Required Materials
- Mushroom Piece – a small piece of the mushroom variety you’d like to spawn
- Autoclave or Pressure Cooker – an autoclave is a high pressure device used to sterilize equipment it runs anywhere from $30 to $2000 depending on the size and quality of unit you are looking for. Pressure cookers can also be used and are widely available and cost between $50 - $100.
- Agar Plate Petri Dishes – yes, the things you used in science class. This is a Petri dish that contains the growth medium agar. Agar is gelatin substance that is made from seaweed cells and aids in encouraging culture growth. These can be found on Amazon.com for about $30.
- HEPA Filter Air Purifier – these can be found on Amazon.com for about $50.
- Sterilized Grain – this can be found on Amazon.com for about $5 for
- Jars – there can be found on Fungi.com for about $15 for 4.
5 Steps To Make Mushroom Spawn
Step
1:
Set up your workspace. You need a closed in area. A small shed or closet works well. Be sure you can enclose the space with either a door or a tarp. Once your space has been selected, you need to disinfect the entire area. This is accomplished by wiping it down with 10% bleach to water solution. Every surface must be sterilized. Then clean the air with the HEPA Filter Air Purifier.
Set up your workspace. You need a closed in area. A small shed or closet works well. Be sure you can enclose the space with either a door or a tarp. Once your space has been selected, you need to disinfect the entire area. This is accomplished by wiping it down with 10% bleach to water solution. Every surface must be sterilized. Then clean the air with the HEPA Filter Air Purifier.
Step
2:
Sterilize all your equipment that will be used for the spawn production. You can either buy materials already sterilized or you must sterilize yourself. You can sterilize equipment with an autoclave or pressure cooker. Remember not to bring anything into your work area that is not sterilized. Be sure to use the sterilization equipment as recommended by the product instructions. In general, sterilization generally takes place at over 200-degrees Fahrenheit with about 15 PSI of pressure for about 45 minutes.
Sterilize all your equipment that will be used for the spawn production. You can either buy materials already sterilized or you must sterilize yourself. You can sterilize equipment with an autoclave or pressure cooker. Remember not to bring anything into your work area that is not sterilized. Be sure to use the sterilization equipment as recommended by the product instructions. In general, sterilization generally takes place at over 200-degrees Fahrenheit with about 15 PSI of pressure for about 45 minutes.
Step
3:
Place the small piece of mushroom on an agar plate Petri dish. Cover and let it sit undisturbed in your workspace. Keep it moist. And be sure to monitor the temperature in the room as each variety of mushrooms has different ideal temperatures. This step usually takes about 2 weeks.
Place the small piece of mushroom on an agar plate Petri dish. Cover and let it sit undisturbed in your workspace. Keep it moist. And be sure to monitor the temperature in the room as each variety of mushrooms has different ideal temperatures. This step usually takes about 2 weeks.
Step
4:
Once the Petri dish is filled with long, healthy strands it is time to transfer. At this phase the material is called mycelium. Do not let the mycelium grow too long in the small dishes. Transfer to the sterilized grain in jars. Allow it to colonize for about 2 – 4 weeks under the correct temperature for the mushroom variety.
Once the Petri dish is filled with long, healthy strands it is time to transfer. At this phase the material is called mycelium. Do not let the mycelium grow too long in the small dishes. Transfer to the sterilized grain in jars. Allow it to colonize for about 2 – 4 weeks under the correct temperature for the mushroom variety.
Step
5:
Keep an eye on your jars. You are looking for white filaments. This is your grain spawn and will now produce mushrooms.
Keep an eye on your jars. You are looking for white filaments. This is your grain spawn and will now produce mushrooms.
Mushroom Growing Kits
Another
way to go is to just buy a kit. They are packed with all the
materials you need and are reasonably priced. Check out this Mushroom
Growing Kit
.
For under $100, you have all the equipment as well as the grain.
.
For under $100, you have all the equipment as well as the grain.