How to Grow Mushrooms at Home: The Beginner's Guide

To the uninitiated but curious beginner, the idea of growing mushrooms can be a complete mystery. What is this eccentric, underground science I hear you ask? 

Well, here is the truth. Growing mushrooms is a lot more straightforward than you might think. And doing so has a whole host of incredible benefits, from connecting with nature to enjoying the satisfaction of cultivating your own food. 

As a wise man once said: 

“Give a man a mushroom and you feed him for a day; teach a man to grow them and you feed him for a lifetime.” 

A single post could never do the topic justice, but hopefully, this article provides a basic outline for people who want to learn more about this fascinating science. 

What Are Mushrooms? 

Mushrooms, the general name given to the kingdom of life known as fungi, are truly alien. The famous ethnobotanist and philosopher Terrence McKenna once theorised: 

“The mushroom is a good candidate for an extra-terrestrial… a curious combination of artefact and entity” 

You see, we didn’t call our company Martian Mushrooms for nothing! 

Did mushrooms come from space? 

While mushrooms might appear alien to us, humans are more closely related to fungi than any other kingdom, including plants. This means that fungi are actually our long, long distant ancestors. Weird, right? You could even say that fungi are our brothers from another mother. Or perhaps our brothers from another great, great, great, great… well, you get the point.

The Mushroom Life Cycle 

Their extra-terrestrial nature aside, what exactly is a mushroom? Well, to make things a little stranger, mushrooms are actually the reproductive organ produced by some species of fungi. The typical mushroom, comprised of the cap and stem, does have a certain familiar resemblance.  

In more technical terms, mushrooms are the fruiting bodies produced by certain fungi during the final stage of their reproductive life cycle. They play a crucial role in spore dispersal, ensuring the continuation of the fungal species. 

To visualise and understand this a bit better, take a look at the diagram below. 

You can see from the above that there are essentially four stages to the mushroom life cycle.  

  1. The mushroom itself, also called the fruiting body.
  2. The spores produced from the mushroom.
  3. Spore germination in the right environment.
  4. Mycelium, from which mushrooms are produced. The cycle repeats. 

So, in a nutshell, mushrooms are the reproductive organ of a fungus. From the fruiting body, spores are produced, which are a bit like plant seeds. They contain all the genetic material needed to produce a new generation of fungi. 

Mushrooms usually occur for just a few days and release billions of spores. These spores, if they are lucky enough to find themselves in a nutrient-rich environment and the conditions are just right, will germinate.  

The majority of the fungal life cycle takes place hidden in the subterranean, in soil, logs and other organic matter. Here, the fungus is made up of a fine threadlike network called mycelium. You can think of mycelium as the roots that provide nutrients to the fungus to help it develop the fruiting body. 

This mycelium root system releases enzymes or ‘digestive juices’ that decompose organic material to its constituent nutrient compounds, which it can then absorb to fuel further growth and expansion.  

If learning about digestive juices gets you going, you can learn more about the mushroom life cycle in this article. 

Whilst we’re on the topic, here’s an interesting fact. The largest organism on earth is a fungal network of mycelium. A species of fungi called Armillaria ostoyae, or the honey mushroom, has a mycelial network that spans over 2,384 acres. This is the equivalent to 1,665 football fields!  

It was discovered in Oregon's Blue Mountains, with scientists estimating it to be between 2,400 and 8,650 years old, which would earn it a place among the oldest living organisms as well.  Ok, so this isn’t a real mushroom. We wish it was. However, the mycelium root system of a honey fungus in Oregan is roughly the size of 1,665 football fields! 

The Ingredients for Life 

As a cultivator of mushrooms, it is critical to understand their life cycle. By knowing how they grow, our primary goal should be to cultivate and nurture fungal mycelium.  

This is the part of the fungus that produces our beloved mushrooms, so we need to look after it well and keep it happy. If you can learn to do that effectively, then rest assured you will grow plenty of mushrooms.  

