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Mushroom Growing Guide

Everything for growing fungi at home — species, methods, conditions, problems and harvest.

Open Grow Log

🍄Blue / Pearl oyster

Beginner
SubstratesStraw, Hardwood sawdust, Coffee grounds, Hardwood logs
Colonize14–21 days
To first pins5–10 days
Between flushes10–14 days
Flushes3–5
Fruiting temp55–75°F

The easiest mushroom to start with. Aggressive colonizer, forgiving of contamination.

🌸Pink oyster

Beginner
SubstratesStraw, Hardwood sawdust
Colonize10–14 days
To first pins4–7 days
Between flushes7–12 days
Flushes2–3
Fruiting temp70–85°F

Fastest of all — loves heat. Very short shelf life, cook the day you pick it.

🍄‍🟫King oyster

Intermediate
SubstratesSupplemented hardwood sawdust (Master's Mix)
Colonize14–21 days
To first pins7–14 days
Between flushes14–21 days
Flushes1–2
Fruiting temp55–65°F

Needs supplemented sawdust and lower CO2 for thick stems. Meaty texture.

🍄Shiitake

Intermediate
SubstratesOak / hardwood logs, Supplemented sawdust block
Colonize60–120 days
To first pins7–14 days
Between flushes56–84 days
FlushesMany over 4–6 years (logs)
Fruiting temp50–70°F

On logs: 6–12 months to first fruit, then flushes for years. Cold-shock logs in water for 24 h to force a flush.

🦁Lion's mane

Beginner
SubstratesSupplemented hardwood sawdust, Hardwood logs
Colonize14–21 days
To first pins5–10 days
Between flushes10–14 days
Flushes2–4
Fruiting temp60–70°F

Harvest while the spines are white and under 1 cm — it yellows and sours quickly.

🍷Wine cap (garden giant)

Beginner
SubstratesWood chips, Straw, Garden bed mulch
Colonize30–60 days
To first pins30–90 days
Between flushes30–60 days
FlushesSeasonal for 2–3 years
Fruiting temp50–80°F

Perfect outdoor bed mushroom — spawn it into wood-chip paths beside your garden beds.

🟤Reishi

Intermediate
SubstratesSupplemented hardwood sawdust, Hardwood logs
Colonize21–30 days
To first pins14–30 days
Between flushes30–45 days
Flushes1–2
Fruiting temp70–85°F

Grown for tea/tincture, not the pan. Antler form in high CO2, conk form with fresh air.

🍁Maitake (hen of the woods)

Advanced
SubstratesSupplemented hardwood sawdust, Buried oak logs
Colonize30–60 days
To first pins14–30 days
Between flushes60–90 days
Flushes1–2 per season
Fruiting temp50–60°F

Slow and picky; buried log/totem method outdoors works best.

🌰Chestnut

Intermediate
SubstratesSupplemented hardwood sawdust
Colonize14–21 days
To first pins7–14 days
Between flushes14–21 days
Flushes2–3
Fruiting temp55–70°F

Crunchy, nutty clusters. Harvest before caps flatten and drop spores everywhere.

🤍Enoki

Advanced
SubstratesSupplemented hardwood sawdust
Colonize14–21 days
To first pins10–20 days
Between flushes14–21 days
Flushes2
Fruiting temp45–55°F

Needs cold and high CO2 to get the long white stems.

🍄Button / cremini / portobello

Advanced
SubstratesComposted manure + casing layer
Colonize14–21 days
To first pins18–25 days
Between flushes7–10 days
Flushes3–4
Fruiting temp55–65°F

The only common one that requires composted manure and a casing layer.

🟠Nameko

Intermediate
SubstratesHardwood sawdust, Hardwood logs
Colonize21–35 days
To first pins10–20 days
Between flushes21–35 days
Flushes2–3
Fruiting temp50–60°F

Glossy, gelatinous caps — classic in miso soup. Cool-season fruiter.