How To Grow Mushrooms- Top Three Picks for Beginners
Can I Grow Mushrooms?
Most people can learn how to grow mushrooms, however it can be fairly complex for the beginner. That’s why I recommend that the best way to get an introduction into the world of mushroom growing is by getting a kit. With a kit you get everything you need, including easy instructions to assist you with growing and enjoying your mushrooms quickly.
In this particular review we will be discussing a specific type of mushroom called Shiitake. However there are about ten thousand described species known from North America alone, half of which are edible, and depending on who you believe the known species are a third to a fifth of what’s really out there.
What Mushroom Should I Grow?
Shiitake Mushrooms (Botanical name: Lentinula edodes)
Shiitake Mushrooms are an edible mushroom native to East Asia, and are venerated because of their rich texture, smoky flavor and many health-boosting properties they contain. Being the second most commonly cultivated edible mushroom available today, they are are purported to have more than 10 times the flavor compared to white button mushrooms.
A fresh shiitake boasts about 100 IU of vitamin D per gram, but if you dry it in the sun, it creates 10,000 IU. If you dry it upside down in the sun and let the gills absorb the sun, a gram will provide 20,000 IU.
Studies have shown that the spores (mycelia) of shiitake mushrooms can have protective abilities on the liver, suppress inflammation, and even have cancer-preventive properties for patients with chronic hepatitis. It’s no surprise that shiitake mushrooms are considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet!
The Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit
Product name- The Shiitake Mushroom Kit (indoor growing kit)
Where to Buy- www.amazon.com
Category- Grocery and Gourmet Food
Seller– (By Fungi Perfect) sold by Living Whole Foods
My Rating-
3 stars out of 5
Price–$28.95 ($0.30 / oz) + $8.08 shipping
Contents– Complete kit includes spore infused grow medium, humidity tent & instructions.
Product Overview
Fungi Perfect is a family-owned business dedicated to promoting the cultivation of high quality gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. In business since 1980, they have been instrumental in developing new technologies and markets for gourmet mushrooms throughout the world.
If you are trying to learn about mushrooms and see how easy it is to grow them, then get this kit. It will give you some basic experience for you to determine if you want to take it to the next level.
Pros
- Easy to use, set up and grow
- Certified Organic
- Inexpensive
- A unique gift idea
- Harvest tasty and nutritious mushrooms
Cons
- Poor customer service
- Item must be opened and used within 30 days
- Kit is organic and takes practice to avoid mold and grow successfully
Cedarwood Mushrooms Shiitake At-home Growing Kit
Product name- Cedarwood Mushrooms Shiitake At-home Growing Kit
Where to Buy- www.amazon.com
Category- Grocery and Gourmet Food
Seller– (By Cedarwood Mushrooms) sold by Flora Hydroponics
My Rating- 4 stars out of 5
Price–$45.00 & Free Shipping
Contents– Comes complete with directions, shiitake log and humidity tent.
Product Overview
The Cedarwood Mushroom family have been in business since 1926 and have sold and researched mushrooms over the years.The grow at home log can produce up to 2lbs or more of fresh organic shiitake mushrooms over a period of 2-3 months.
Pros
- Easy to setup and grow mushrooms
- Doesn’t need a lot of attention
- Takes up very little room, so great for smaller places
- Harvest delicious and nutritious organic mushrooms
- Online support
Cons
- Packages are flimsily wrapped
Ma & Pa Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit w/ Shiitake Sampler Cookbook
Product name- Ma & Pa Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit (indoor growing kit)
Where to Buy- www.amazon.com
Category- Grocery and Gourmet Food
Seller– Lost Creek Mushroom Farm
My Rating- 3 stars out of 5
Price–$49.95 + $13.25 shipping
Contents– Two 9-10″ shiitake logs with instructions and complete shiitake cookbook. Includes The Shiitake Sampler Cookbook ~ 51 meat & vegetarian shiitake recipes.
Product Overview
Doug and Sondra Williams of Lost Creek Mushroom Farm have been sending mushroom log kits to shiitake lovers and gardeners since 1992 fully guaranteed to grow. They are donating a portion of sales to help expand production for Ghanaian mushroom farmers. Your purchase helps the farmers, most of them women, lift themselves out of poverty.
Pros
- Easy Setup
- Organic, ready-to-fruit hardwood logs inoculated with high-quality shiitake spawn
- All logs come with clear, easy instructions and eight delicious recipes
- Logs in log kits are guaranteed to fruit
- Grow indoors in room light and room temperature and/or outside in shade
- Original Log Kit with a single large log and a soaking tray grows fresh shiitake mushrooms every two months
- A portion of your purchase goes to helping farmers
Cons
- Can be a bit pricey
Note- Since some mushrooms are poisonous, it’s important to be sure of what you’re harvesting off your log. However, most poisonous mushrooms don’t grow on logs, and shiitakes have a distinctive look. Their main characteristics are a white stem with gills that are not directly attached to the stem and the gills are tightly packed.
The mushroom cap is brown to black, depending on humidity. You also want to make sure the mushrooms you harvest are sprouting from your inoculation sites, not elsewhere on the log. At any rate, it’s a good idea to invest in a good mushroom guide with color photos to make sure what you’re picking is a shiitake.
Final Thoughts
If you like eating mushrooms, and want to grow your own, it’s really not that difficult. Any of the kits above will put you on the path to successful cultivation. And with a little dedicated work you can soon be enjoying the rewards of raising this fascinating, nourishing, and highly prized food!
PS: I hope you enjoyed this review. Join the conversation and let me know what you think of “How to Grow Mushrooms” – share your experiences below!
To your good health,
Tom
image courtesy of pixabay.com