Before discussing in more detail the various methods of cultivation, let’s briefly touch on what conditions and requirements are needed for growing mushrooms at home.  

1. Mycelium 

To start in your new venture, you’ll need to get your hands on some mycelium. There are a few options here. 

Most people opt to start with a spore syringe, which can be germinated to produce mycelium. Alternatively, a liquid culture syringe can be used that already contains pre-germinated spores in the form of a liquid mycelium mixture.

Spore syringes are a popular choice for beginners. Inside the tubes are millions and millions of spores. 

Whichever you choose, spores and liquid culture syringes are easy to use and readily available to purchase. Mycelium can also be procured in the form of colonised petri-dishes or as fully colonised mushroom spawn.  

Mushroom spawn consists of sterilised grains (a mushroom substrate) that have been colonised by mycelium. Making grain spawn properly requires more advanced growing techniques, so we don’t recommend going this route for a beginner. However, premade grain spawn is also available. 

A mycelium culture growing out on an agar dish. A work of mycelial art.

2. Mushroom Food 

In order to grow mushrooms, we need to provide the growing mycelium with a highly nutritious food source. We call this substrate. 

The food source we choose will depend on the mushroom species we want to cultivate, but the most common substrates are grains, coffee, manure, straw, or hardwood sawdust. This substrate will provide all the nutrients for the mycelium to grow and eventually produce mushrooms. 

Substrate will usually be bagged and put into a container, jar or similar vessel. Depending on the conditions of where you live, mushrooms can also be grown on outdoor logs or indoor/outdoor beds.  

 A selection of substrate types on the mushroom menu.

3. Sterilisation 

Once a substrate is selected, it is either pasteurised or sterilised using a variety of techniques. Why is this necessary? 

As already mentioned, mushrooms require a sterilised substrate in order to grow. In layman's terms, this just means some organic material that the mushrooms 'eat' to get the carbon and nitrogen needed for growth. In the wild, a mushroom shares its food, or 'substrate', with many other organisms, primarily bacteria and other fungi. However, these are unwelcome dinner guests when we're trying to cultivate our desired mushrooms at home, as bacterial or fungal contaminants can stunt or prevent the growth of mycelium as they compete for resources.  

The mean green, a name affectionately given to Trichoderma mold, strikes again! 

However, herein lies the eternal struggle for mushroom cultivators - the battle to keep these contaminants at bay. To grow mushrooms, we also create the ideal conditions for other unwanted fungi and bacteria to grow. Which they certainly will do if left unchecked! To tackle this problem, the substrate we use MUST be sterilised. In short, this means blasting it with high heat and high pressure for at least an hour to kill off any contaminants. Some less nutrient dense substrates, like coco coir, can be pasteurised rather than sterilised. This basically means the substrate is heated (but not at very high temperature as with sterilisation) to kill off most of the bad stuff we don’t want to be growing. 

This might also sound a bit complicated, but don’t worry. Premade substrate that has already undergone the sterilisation/pasteurisation process is readily available.  

Once the substrate is ready, we need to add a sample of clean and healthy spores or mycelium to grow out on.  

This process is called inoculation of a substrate. The mycelium will then grow out and consume the substrate in a process called colonisation. 

 

Some healthy mushroom mycelium chewing through some substrate. 

The Growing Conditions 

In addition to supplying the mycelium with food, we also need to simulate the optimal conditions of its natural habitat. Fungi, like any other living organism, need a constant supply of food, water and air. When growing mushrooms, we essentially mimic the same life cycle and conditions that fungi go through in the wild.  

Creating the right conditions signals the mycelium to produce fruiting bodies or mushrooms. This process is called fruiting. Depending on the species that are being grown, some may have relaxed growing conditions and will fruit very easily. 

On the other hand, some species are far more particular and require special growing conditions at certain phases of growth to see results.  

