There are benefits to using grow kits for mushrooms in both commercial and home growing scenarios, and these benefits are discussed below
Using grow kits for mushrooms is the easiest way to start producing mushrooms, and they are often used by both commercial mushroom farmers and hobbyists alike. Below we discuss how and why grow kits for mushrooms are used and the amazing results that can be had from the process.
Mushroom lovers use grow kits for mushrooms due to the ease of the process
Any beginning mushroom farmer needs a proper introduction to the craft and a mushroom growing kit is the perfect option because they are simple to use. Unlike more resource and time intensive methods for mushroom cultivation, mushroom growing kits can be started as soon as they arrive in the mail and the first flush of mushrooms should be ready in about two weeks. Other forms of mushroom growing take at least a few months before mushrooms are ready to harvest, and log cultivation can take multiple years before fruiting. Once the kit arrives in the mail the process of starting the kit is easy.
For most kits, except the shiitake kit, you will cut “X” or “V” shaped holes on each side of the kit. These holes are where the mushrooms will fruit out of. Only cut one hole on each side opposed to multiple holes to ensure larger fruiting bodies. This is the case for most of the kits except the shiitake mushroom kit, which you will place in the fridge overnight and then remove the plastic before beginning to mist. With the lion’s mane kit, you can roll down the top of the bag as it will likely fruit from the top of the kit.
You can begin misting the growing kit once you have the holes cut. Mist the kit with a spray bottle or your kitchen sink’s nozzle attachment to ensure humidity and do this two or three times each day. Keep a temperature and humidity gauge in the kit’s growing environment to ensure the ideal temperature and humidity conditions for the species you are growing. This will help you reach max yields.
After about a week you will begin to see the baby mushrooms beginning to pin. This is a great sign of success! You will be one step closer to your first flush of fresh, organic mushrooms! Continue spraying the kit each day, but try to avoid directly spraying the fruiting bodies. You should be able to have your first flush within two weeks of starting the kit. Once you have harvested the first flush of mushrooms, you should let the kit rest. The resting process is like recharging a battery.
Place the kit in a location that has good air flow and is not too humid. Two or three weeks later you can start the growing process again but following the same process you did initially to get the kit to produce. All of our kits, including pioppino, can produce multiple flushes. Sometimes they do best outside in the shade to produce a second flush.
Small-scale mushroom farmers use grow kits for mushrooms for efficiency
Not all mushroom farmers choose to undertake the entire process of mushroom cultivation from start to finish. To understand this well, first consider this modified version of Tradd Cotter’s seven stages of organic mushroom farming:- Strain selection
- Media preparation
- Inoculation
- Spawn run
- Pinning
- Fruiting
- Rest
Media preparation and inoculation require a certain amount of usable space as well as equipment, like a flow hood or a mixer. Not all small-scale mushroom farmers are interested or able to undertake all aspects of mushroom cultivation due to space or finances.
Fortunately there are other options. Mushroom farmers can begin the process at the pinning and fruiting stage when buying ready-to-fruit mushroom growing kits from us. We even provide wholesale prices to help those farmers get the most from the process. This way, the farmers do not need to prepare the growing medium or do the inoculations. Less equipment and space is needed for those who want to fruit the mushrooms only. This is a great option for those who want to grow fresh mushrooms and sell it within their local community to restaurants, farmers’ markets, and specialty produce stores.
Another reason why commercial mushroom farmers use ready-to-fruit kits is to experiment with different species before committing to larger mushroom grows. A growing kit could be grown in a current fruiting chamber and the results can be used to determine if the species is worth adding to production or not. This is much easier and more cost effective than attempting a larger grow from the start with sawdust spawn or grain spawn.
Visit our mushroom growing kits page to see all of the species we offer. Each kit is 10 pounds of colonized substrate, certified organic, and will help you produce 2-4 pounds of fresh mushrooms throughout multiple flushes. Buy your mushroom growing kits today!