Do you know what’s been used for centuries for spiritual, medicinal and recreational purposes? Magic mushrooms, and they’ve been gaining in popularity in the latest years as well. Moreover, people turn to growing mushrooms at home, and it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience, allowing you to control the growing conditions and produce fresh and potent mushrooms. If you’re curious about how to grow magic mushrooms, keep reading to learn all the supplies you need, the best spores for beginners, and a step-by-step guide to growing your own mushrooms by Shrooms-online exactly what you need.
What You’ll Need to Grow Magic Mushrooms At Home
If you decide to grow your own psychedelic farm, you need to understand that it requires time and care to get the best mushrooms. As it was already mentioned, it’s a rewarding experience, and you won’t have to look for the best stores to buy magic mushrooms and choose the best pricing. It’s going to take you some time to gather a good harvest, but trust me, you won’t be disappointed if you decide to get into that. Before you start growing mushrooms at home, you need to gather the supplies.
Supplies for Growing Magic Mushrooms at Home.
Here are the supplies needed to grow mushrooms:
- Magic mushroom fragments or spores: These are used to inoculate the substrate.
- Sterilized substrate: This is the material on which the magic mushrooms will grow and can be made from a mixture of brown rice flour and vermiculite.
- Containers or jars with tight-fitting lids: These are used to hold the substrate and protect it from contaminants.
- Spray bottle: Used to mist the substrate and maintain proper humidity levels.
- Grow light or LED light: Provides the magic mushrooms with the light they need to grow and can be adjusted to control the fruiting cycle.
- Drying rack: Used to dry the harvested magic mushrooms.
- Airtight container: Used to store the dried magic mushrooms.
You need to make sure you get all the supplies from a reliable vendor. It’ll help you ensure that you’ll get the desired result, but it is also important to keep in mind that the conditions and proper care play an essential role in the whole process. However, magic mushrooms are not pretentious, so they don’t require constant observation, and even if you don’t have green fingers, it won’t be a restriction for you to grow magic mushrooms at home.
What Are the Best Magic Mushroom Spores For Beginners & Where Can I Buy It?
The best mushroom spores for beginners are typically species that are known for their ease of growth and high success rates, such as Psilocybe Cubensis. These are easy to grow, produce abundant yields, and have a strong and consistent potency. The Psilocybe Cubensis magic shroom spores can be purchased from reputable online vendors or at a local hydroponic store. Just ensure that the magic mushrooms spores you get are actually high-quality, and always check the reviews from experienced growers to find a good store or a supplier. It can help you prevent getting low-quality or contaminated fragments that can negatively affect the growing process, and what’s even more important, you may not get the desired product by the end of cultivation, so you need to be ensured in this aspect to collect a good harvest after some time.
How to grow magic mushrooms? Follow Step-by-Step Guide
After you’ve made a final decision on growing mushrooms at home, you need to follow several steps to get high-quality magic mushrooms. In this article, we’ll provide a pretty easy guide on how to grow magic mushrooms with all the necessary steps, such as preparation, inoculation, colonization, how to make a magic shroom substrate, how to make magic mushrooms cakes, describe all the conditions for the best result, and, of course, harvesting and drying of your mushrooms, it also plays a huge role in the quality of your products.
Step 1: Preparation
This step is highly important for proper shrooms growing. Before you start growing your own mushrooms, you need to sterilize your growing area, containers, and supplies using alcohol wipes. You can also sterilize the containers or jars and lids by boiling them in water for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent contamination from bacteria and other unwanted microorganisms.
After that, you need to mix the substrate ingredients in a large pot and sterilize the mixture by boiling it for 1 hour, just make sure the mixture is cool before adding the magic mushroom fragments or spores.
Some people skip this step, but it’s not recommended because all the bacteria in your containers or supplies can ruin the growing process, and prevent your mushrooms from growing the right way or from growing in general, so make sure you follow everything,
Step 2: Mushroom Inoculation
Now you need to inoculate the sterilized substrate with the spores to grow magic mushrooms. The substrate, which typically consists of organic material such as brown rice flour, vermiculite, and/or sawdust, provides the nutrients and environment the mushrooms need to grow.
