisturised, mist it with water two to three times each day. Do not forget to watch the kit closely.
Mushrooms depend on humidity to survive & insufficient humidity can cause mushrooms to dry out. We advise utilizing a humidity tent when blocks have been disassembled, or if you can’t water your block one day or for dry weather. Your block is created by the wet climate and it should flourish in the wet climate.
Your fungi must have air to grow! Make several 1/2 inch holes in a semi-transparent garbage bag or other loose-fitting plastic bag. Mist the interior of the tent or the slice on your block numerous times during the day by draping the bag over your kit. You may use a plastic tote, chopsticks, or whatever else to help, if your bag isn’t rigid enough to support itself on its own. Once you see young mushrooms forming (pinning), bag can be removed and you can continue spraying the block
As a rule of thumb, mushrooms should be picked before their caps become concave or flat. On the front of your Spray & Grow Kit box, the mushrooms are depicted at the perfect stage of development for harvesting. In the case of a lion’s mane, before they turn yellow and mushy. Mushrooms often double in size everyday & they grow far more quickly than plants do. Keep a tight check on your kit, ensure that you don’t miss the best opportunity to harvest.
It is best time for oyster mushrooms to be harvested while the edge is still slightly bent under & just before their caps start to straighten out. At this stage the mushrooms will preserve better than mushrooms taken later and are about full size. Mushrooms with flattened caps won’t last as long and will be more fragile but can still be picked and eaten.
Lion’s mane contains fangs instead of caps and gills. As they mature, they develop additional bumps and mounds while they are young, they form as solid, rounded balls. Their teeth or spines can help you to determine when they can be harvested. Before any yellowing, while teeth are 1/4–1/2″ long, we prefer to pluck them.
Curl your hand around the bottom of the mushroom bunch and spin to collect. With only this action your mushrooms should burst off the block. You can even utilize a knife if you wish to! Remove any further loose debris from the block before beginning to spray once again for a second flush. Between 1/2 and 2 pounds of mushrooms may be produced during your first flush.
If they get dried out, mouldy, or otherwise flavourless, it’s likely that mushrooms weren’t collected when they should have been. Send us a picture, to find out what occurred. Let them to breathe some fresh air or use a fan! Long stemmed, stringy mushrooms with tiny caps most likely grow in high CO2 environments.
The word “fruit” can be used in a somewhat broader sense to describe how an organism reproduces or can apply to a variety of items, including berries and apples. The fruits of the plants, which include the seeds, are tomatoes and rosehips. Similarly, mushrooms are the spore-containing fruits of a fungus. Thus, we refer to the process of a fungus producing mushrooms as fruiting.
Mushrooms, in particular, are the fungus’ reproductive mechanism. The block in your kit is mostly made of mycelium (the vegetative body of a fungus), and it serves as nourishment (a bag full of supplemented sawdust). When the mycelium develops and consumes the sawdust mix, it depletes the nutrients in the bag. After the fungus is completely established, has run out of nutrients, or is exposed to other environmental cues such as a temperature or oxygen shift, it will fruit and generate mushrooms in order to move on to another food source.
A flush is the simultaneous creation of numerous mushroom fruit bodies. Several of the fungi we cultivate produce a large number of mushrooms at the same time, which is known as a ‘flush’ of mushrooms.
Cultivating mushrooms is an art that requires talent to master. You should succeed if you’re patient, pay attention to the directions, and work to keep your kit in a humid atmosphere. You should be able to acquire at least one fruiting of mushrooms from your kit, if you take care and patience, but it’s probable that you’ll have a second, third, fourth, or even fifth fruiting depending on the species you select to cultivate.
Significant differences exist across species and environments in this. How well you maintain your outfit will have a big impact. When the fungus consume nutrients in the substrate, each following fruiting will probably be smaller. You may typically anticipate your first flush to have a yield of between half a pound and two pounds.
Cooking mushrooms makes them easier for our bodies since heat easily starts to break them down. Chitin, a substance found in mushrooms that is challenging to digest Arthropod shells contain chitin, which gives them resilience and adaptability. Indeed, you must ensure that any mushrooms you consume have been cooked all the way through.
These are some of our favourite recipes if you need some kitchen inspo: Oyster Mushroom and Corn Empanadas, Savory Mushroom Tart, and Easy Oyster Mushroom Sautee
Rotate the clustering while keeping it close to the core. It’s okay if you’d like to chop them with a knife! Before resuming to spray, remove any loose pieces from the kit, and before cooking and eating your mushrooms, cut off any pieces of sawdust from the block
You may frequently achieve a second or even third flush with a little perseverance and technique but we guarantee your first flush of mushrooms! After you’ve picked your first flush of mushrooms spray your kit every day. Throughout the procedure, it must be kept hydrated. Enclose it with a moisture tent, if it looks to be drying out. You should notice the formation of young mushrooms (pins) again in about two weeks. The block doesn’t need to be removed from the bag or have a second X cut into it.
It may take a bit longer for mushrooms to emerge with every following fruiting. Nonetheless, if there hasn’t been any change after a few weeks it’s a good idea to soak your block. The kit became a little bit too dry during the first flush it’s conceivable. After being removed from the box the block should be placed cut side down in a basin of water. 20 minutes of soaking is required by most species. Immerse your block for 5 to 10 minutes, if you have a kit for growing lion’s mane, while keeping an eye on it. Since the mycelium from Lion’s Mane is so fine, these blocks tend to disintegrate if left in water for too long.
Let the block to drain by leaving it cut side down for another 10 minutes or tipping it around to allow excess water to drain. You shouldn’t let any water standing in your bag. When putting the block back in the bag, use a towel to pat it dry. The cut side should now be facing out when you reposition the bag within the box. You may also spray it two to three times daily and leave the block cut side up without adding the box.
Here are some suggestions for extending the lifespan of your kit, if you are aiming for a third, fourth, or fifth flush?