SHIITAKE

(Lentinula edodes)

One of the most popular gourmet fungi on the planet, and for good reason - shiitake mushrooms feature a complex umami flavour profile along with a firm but succulent texture which makes them a unique and delicious addition to many dishes. Most often used in asian cuisine, shiitake mushrooms are also utilised in a range of different styles of dishes by innovative chefs to showcase their flavours in a special dish. 

Experience Level: Advanced (indoor), Beginner (outdoor logs)

Substrate: Grain spawn is used to inoculate sawdust blocks, which can be supplemented with 10-20% wheat bran (by dry weight). Shiitake do not fruit well from substrates supplemented with soy hulls or other legume products. Shiitake mushrooms can also be grown outdoors on logs inoculated with dowel spawn. 

Growing Conditons: Blocks are incubated for approximately 90 days at 15 to 25°C and with as minimal disturbance as possible.. After the mycelium has colonised the block, it will begin to 'popcorn' (form white lumps over the surface). After this then the block will begin to form a brown crust on the surface. When the block is covered by at least 80% brown crusting then it is ready to put into fruiting conditions. Shiitake blocks are removed from the bag and fruited as a 'naked' block. Shiitake will fruit at temperatures between 15 to 25°C with medium to high humidity and moderate air exchange. 

PINK OYSTER MUSHROOMS

(Pleurotus djamor)

Pink oyster are another variant of oyster mushrooms boasting a bright, coral-like pink colouration which is intense when the mushrooms are young and less bright as they mature. Pink oyster mushrooms originated from Indonesia and as such, they prefer warm growing conditions. Pink oyster mushrooms will not thrive in cooler temperatures and as such they're most commonly grown in the summer. Their flavour is milder than phoenix oyster mushrooms, and the texture is a bit tougher. The mushrooms are thinner and less meaty than phoenix oyster mushrooms, and so many people cook them until slightly crispy for a 'vegan bacon' type effect, which can be nice in the right dish. 

Substrate: Can be grown on various substrates including but not limited to pasteurized straw or wood chips, or sawdust blocks. Our pink oyster mushroom grow kits (seasonal release) are a super easy way to grow some pink oyster mushrooms at home. 

Growing Conditions: Pink oyster mushrooms will colonize and fruit at temperatures between 16°C and 32°C, with around 20-25°C being optimal. For high quality fruits, pink oyster mushrooms require lots of fresh air exchange, and a medium to medium-high humidity of around 75-85%

WHITE OYSTER MUSHROOMS

(Pleurotus ostreatus)

Widely cultivated in the Philippines, White Oyster mushroom is a variety of tree oyster mushroom (pleutus ostreatus var. florida) that grows in beautiful clusters of creamy white, almost flower like mushrooms.  They have a subtle sweet taste and a substantial meaty texture.  A very easy mushroom to grow indoors and outdoors on account of it’s wide fruiting temperature. This strain is an extremely vigorous variety and a great one for beginners. White Oyster can be grown in a broad range of temperatures including warmer temperatures up to 30°C, perfect for home growers.

BROWN OYSTER MUSHROOMS

(Pleurotus sajor caju)

Oyster mushrooms are one of the easiest mushrooms to grow at home. They are also delicious, versatile in cooking, and are a healthy and nutrient dense food. Here at Mycosphere, the main kind of oyster mushroom that we grow is the Brown Oyster mushroom. This variety is well favored by mushroom growers in the Philippines due to its deeper flavor, more robust texture, and of course its natural evolutionary adaptation to the local environmental conditions, meaning a reduced need for energy intensive temperature and humidity controls. 

Substrate: Can be grown on various substrates including but not limited to pasteurized straw or wood chips, or sawdust blocks. Can also be grown outdoors on logs inoculated with dowel or sawdust spawn.

