Do you want to grow mushrooms? Great going! Over the past few years, mushroom cultivation has gained a lot of popularity across the globe. Nowadays, a lot of people have started adding different types of edible mushrooms to their diets. Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins: niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid. These healthy compounds together improve heart health. Riboflavin is good for red blood cells, while niacin improves the digestive system and supports healthy skin.
If you want to grow mushrooms indoors, we would advise you to buy mushroom kits. It is one of the easiest ways to grow mushrooms at home. This post will make you familiar with each and everything about mushroom kits – how long do they last? What are the best mushroom kits? And More. However, before that, let’s find out what a mushroom growing kit is?
For those who don’t know, mushroom growing kits are pre-colonized fruiting blocks that are placed into a condition that helps them fruit mushrooms. Generally, mycelium –covered blocks are stored in a mushroom growing bag, which can stay in the resting phase for some time if refrigerated.
Are Mushroom Kits Worth it?
Mushroom growing kits are available for a wide range of mushrooms. However, not all kits are equal in terms of quality and their growing capabilities. If you can find a premium-quality mushroom kit, then 'Yes', it is worth buying.
The modern mushroom growing kits come in a variety of options. One of the options are kits that have everything you need for cultivating fungi at home, including compost, dry peat moss, and the container needed to place them in. The other type is informative eBooks that tell you where to get all that’s required for the cultivation. While the first type of kits is typically easier to use, the second is a much more affordable option. Whichever one you choose, you will soon be able to enjoy watching the fungi grow right on your premises. You should consider purchasing a high quality kit though, which is why we’ve created this guide on the best mushroom grow kits.
Mushroom growing kits allow for the unhindered experience of cultivating edible fungi. There are different techniques to use for different species, but it all boils down to inoculating the compost with mycelium, covering it with a layer of dry peat moss, placing it in a warm shaded area, and watering it daily. You will see the first tiny specimens appear within as little as one week. The young fungi grow very fast, up to doubling in size each day.
The container of fungi will produce several flushes (crops), with approximately a 10-30 day interval between each. Once the mushrooms are ready to be collected, you can use them in salads, sauces, or as appetizers. The fungi are easy to cook; they can add to any meal and make it a gourmet delight. If you are interested in growing these delicacies at home, consider obtaining a couple of reputable mushroom growing kits, and you’ll be well on your way.
You Cultivate Fresh Mushrooms in Less Time
If you choose a high-quality kit, you can grow your own fresh mushrooms within 2 to 3 weeks. Moreover, you get the first-hand experience of fruiting quality mushrooms.
Beginner-Friendly
In comparison to growing mushrooms from scratch, using these kits is relatively straightforward. These kits make it easy to have a lot of delicious mushrooms with minimal effort. Even if you are growing mushrooms for the first time, you can cultivate them like a seasoned grower.
Fewer Efforts Required
When you buy a mushroom kit, you don't need to give your time and efforts to grow mycelium as it has already been done for you. Many people don't hesitate to buy a premium quality kit as they know it will save a lot of hard work and headaches.
Less Space Required
With mushroom kits, you can grow mushrooms almost anywhere. Growing mushrooms this way takes extremely little space. Therefore, these kits are especially great for those with little to no outdoor space for growing much of anything.
Considering the above points, it wouldn't be wrong to say that 'Yes' mushroom kits are worth it.
How Long Does a Mushroom Kit last?
A lot of people want to know how long a mushroom kit lasts. Well, it varies from kit to kit. In general, most mushroom kits last for four to five fruiting, and then you will need to buy another kit.
If you have purchased a mushroom kit, but you don't want to grow it right away, you can keep it for 3 to 4 weeks if stored between 3–5°C. It's advisable to keep the mushroom-growing kit in an airtight plastic bag so that it doesn't contaminate.
How Do You Make a Mushroom Kit last longer?
If you want to grow mushrooms from the same kit for some more seasons. You can dump your mushroom kit into a sawdust pile or compost and grow mushrooms seasonally. Mycelium grows better in compost and sawdust, and fruits as long as it has adequate nutrients.
