How to Grow Mushrooms With Perlite

Drill holes on each side of the plastic storage bin, including the bottom and top. Your drill bit should be no bigger than 1/4 inch, or you risk losing the future humidity inside the bin. Put in about a hundred holes or so, making sure not to compromise the structural integrity of the bin

Place your bin (now fruiting chamber) on top of the cinder blocks. You can also use bricks for this, or anything that will hold the fruiting chamber evenly and safely off the ground. This allows for unrestricted air flow.

Rinse and drain the perlite in a colander. Rinse it a few times to make sure that any contaminants are washed away and to thoroughly moisten the perlite.

Fill the bottom of your fruiting chamber so that the perlite is three to five inches deep.

Place the growing medium onto the perlite and place the hygrometer where it is easy to read. Close the lid.

Check the humidity of your room. If it's below 30 percent, invest in a humidifier. It will be difficult to maintain the correct humidity in the fruiting chamber if the room is too dry.

Put your fluorescent bulb into a lamp and get it next to your fruiting chamber. The lamp should be close enough that your mushrooms are getting the full light, but not so close that it overheats the plastic bin your fruiting chamber is made of.

Remember to mist your spores periodically to retain high moisture levels. Check the hygrometer to make sure the humidity in the fruiting chamber stays at 95 percent or higher.