The essential growing conditions that must be fulfilled are as follows: 

  • Humidity (water)
  • Air exchange (O2/CO2)
  • Temperature
  • Light 

1. Humidity 

Mushrooms are made up of around 90% water, so they like a LOT of humidity. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that they are placed away from strong drafts that could dry them out. Most growers will also invest in a spray bottle and mist their growing mushrooms multiple times daily.

2. Air Exchange 

Once fully colonised, we need to introduce fresh air and plenty of humidity to induce the formation of mushroom pins and subsequent fruiting. During colonisation (the expansion of mycelium), higher CO2 environments are preferable. However, when it comes to fruiting, more O2 is required to develop the mushrooms. 

3. Temperature  

During the colonisation phase, where the mycelium expands rapidly to devour its substrate, it needs to incubate at a relatively warm temperature. The ideal range lies between 21-26°C. For fruiting, temperatures can be lowered by a few degrees.

4. Light  

Many beginners think that mushrooms need to grow in the dark. While it is somewhat true, some ambient (low level) light is also required for the final stage of the mushroom life cycle. 

In fact, light is a key pinning trigger, a cue to the mycelium that it can begin to form a mushroom fruit body.  

In most cases, there is no need to invest in fancy lighting equipment. Light ambient from a window is perfectly suitable for normal mushroom growth. Alternatively, a basic room light will do the job. 

Terminology Definition
Spores
Fungal spores are very similar to the seeds of a plant. A single mushroom cap can release billions of spores, which are dispersed via wind into the surrounding environment. If a single spore is lucky enough to find itself in a nutrient rich environment, i.e., its substrate (food), and the conditions are just right, it will germinate. 
Mycelium
The mycelium is the root system of the mushroom and an essential part of the life support system for the fungus. It is composed of a dense mass of fine, thread-like filaments that naturally extend into the soil, plant matter, wood and other materials to pick up water and nutrients. 
Fruitbody
The fruiting body is the most recognisable part of a mushroom. Fruiting bodies contain spores which are dispersed for reproduction. A mature fruiting body can have various structures, and it may contain a cap, stalk, ring, volva, and gills. The cap normally houses the spores, but in some types of mushrooms, the spore-producing cells could be found in the gills, tubes, or inside the cap. 
Substrate
A mushroom substrate is a material that the mushroom mycelium can grow itself on. It provides nutrients, moisture and energy needed for the mushroom to grow and fruit. 
Inoculation
The process of introducing spores into a sterile substrate to initiate its growth and development. Inoculation should be done in a sanitary environment to avoid contaminating the substrate. 
Colonisation
This is the stage of the mushroom life cycle where the mycelium is growing and spreading out in the substrate, but no mushrooms are present yet.   
Fruiting
Once the substrate has been fully colonised by the spawn, it is time for the mushrooms to start fruiting. The medium is exposed to fresh air and light, which triggers the mycelium to start producing mushrooms. 
Sterilisation
The process of removing bacteria or other microorganisms by subjecting them to a high temperature with steam, dry heat, or boiling liquid. 


What Type of Mushrooms Can You Grow? 

In the world of mushroom cultivation, the various species of gourmet and functional mushrooms are lumped into two main groups, based on their favourite food source (substrate): 

  1. Wood loving fungi 
  2. Dung loving fungi  

There are a million and one things to say about each category and species of mushroom. All are wonderful and incredible in their own way and deserve their own write up. For now, we’ll just stick to talking briefly about the substrate types. 

Wood Loving Fungi 

The most grown wood loving fungi include Lion’s Mane, Oyster, Reishi, Turkey Tail and Shiitake. These gourmet and functional varieties are usually cultivated on hardwood sawdust blocks that have been hydrated and sterilised.  

For the home grower, sawdust is most easily obtained in the form of hardwood fuel pellets (HWFP). These pellets are made from heated and compressed oak and similar hardwoods. This makes them super convenient and clean, as they have already gone through a basic form of sterilisation. 

