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How can I Grow Mushrooms?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

There are a number of different ways to grow mushrooms, depending on the types you want to grow and the volume in which you want to produce them. You should also be aware that not all mushroom varieties can be cultivated, as scientists are still learning about how to replicate the conditions they need to thrive. In addition, some mushrooms such as lobster mushrooms are successfully cultivated commercially, but not as easily produced at home.

The easiest way to grow mushrooms is to let someone else do the work for you, and to buy a mushroom log or growing kit. These kits are made from mushroom-friendly substrates which are inoculated with “spawn,” fragmented mycelium which will spread, ultimately producing the fruiting bodies which we know of as mushrooms. Shiitakes take especially well to growing on logs, while substrates for mushroom kits can also be made from straw, wood chips, and other materials.

Mushrooms.
Mushrooms.

Typically, to use a mushroom kit, you soak the kit in water and then keep it in a cool, moist place. Once a kit gets going, it can produce a lot of mushrooms, and it will keep producing year after year if you store it in friendly conditions. Many people use plastic aquariums or bags to wrap their mushroom kits, ensuring that they stay moist to promote healthy growing conditions.

Shiitake mushrooms are a popular, easy-to-grow variety.
Shiitake mushrooms are a popular, easy-to-grow variety.

If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, you can purchase “cake,” a commercially prepared substrate which is designed to grow mushrooms. The cake can be inoculated with a spawn of your choice; many companies sell an assortment of spawns for mushrooms, ranging from oysters to portabellos. To grow mushrooms on cake, you will need a moist, cool environment; an aquarium is a good choice, and you can also purchase commercial mushroom growing boxes.

Morel mushrooms are often picked wild, but they can also be grown from a kit.
Morel mushrooms are often picked wild, but they can also be grown from a kit.

To go large, you will need to mix up your own substrate to grow mushrooms. Straw and shredded wood chips are popular choices; you will need to research the growing conditions of the individual species to find out what would be best. Moisten the substrate and then blend in some spawn before packing it into large plastic bags, and poking a number of holes into the bags. Within weeks, you will see the mycelium spreading under the plastic, and mushrooms will start to pop out of the holes.

Oyster mushrooms are easy to cultivate at home.
Oyster mushrooms are easy to cultivate at home.

Some mushroom species appear to be ill-suited to captive growing, and they are harvested in the wild only. Others, like lobster mushrooms, require especially controlled conditions, because they are actually parasites which colonize fungi, and you need to be able to grow the fungus and encourage the parasite. Lobster mushrooms happen to be among those which are produced commercially, and a kit for growing them may someday be released.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

musicshaman

Thanks for this article -- I've been trying to find out how to grow mushrooms at home for a while now, and this was definitely the clearest and least technically-worded article that I've found.

I really liked how it was detailed, yet not overwhelming, and gave you a good sense of what exactly is involved in growing mushrooms.

Thanks, wisegeek.

naturesgurl3

Growing mushrooms at home is not only fun and a great way to save money if you use them a lot in cooking; it's also very environmentally responsible.

I try to grow as much of my own produce as I can to help reduce my environmental impact, but also because I find that the produce simply tastes better.

And since it's really not that hard to grow your own mushrooms, it's a really easy way to get both of those benefits.

I'd advise starting to grow shiitake mushrooms for your first mushroom-growing experience, since they're really easy and also very tasty. Before you know it, you'll be filling your cabinets -- and your stomach -- with tasty, fresh, pesticide-free mushrooms!

closerfan12

Cool article -- I've always been interested in growing mushrooms, but rather intimidated by the amount of work that I can imagine it taking if you try to do it from scratch.

I think I may get one of those do your own mushroom grow kits -- that seems like a good way to ease myself into mushroom growing, and see if it's for me before I invest in all the cake and trays and what not.

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    • Mushrooms.
      By: Aaron Amat
      Mushrooms.
    • Shiitake mushrooms are a popular, easy-to-grow variety.
      By: Chris leachman
      Shiitake mushrooms are a popular, easy-to-grow variety.
    • Morel mushrooms are often picked wild, but they can also be grown from a kit.
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      Morel mushrooms are often picked wild, but they can also be grown from a kit.
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      Oyster mushrooms are easy to cultivate at home.
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