If you’re not ready to grow right away, store your sealed kit in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.
- Do not remove the plastic wrap. - Using a clean, sharp knife, cut a 5–10 cm (2–4 inch) slit diagonally on one side.
- Place the kit in a humid location with indirect light (kitchen or bathroom counter works well). - Keep temperature between 60–70°F (15–21°C). - Avoid direct sunlight and strong air currents.
- Mist the slit 3–7 times daily to keep it moist. - If your space is dry, create a humidity tent by placing a clear plastic bag over the kit (leave room for air flow).
- Pins (tiny mushrooms) typically appear in 3–7 days but can take up to 3 weeks in cooler/drier spaces. - Mushrooms grow rapidly over the next 1–2 weeks.
- Harvest when the “spines” are about ¼ inch long and before they yellow or drop spores. - Twist and pull the whole cluster from the base, or cut with a clean knife.
- Let the block rest 1–3 weeks after harvest. - To restart, soak the still-wrapped block in water for several hours, drain, and re-cut the slit if needed. - Repeat misting process. Kits often yield 2–3 flushes, with the first being the largest.
- Do not remove the plastic wrap. - Using a clean, sharp knife, cut a 3-inch “X” on one side. - Widen opening if mushrooms crowd against the plastic.
- Humid location with indirect light. - Temperature: 55–75°F (13–24°C). - Avoid direct sunlight and heat sources.
- Mist the “X” 3–7× daily. - Use a humidity tent if your space is dry.
- Pins (tiny mushrooms) typically appear in 3–7 days but can take up to 3 weeks in cooler/drier spaces. - Mushrooms are usually ready to harvest 8–12 days after pinning.
- Harvest when caps start to curl and before flattening. - Twist and pull cluster from base, or cut with a clean knife.
- Rest block 1–3 weeks. - Soak still-wrapped block in water for several hours, drain, re-cut if needed. - Repeat misting process. Kits often yield 2–3 flushes, with the first being the largest.
- Mist consistently — mushrooms grow fast and can dry out quickly. - Avoid overwatering — no standing water on mushrooms or in bag. - Harvest promptly for best flavor, texture, and appearance.
Please reach us at dillon@coolmushroomfarm.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Keep your mushrooms in a paper bag in the fridge.
Add the old grow block to your garden or compost pile! The nutrients and mycelium in the block are best recycled by going back to the land.
Remember to mist at least 3-7 times daily. If you think your mushrooms are drying out in your growing environment, you can construct a simple chamber to increase humidity. An effective growing chamber can be constructed from a loose plastic bag held with a few chopsticks or by keeping the block in a plastic tub with a vented lid. In order for your mushrooms to grow, you should provide high humidity, indirect light, plenty of fresh air, and temperatures ranging from 55 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Usually no. We cut a small hole in the bag to expel air for shipping. If your bag has ruptured or exploded during shipping please reach out to us so we can solve the issue.
Colder temperatures and not enough misting are often the cause. Make sure to keep your room temperature between 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit and mist with water often (at least 3 times daily).
Fruit flies love what you are growing, so they may show up. This can happen with overwatering. You can create a fruit fly trap with a dish of vinegar covered by saran wrap and punctured with some holes. Keep this in the same room as your block to attract and trap the flies.
The white stuff you see is typically all mushroom mycelium and that is how the block should look.
If you see any black, green, or orange mold spots then there might be contamination. Too much water or not enough fresh air can cause other bacteria, molds, and fungi to grow on your block. Once you see these colored spots, it might be too late to eliminate them from your contaminated block. Please reach out to us if this happens and we will try to solve the issue.
It should have a rich, earthy smell. The mushroom grow blocks are made of oak and oat hull pellets. If you smell a foul, offensive odor that may indicate contamination from other molds or bacterias. Please reach out to us if this happens and we will try to solve the issue.