They can be prepped by simply adding pellets and the right amount of boiling water to a bucket, covering it with a lid & allowing to cool. Once cooled, we can add our mycelium, usually in the form of grain spawn. 

Dung Loving Fungi 

The most commonly cultivated dung loving fungi include various exotic species, but also the more common Agaricus or ‘button mushroom’. 

In the wild, dung loving mushrooms grow on pre-digested grasses like manure and compost. Mushroom growers are a crafty bunch, so it wasn’t long before someone figured they could just as easily be grown on grains and coco coir at home. 

Coconut coir is a popular choice due to its low likelihood of contamination and ease of hydration. Prepping the substrate is as easy placing a brick or two of coir into a bucket, then adding boiling water and a lid. After 12 hours or so, it's ready to go. Vermiculite and gypsum can be added, although it’s not strictly necessary. Simple is usually best after all. 

Now that we know what mushrooms are, how they grow, and what they need, how can we grow them ourselves? 

How to Grow Mushrooms at Home 

The question “how can I grow mushrooms?” is a bit like asking how long is a piece of string. There really are a tonne of ways to grow mushrooms, and people are discovering new and innovative ways of growing mushrooms all the time. Frankly, it’s what makes the hobby so exciting. 

Rather than bamboozle you with a million and one different methods, I will list just a few of the most popular techniques below, based on your experience level. Remember, this is not intended to be an exhaustive guide, but rather give you an idea of what is possible. 

Ultimately, growing mushrooms can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. 

The Importance of Sterility 

Whichever method of growing you choose, there is one golden rule you must follow: Keep it clean! 

Sterility and sterile technique are critical for mushroom growing. Familiarising yourself with these concepts ahead of time will massively increase your chances of a successful grow.  

When working with fungi, you always want to be in a nice sanitary environment, or as clean as you can possibly find. A kitchen surface wiped down with 70% isopropyl alcohol will do the job. Make sure to eliminate as much draft as possible from your workspace to avoid dust and other particulates from contaminating your grow. 

Investing in some latex gloves and a face mask is also a good idea. Use your isopropyl alcohol to sanitise your hands and arms as well as the area that you are working in. All of these supplies can be purchased cheaply and will save you a lot of frustration and failed grows. So remember, keep it clean folks!

1. The Easy Method – Grow Kit 

What you’ll need:  

  1. A mushroom growing kit 
  2. A spore/liquid culture syringe 

A grow kit is an obvious starting point if you’re looking to bring your first crop of mushrooms into the world. A grow kit takes all the hard work out of the process, leaving you with just the fun stuff to do – cultivating the actual mushrooms. 

Mushroom Growing Supplies | Mushroom Cultivation Supplies & More | Out – Out Grow

A typical ‘all-in-one’ style grow kit (above) and mushrooms growing inside the bag (below) 


With a grow kit, the hardest and most crucial (but also the least fun) part, sterilisation of a substrate, has already been done for you. A grow kit comes as a nicely packaged, pre-sterilised substrate that is ready for inoculation.  

You simply need to provide the right environmental conditions for the mushrooms to grow. Doing so will help you get a better understanding of the mushroom life cycle and what it takes for mushrooms to thrive. 

There is no need to spend money on expensive equipment like a pressure cooker or a fancy fruiting chamber. If I would have started this way, I probably would have saved myself from a tonne of failed “experiments”! 

There are many different styles of grow kit, but most of them use a combination of grain and substrate mixed together, known as an ‘all-in-one’ grow kit. This pre-sterilised substrate is packed inside a plastic or glass container, which has a filter port to allow free gas exchange. Mushroom mycelium is a living organism, so it needs to breathe. The filter port allows for gas exchange, but prohibits contaminants from getting inside and ruining your grow.  

Most good grow kits will also come with self-healing injection ports. These are rubber plugs that you can pierce with the needle of a spore/culture syringe needle during the inoculation procedure. The great benefit of self-healing injection ports is that they self-close after injecting, so no faffing around with tape! 

