How to Grow Magic Mushrooms

How do mushrooms grow?

Unlike plants, which grow from seeds, mushrooms sprout from tiny spores that are invisible to the naked eye like albino penis envy. Rather than soil, they get nourishment and grow on plant matter such as wood chips, sawdust, or grains. The spores develop into tiny white threads call mycelium, which makes up the majority of the fungi. The visible part of mushrooms, the stem and caps, are actually just the fungi’s reproductive ‘fruit’. The vast majority of the shroom’s mass, mycelium, tends to be underground. While it’s true that all mushrooms are fungi, not all fungi produce mushrooms. Check out this mushroom dispensary vancouver, and find different kinds of magic mushrooms.

So many options for how to grow magic mushrooms

When considering how to grow your shrooms, there are several options, varying from absolute beginner-friendly to a medium learning curve.

This first and easiest option is buying a mycelium grow kit. These kits come ready to go with the spores already germinated to mycelium and come already colonizing the fertile substrate—the base on which the mycelium grows. These kits produce the fastest results, don’t require supplies or much knowledge, and come with clear instructions. These kits can be purchased online, but you’ll need to find a local supplier as magic mushrooms aren’t legal in most countries and, therefore, can’t be shipped internationally.

The second option is a kit without the mycelium colony. This is an excellent option for beginners who don’t want to do too much learning or supply sourcing. These kits come with the substrate and some or all of the materials you’ll need for the process. Since they don’t come with mycelium or spores, you’ll need to source those yourself, but that also makes them legal in most countries.

The third and cheapest option is to grow your mushrooms from scratch. This option will be the most time consuming since you will need to create the substrate yourself and wait for the spores to grow into mycelium and then colonize the substrate. You’ll also need to source all the materials yourself, though this shouldn’t be too difficult – you likely already have some around the house. The benefit of learning to grow mushrooms from scratch is that you have more options for maximizing and customizing the cultivation process. It’s a more intimate experience and there’s more to learn, but then you really get to flex that green thumb and take pride in the finished product.

How to grow magic mushrooms from scratch

What you’ll need:

1. Sterilization essentials:

• Rubbing alcohol
• A face mask
• Latex gloves
• Lighter
• Surface disinfectant

2. Materials and equipment:

• Mushroom spore syringe. You can purchase these online
• Sterilized shoulderless ½ pint jars, such as canning jars. You can buy jars designed for growing with a substrate already inside – if so, skip the substrate preparation step.
• Perlite
• Vermiculite 
• Paper towel
• Hypodermic needle (if the syringe didn’t come with one)
• Hammer and a small nail
• Large clear plastic tub/storage box with 4-5 half-inch holes drilled into all sides, including the lid.
• Spray bottle
• Micropore tape
• Mixing bowl
• Heavy-duty tin foil
• Large pot with a tight-fitting lid
• Small towel

Stage One: Creating the mycelium colonized substrate.

*Important* Ensure all equipment and surfaces are sterilized before use.

1. Prepare the jars by puncturing four evenly spaced holes near the edges of the lid.
2. Prepare the substrate in the mixing bowl using ⅔ cup vermiculite and ¼ cup water per jar. Remove any excess water. Add ¼ cup of the rice flour per jar and combine.
1. Fill the jars with the substrate mixture, leaving about a half-inch. Fill the remainder with dry vermiculite.
2. Steam the jars to sterilize them. First, cover the jars thoroughly with foil, ensuring that moisture won’t reach the holes. Place the small towel at the bottom of the pot and place the jars on top. Fill the water to just under halfway up the jars and bring to a boil slowly to avoid cracking the jars—steam for 90 minutes, adding water as necessary. Let the jars cool to room temperature.
3. Prepare the spore syringe by heating the needle with a lighter until red hot. Let the needle cool and wipe with rubbing alcohol. Pull back the plunger on the syringe slightly and shake well to ensure spores are evenly distributed. Use latex gloves to reduce contamination risk.
3. Inject the spores into the jars by removing the foil and inserting the needle against the jar’s side as deep as it will go. Inject ¼ cc into each of the four holes, cleaning the needle with alcohol between each. Cover the holes with micropore tape.
4. Wait for the mycelium to grow. Store the jars in a dark, room temperature location. Within one to two weeks, the mycelium should appear. After 3-4 weeks, the mycelium will have taken root and formed a ‘cake’ – allow one more week for the mycelium to strengthen further.

Stage Two: Preparing the fruiting chamber

1. Rehydrate the cakes by removing them carefully from the jars and submerging them in water for 12-24 hours. You can use a pot or plastic baggies for this step. Make sure you wash your hands always before handling them.
2. Prepare the fruiting chamber by adding 4-5 inches of moistened perlite.
3. Place each cake on top of a jar lid so that it’s not resting on the perlite. Ensure there’s enough spacing for the mushrooms to grow.
4. Wait for fruiting to begin. Place the container somewhere with indirect light and around 21 degrees celsius. Mist the chamber four times a day without soaking the cakes. Use the container lid or a piece of cardboard to fan the chamber six times a day to improve air circulation.

Harvesting your mushrooms

After about a week, little white bumps or ‘pins’ will form, eventually growing into mushrooms. As soon as the mushroom caps begin to open, they can be harvested – this usually takes 5-12 more days.

You can store your fresh mushrooms for up to 10 days in the fridge. Dry mushrooms, however, will last a very long time if stored properly. Once dried, store your mushrooms in an airtight container and place them somewhere cool and dark.

Now that you know how to grow magic mushrooms at home, you’ll never need to ask a friend or find a ‘connection’ again. Actually, your friends will probably be asking you! And maybe you’ll start a side hustle, who knows?