FAQ's
How long does it take to start seeing pinning on my mushroom grow kit?
This depends on a number of factors including the ambient moisture, amount of filtered light, the temperature that the grow kit is exposed to and the variety of the mushroom.
Be sure to spray your kit at least twice a day - insufficient moisture will result in lower and slower yields.
Expose the fruiting surface to filtered light, like the normal conditions in your kitchen, laundry or bathroom. Mushrooms will grow towards the light.
The ambient temperature in your house is fine to fruit mushrooms. Some mushrooms prefer cooler conditions, in which case the yield may be a little low, but you will still see growth.
Some varieties fruit quickly, reaching harvest stage withing 2 weeks. Oyster mushrooms are quick and easy to grow, and you can expect to be eating fresh, healthy mushrooms within 2 weeks of starting the fruiting stage. In comparison, Lions Mane typically takes longer to fruit and you may not see pinning until 2 to 3 weeks into the fruiting process. In all cases, patience is the key - the grow kits will fruit, it's just a matter of time.
Do I need a special or dedicated fruiting chamber to fruit my mushrooms?
You do not need an expensive fruiting chamber - you can easily create an ideal environment for your species of mushroom using cheap or free techniques.
Some varieties of mushrooms do require higher CO2 levels, so fruiting them in ambient conditions isn't ideal, however if and when you fruit these mushrooms you should receive special instructions on how to achieve the best results. For example, to promote antler growth on Reishi mushrooms you will need high CO2 levels (above 2000ppm), while promoting conk growth requires lower CO2 levels.
There are easy and cost-free methods to achieve elevated CO2 levels within your mushroom grow kit without having to spend money on fancy fruiting chambers. If you fruit a variety needing higher CO2 levels, you should receive instructions from the supplier, or simply search online for a low cost, easy method to fruit that particular variety of mushroom.
How many flushes can I expect out of my mushroom grow kit?
At least 2.
Depending on the variety and the fruiting conditions, you can achieve many more flushes than 2, however you can expect that each subsequent flush is smaller in yield than the previous flush.
Once spent, our kits make great compost for your garden. If you choose to leave your block intact in your garden, then placing it in a shaded location will likely result in more flushes of mushrooms when the weather conditions allow. Alternatively, you can easily break your spent block apart and distribute it around your garden beds - the mycelium is great for your plants and bug life.
How much yield can I expect out of my mushroom grow kit?
This depends on a number of factors including:
- The variety or strain of mushroom
- The fruiting conditions (temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, etc)
- The type of substrate
As a "rule of thumb", you can expect to yield around 50% to 100% of the weight of the substrate block over a number of fruiting flushes. Our blocks are a minimum of 2.2kg, so you can expect to yield 1kg to 2kg of mushrooms over at least 2 flushes.
How can I store my harvested mushrooms to keep them fresh?
Keep your harvested mushrooms in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. Be sure to store them in a breathable container - a paper bag is ideal. If looked after, the mushrooms will keep for at least a week, however as with fruit and vegetables they are best when cooked fresh.
Do I need to cook mushrooms or can I eat them raw?
You can eat them raw, however you won't benefit from any nutritional value unless you cook them.
The cell walls within mushrooms are made of chitin - the same material that forms the exoskeleton of insects, prawns and crabs (no name just a few). These walls need to be broken down to release the health benefits within the cells, and the best way to do this is with heat.
When cooking mushrooms, place them in a pot or pan in medium to high heat without any oil to begin with. The water content of the mushrooms will begin to be released. Once the water has been driven off, add oil and any other flavorings you desire (or add the mushrooms to another dish you are making) to brown the mushrooms and add some crunch.
If you buy or make your own mushroom powder, you can add the powder to foods while you are cooking them, or add the powder to your coffee while it is still hot - the heat will break down the chitin walls.