To grow mushrooms, all you need to do is inoculate this substrate under sterile conditions (again, an emphasis on sterility) with a spore or liquid culture of your choosing. Leave this kit to colonise with mushroom mycelium. Once it is ready, you can introduce it to fruiting conditions and finally harvest your mushrooms. To understand this process fully, you can refer to our guides here. 

From inoculation of the kit to the first harvest, you can expect to wait around 6-8 weeks. 

Given all the benefits of the all-in-one grow kit, it’s little surprise that our very own Mushbag continues to be our best seller, with hundreds of 5 star reviews! It really is one of the simplest, easiest ways to grow mushrooms at home.

2. The Beginner DIY Method – PF Tek 

What you’ll need:  

  1. A spore/liquid culture syringe
  2. Filter lid containers
  3. Brown rice flour
  4. Vermiculite  
  5. Water  
  6. Cooking pot  

Perhaps by now you’re feeling adventurous and want to try making your own grow kits.  

The PF-Tek is one of our favourite methods. For sure, there are other techniques out there, such as the Monotub Tek (more on that later), that produce much greater yields. However, if it’s your first time growing from scratch, we highly recommend trying the PF-Tek. The reason for this is its pure simplicity, using tools and materials that are cheap and easy to acquire. Ultimately, this translates to a higher success rate if you’re a beginner. 

The Ultimate Guide to the PF Tek Method: Recipe, Yield & More

You can find numerous recipes online, but I will link you here to a great post that gives the step-by-step process along with images. If you prefer to watch a video, you must watch this one (it's a two-part series). This is the original instructional video we used to grow our very first crop of mushrooms, so we’re confident you’ll have success. 

3. The Advanced DIY Method – The Monotub 

What you’ll need:  

  1. A spore/liquid culture syringe
  2. A pre-sterilised mushroom grain bag to make spawn
  3. A pre-sterilised/pasteurised substrate bag
  4. A plastic tub
  5. Cleaning supplies 

First, you need to get your hands on some fresh, clean and fully colonised grain spawn.  

The grain spawn can be used to inoculate a substrate on which the mushrooms will eventually grow. The type of substrate used is dependent on the species of mushroom you are growing. The most popular substrates for use in a monotub include coco coir or manure based.  

Coco coir is great because you simply need to “pasteurise” the bulk material so that the mycelium from the grain spawn can get the upper hand on colonising the substrate before contamination can get a foothold. 

The grain spawn and substrate are spawned into a fruiting chamber, usually consisting of a plastic container. These can easily be modified at home to optimise air exchange and humidity. 

Once the substrate is inoculated, the mushroom mycelium will continue running, consuming nutrients and engulfing the substrate. Once the entire substrate is engulfed in mycelium, you can attempt to induce pinning. 

Mushroom Monotub Tek: How to Grow Mushrooms in a Monotub Step By Step

When the environmental conditions are suddenly changed, usually by dropping the temperature and increasing the humidity, the mycelium will start to form little knots that eventually turn into pins. Check out this article to learn about the mushroom fruiting environment. 

Finally, many of these pins - if given the right conditions - will continue to grow, drawing up water and nutrients from the substrate and rapidly turning into full sized mushrooms. If a proper environment is maintained, a healthy substrate can produce numerous “flushes” of mushrooms, allowing the cultivator to harvest the mushrooms 2 or 3 times. 

If you’re looking to achieve the same excellent results of a monotub but want to skip the hassle, you should check out our Mushpro Monotub Kit.  

Final Thoughts 

This is in no way a comprehensive guide to learn how to grow mushrooms – but simply a basic outline of the process. We plan to write more about these steps and many other mushroom topics, with great articles appearing here on our blog. 

We love to help newbies; if you have any questions just ask! 

Remember, patience will be rewarded. Growing mushrooms is not always easy, but those with perseverance will succeed in this wonderful hobby.