Growing Conditions: Brown Oyster mushrooms will colonize and fruit at any temperatures between 5°C and 30°C, with around 15-20°C being optimal. They will grow slower in cold conditions (but taste excellent) and in higher temperatures they grow faster. Quality begins to decline in temperatures above 25°C with mushrooms becoming heat stressed and sporulating quickly. For high quality fruits, oyster mushrooms require a lot of fresh air exchange, and a medium to medium-high humidity of around 75-85%

POPLAR MUSHROOM

(Agrocybe aegerita)

Not widely cultivated but have made it’s way to local growers, a mushroom which can grow to medium size and beautiful clusters and is known for its firm, meaty texture and savory flavor. A gorgeous looking mushroom with a smooth and velvety light brown cap.  Definitely one of our favorites!

Experience Level: Intermediate to advanced (indoor)

Substrate: Grain spawn is used to inoculate sawdust blocks, which can be supplemented with 10-20% wheat bran, or up to 50% soy hulls, or another supplement of your choice (by dry weight). Can also be grown outdoors on logs inoculated with dowel spawn. 

Growing Conditions: Blocks are incubated until they are well colonized and covered with dense white mycelium. At this point, slits are cut in the bag and it is introduced to fruiting conditions. Slits can be cut in an X shape on the front face of the bag or on the top of the bag. Some people also prefer to fruit Yanagi from an open-topped bag similarly to King Oyster. This mushroom enjoys cooler temperatures and will fruit at around 16 to 30°C with medium to high humidity. 

Reishi

(Ganoderma lucidum)

Growing the Reishi Mushroom is a good choice for the home cultivator.Not only has it been long revered for its medicinal properties, the Reishi is also fascinating to watch grow – and it’s fruits are stunningly beautiful.

It is rather easy to grow, fast to colonize and resistant to many forms of contamination.

It can be grown in two different forms, namely the conk form and the antler form, depending on the amount of fresh air it receives.

The Reishi mushroom naturally takes on the “conk” formation unless it is grown in a high CO2 environment, which cause it to form antlers. It is a polypore and naturally forms on the side of dead or dying hardwood trees.

The top side is shiny, and can come in a variety of colors, red/orange being the most common. Reishi mushrooms don’t have gills, but rather pores, from which brown spores are released.

Reishi is a strong fruiter, sometimes even pushing through the filter patch on a grow bag.

The mushroom is extremely woody and bitter, not good for culinary use. However, teas and tinctures can be made to extract the medicinal compounds from the mushroom.

Natural Habitat: Usually found on dead or dying hardwood trees and stumps. Found May-November in warmer temperate regions. Widely distributed throughout the world.

Agar: Reishi looks very unique on agar. Glowing white rhizomorphic strands emanate from the center of the plate. The mycelium is incredibly tough and even difficult to cut through with a scalpel.

Substrate Types: Supplemented hardwood sawdust. Reishi will not do well on straw. It is also possible to inoculate hardwood stumps with Reishi plugs for outdoor cultivation.

Fruiting Containers: For indoor cultivation, use large autoclavable grow bags. Allow antlers to form inside the bag on the top of the block. Once the antler has reached desired size, cut off the top of the bag and bring the block into fruiting conditions, The increase of fresh air will cause the reishi to start forming spore producing “conks”.

Yield: Typically, Reishi mushrooms will only produce one flush. 1/2 lb of mushrooms is typical from a 5lb block. For biggest yields, allow the mushrooms to form conks instead of the antler form. This is done by allowing lots of fresh air exchange in the growing environment.

Harvest: Harvest Reishi mushrooms just before the fruitbody drops spores. The Reishi mushroom has a heavy spore load which can cover a grow room with brown spores in no time. Use a sharp blade or serated knife to cut the mushroom off the block. You may have to saw through the mushroom, as it is incredibly tough, Usually the block is discarded after the first flush. Dry Reishi mushroom slices in a dehydrator for long term storage.

Weakness: Reishi mushrooms are resilient against contamination, but the spawn is incredibly tenacious making it hard to break up the spawn. This can make it difficult to spread evenly in the grow bag. Reishi will sometimes start forming fruitbodies before the block is done colonizing. Difficult to harvest.

Initiate Pinning:
Lower temperature slightly to around 18 deg C. Increase humidity to 95%. Usually Resihi will start to fruit in the grow bag.

Fruit Development:
Once antler are desired size of stem, cut off the top of the bag and place in grow room. Humidity 85- 90%. Room temperature is fine. Can take 30 + days to form full conks.