Please Note - All our grain will arrive 100% sterile. When working with mushrooms it's extremely important you always keep everything as sterile as possible. It's important to do this so that we prevent any contaminants entering the bags. If any contaminants are introduced this will lead to the growth of moulds that will outcompete your fungi for nutrients resulting in a failed grow. Sterile work can be achieved with the help of a flow hood or a SAB (still air box) but if you are on a budget, alcohol wipes and a lot of isopropyl alcohol can do the job for now. Make sure to spray down all work surfaces and equipment before use with the isopropyl alcohol, including gloves and arms. To learn more about contamination and how to spot/prevent it check out our blog here: mushroom contam guide.

Step 1: Inoculating

Inoculating is a term used frequently in mushroom cultivation, it simply means introducing a microorganism into a growing medium so that it can continue to grow further. In this case we're gonna be using a spore or liquid culture syringe to inoculate a bag of sterile grain. By doing this we give the spores a safe and nutrient rich space to germinate and eventually form into mycelium (a root-like structure, which will go on to produce our fruiting body - the mushroom).

• Use an alcohol wipe to clean the injection port on the grain bag.
• Inject about 2-3ml of the spore solution/liquid culture into the bag through the self healing injection port. (shake syringe before use.)
• If using the same syringe to inoculate multiple bags make sure to flame sterilize the needle after every use, this will ensure there's no contaminants on the needle before using it again. (this can be done with a regular lighter).
• Store your bags at their desired temperature. This typically falls around 24° C (75°F) but can vary between strains so check the preferred temp for your specific strain before continuing.

Step 2: Break & Shake

With your bags now inoculated and at their desired temperature they will now start to colonize. You'll know this is happening when you see the first strands of white mycelium start to appear. Once your bag is about 20-30% colonized it's time to do your first break and shake. Doing this will evenly distribute the mycelium throughout the bag, resulting in a much faster colonization time.

• Using your hands - break up all the colonized grains until they are no longer clumped together. (do not open bag when doing this - keep sealed)
• Shake all the grains around so that the colonized grains get evenly spread throughout the bag. (make sure no grains stay stuck to the top of the bag)
• Wait for full colonization (typically 2-3 weeks)

Please Note: all growth throughout your growing process should always be white, this is and indicator of healthy mycelium. Any other colours such as green is a sign of contamination. Any bag with contamination must be thrown away as soon as possible to avoid spreading to your other bags.

Step 3: Spawn to Substrate

Now that your bags are fully colonized and you have what is known as mushroom spawn, it's time to mix this spawn with your substrate so that it can continue to colonize further. This is where you'll begin to use the monotub.

*Remember to thoroughly spray down all surfaces and equipment before use, including the monotub.*

• Break up all grains in the spawn bag so that they're no longer clumped together.
• Cut spawn bag open and pour into monotub.
• Cut open substrate bag and pour 50% of it into the tub with the grain.
• Mix the grains and substrate together well and pack tightly against the liner.
• Add the rest of your substrate on top and flatten out evenly.
• Place lid back on and wait until the tubs about 80% colonized (about 1-2 weeks, do not remove the lid during this time.)

Step 4: Fruiting Stage

Once you're tub is about 80% colonized it's time to introduce FAE (fresh air exchange). This will let your grow know it's time to start producing fruits (mushrooms). If possible it's also recommended to drop temperatures by a few degrees during this stage for optimal results.

To Introduce FAE simply remove the tape that's covering the hole filters on the tub. These filters are designed to provide airflow whilst maintaining high humidity levels which the mushrooms need to thrive.

Depending on your strain, genetics and grow conditions, the time for pins (small mushrooms) to start growing can vary, they may show up within a few days or could take up to a couple weeks. Once your first pins have appeared they tend to develop rapidly so make sure you check on them at least once a day to monitor growth.

Step 5: Harvesting

Harvesting your mushrooms is very easy but it's important you get the timing right. The ideal time is just as the veil starts to break. The veil is is a thin membranous tissue on the underside of the mushroom cap. Once this veil has broke your mushrooms will drop spores which means they have reproduced. From this point on they will start to decompose so it's important to pick them as soon as you can.

When picking the mushrooms you want to grab them from the lowest point of the stem and gently twist until they come out. Pulling them out hard will bring a lot of the substrate with them, making them harder to clean and also affecting the results of your second flush.

Step 6: Drying

Now you've picked all your mushrooms it's time for the most important part - drying them. If this step isn't done correctly all your hard work in the previous steps will go to waste. Once picked, it won't be long until your mushrooms start to go bad so it's important to start the drying process as soon as you can. Mushrooms are 90% water and 10% psilocybin so this step ensures we get all the water out so that they can be preserved longer.

It's recommended to use a dehydrator for this step as it improves the speed and efficiency of this step by a great amount. You can find a good, small scale budget one here.

Depending on how big/thick your mushrooms are you may need to dry them for longer. A good indicator to know if they're ready is to see if the stem snaps as oppose to bending. You want the mushrooms to be as dry as a cracker, so if they're still a bit rubbery and the stem bends instead of snapping, keep them in for longer until this has been achieved.

Step 7: Re-Grow (2nd Flush)

Luckily once you've harvested your mushrooms, the cake doesn't have to be thrown straight away. It can actually be used to re-grow more mushrooms and in a lot less steps too.

To start the 2nd flush the first thing you want to do is make sure your cake is clean of all mushrooms including pins. Now fill your monotub with cold water until the cake is fully submerged. It helps to put a heavy object on top to keep it under the water. We recommend filling a plastic container with water and placing it on top of the cake to keep it under. Now leave it soak for 6-12 hours and then drain out all the water. Return your monotub to fruiting conditions and within 1-2 weeks you should have your 2nd flush of mushrooms.

This process can normally be repeated 3-4 times per grow. Note that each time you do it you'll tend to get less mushrooms but they'll be much greater in size.