Instructions on How to Grow Exotic Mushroom Spores

Mushrooms are actually a fungus that grows on a substrate like a log. They come in a variety of species, each with a particular look, texture and flavor. They can be eaten alone, sauteed, cooked in stews to enhance flavor or even eaten raw in salads. Some mushrooms, the exotic types, are somewhat rare and can cost a lot to buy, if you can find them in your local store. Some mushroom types include oyster, nameko, and shiitake. If you like exotic mushrooms, but cannot easily find them, why not grow your own? By following a few rules and tips, it is not all that difficult.

Things You'll Need

Mushroom growing kit
Mushroom spores or plugs

Oak logs
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Buy a fully functional indoor mushroom growing kit from an online nursery. Read the directions and set up the growing media inside the container. Inoculate the growing media with the exotic spores provided either with a pre-loaded syringe of spores or a plug of spores. Water the media and keep moist. Place the container in a cool, dark location. Harvest the mushrooms after they have sprouted or fruited.
- 2
  Find an outdoor location that is damp and shady to grow exotic mushrooms outside. Decide the species of mushrooms you want to grow. Use a log made of a hardwood like oak. Drill holes in the log about two inches deep and several inches apart.
- 3
  Buy exotic mushroom spores or plugs that are made up of mycelium, which are the cells of the mushroom, from an online mushroom dealer or from a nursery that grows mushrooms. Fill the holes in the logs with the spores or plugs. Push them down with your finger below the surface of the log.
- 4
  Wet the log enough to keep it moist. Water it every few days if needed during warmer weather until the mushrooms sprout or fruit. Harvest the mushrooms when they sprout from the holes by cutting their stem close to the log.
- 5
  Soak the log in cold water for a day to make the mycelium reactivate so they will produce a new batch of mushrooms. Use the same log for several years since the new mushroom spores that have formed will produce more mushrooms than the previous years.
- 6
  Collect exotic mushroom spores for use in other logs or containers by placing plastic sheeting, fabric or paper beneath the mushroom caps so the spores will collect as they fall from the caps when they open.

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