Most people don't know; the mushroom can reproduce itself if you keep providing it with enough food. There are plenty of ways you can offer more nutrition to mycelium and get more food from that fragmented mushroom kit.
Make Manure and Compost Tea
Compost-manure combination is an ideal food for mycelium, and the good thing is you can prepare it at home. Mix 1 cup of manure with 9 cups of compost and stir it with a wooden stick until they are thoroughly blended. Now add one cup of this blended material into one gallon of water. Stir it well and let it sit overnight.
After your mushrooms fruit for the first time and mycelium is in the resting phase, water it well with this manure tea. Repeat it after every flush of mushrooms. Thus you can extend the life of your mushroom kits to some extent.
However, eventually, your mushroom kit will start producing small flushes despite regular feeding, and it is a sign that it has reached the end of life. If you're trying to expand its life at this stage, you will need to do something exceptional to give your kit a whole new life.
If you have compost mushrooms, you need compost and manure, depending on the type of mushroom. Make sure the manure you use has a high amount of undigested vegetation. You can make it from a blend of rabbit, chicken, and horse manure.
For log mushrooms, you can use sawdust as these types of mushrooms grow on hardwoods and conifer. Make sure your sawdust is the right type for the kind of mushrooms you are growing. Get a good-sized pile if you're growing it outdoors. For indoors, you can use a large bin full.
Another thing you can do to make your mushroom kits last long is, you can mix them into compost or sawdust. Next, wet them all down and keep moist for the next few weeks. They will start to grow and fruit like your original kit. When you see kits begin to wear out, you can repeat this expansion into new bins.
Can You Reuse a Mushroom Kit?
Yes, you can reuse a mushroom kit multiple times, but if you notice it is not fruiting as per the expectation, you should buy a new mushroom kit. To reuse your kit, submerge the block in water for four to five hours so that it can absorb plenty of moisture. Let the block rest for two to three weeks then you will see new mushrooms growing. Mycelium can be reused a couple of times, but they can't produce fruits forever and eventually give up.
What is The Best Mushroom Growing Kit?
Mushrooms are a great source of protein and minerals and have a lot of health benefits. Besides this, they are easy to grow. However, when it comes to buying a mushroom growing kit, many people get confused about which mushroom kit they should invest in. Well, there are a lot of factors that make a mushrooms kit the best mushrooms kit. Below are a few factors that you should consider when purchasing the best mushroom growing kits.
Mushroom Type
As you know, there are several species of mushrooms (more than 10,000), you should look for the one that will best suit your choice and needs. Each mushroom is different in taste and flavor.
Yields
Not all mushrooms are equal when it comes to their fruiting capability. Whether you're growing mushrooms for self-consumption or as a business, you should look for a brand that will give you high yields.
Organic or inorganic
This is another major factor that you should consider when choosing the best mushroom kits for you. While both options will yield healthy mushrooms, you should choose organic as that is more nutritious and healthy. If you will check out the internet you will find various brands selling organic mushroom kits.
Below, we have put together a list of the best mushroom kits available in the market.
Popular Mushroom Growing Kits
Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Farm Grow Kit
It is an all-natural mushroom growing kit that doesn't include any supplements and chemicals. Moreover, it's a healthy option for people of all ages. This kit has popular oyster mushrooms that double in size every two days on the initial growth stages. You can grow it all year round. One of the most common mushrooms you will find in the mushroom growing kit is the Oyster mushroom, also known as Pleurotus ostreatus.
White Button Mushroom Grow Kit
White Button Mushroom Grow kit has a growing cycle of four to six weeks. Since these mushrooms grow fast, you will be able to harvest mushrooms every two to three weeks. You can use it to do your science project in school. These mushrooms go best with almost all types of recipes.
Pink Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit
This exotic mushroom breed flourishes well indoors and is the best pick for the mushroom lover. People of all ages can consume it, and even science students love it for projects as they are easy to grow. These oyster mushrooms look so beautiful that they become a great gift.
So these are some of the best mushroom growing kits you can consider. It's advisable to do little research before buying a mushroom kit. We hope this post gives you adequate knowledge of mushroom kits.