You should inoculate the sterilized substrate by filling the sterilized containers or jars with the substrate mixture and adding the magic mushroom fragments or spores there. If you use fragments, chop them into small pieces first. Then you need to seal the containers or jars with the tight-fitting lids to ensure that nothing unwanted gets inside, and shake gently to distribute the fragments or spores evenly throughout the substrate. Also, make sure to follow the instructions carefully to avoid contamination throughout the whole process, it can negatively affect growing and prevent you from getting the desired harvest.
Step 3: Mushroom Colonization
Place the inoculated substrate in a warm, dark and moist environment. This will allow the mushroom mycelium, the vegetative part of the mushroom, to colonize. Mycelium consumes the substrate and uses it to produce new growth. As the mycelium grows, it covers the entire substrate and creates a homogenous mass.
You should store the containers or jars in a place with a temperature between 75-85 °F (24-29 °C) to allow the magic mushroom fragments or spores to colonize the substrate. It won’t be immediate, so you need to wait for 2–3 weeks for the magic mushrooms fragments or spores to colonize the substrate, but it’ll definitely be all worth it if you do everything properly.
If the mycelium does not colonize the substrate properly, the crop may fail or produce low yields. Avoid disturbing the substrate during colonization to prevent contamination and ensure optimal growth conditions.
Step 4: Mushroom Substrate
Once the substrate has been colonized, it’s time to prepare it for fruiting. You need to break up the substrate into small chunks and place it in a container or jar with a lid. Mist the substrate with water to maintain proper humidity levels for the best magic mushrooms crop and get the shrooms you want.
How to make a shroom substrate
- The magic mushrooms substrate should contain the necessary nutrients for the mushrooms to grow. This can be reached by using a mixture of brown rice flour, vermiculite, and sawdust.
- Also, it should have a neutral pH between 6.0 and 7.0 to support the growth of the mycelium.
- As for the moisture content, it should be between 60% and 70%. Too much moisture can lead to mold growth, too little can impede the growth of the mycelium.
- The shrooms substrate should be compatible with the species of mushroom that you grow, so you need to check that according to your mushroom species.
Step 5: Mushroom Birthing
Now you need to wait for the substrate to “birth” or produce a white, fuzzy substance known as mycelium of your magic mushrooms. This process usually takes 2-3 days, but it can take longer, so there’s no need to worry if you don’t see that in your container or a jar with shrooms after that period of time.
How to make magic mushrooms cakes
A magic mushrooms cake is a block of substrate used for cultivating shrooms, and in order to make that, you need to:
- Inoculate the sterilized substrate with magic mushroom spores
- Wait for the substrate to get colonized with mycelium
- After the mycelium has fully colonized the mixture, place the containers in a fruiting chamber to promote the growth of mushrooms.
- You should cut the substrate into smaller pieces and place them into new containers
Also, remember to use spores from a pure culture to prevent contamination and ensure a successful mushroom growth.
Step 6: Mushroom Fruiting
Now it’s time for the fruiting magic mushrooms – the process when the mushrooms grow and produce fruit bodies, or mushrooms. It’s the final stage in the mushroom-growing process, and it is critical to the success of the growth of your shrooms.
What are fruiting conditions for shrooms?
In order to provide the best fruiting magic mushrooms, there are special conditions that you should remember about:
- The perfect temperature is 70°F – 75°F
- Humidity should be about 85% – 90%
- Air exchange: 2-3 times per day
- Light should be 12-16 hours per day on your shrooms
As long as you follow these instructions, it won’t be a problem for your shrooms to grow, so you need to be careful and make sure that your mushrooms are properly taken care of to get the best crop possible.
What grow light should I use for shrooms?
If you think “do mushrooms need light to grow?” The answer is that it all depends on the stage. During the incubation stage, the mushrooms do not need direct light. Room temperature and indirect light are sufficient. As for the colonization stage, the shrooms do not require light as well. Room temperature and darkness are ideal. After these stages, low-intensity LED grow lights are best for shrooms as they provide a full spectrum of light and consume less energy compared to other grow lights. Also, the light should be placed about 8-10 inches above the fruiting chamber, just avoid direct light on the shrooms.
How to fruit magic mushrooms cakes
- Place the shrooms cakes in a fruiting chamber
- Provide the ideal fruiting conditions: Keep track of the humidity, proper light, and create air exchange
- Wait for the magic mushrooms to fruit
Check the fruiting chamber daily and mist the inside of the container with water as needed to maintain humidity. After that, harvest the magic mushrooms when the cap starts to flatten and the veil breaks. This usually occurs 7–10 days after the initiation of fruiting, but it depends on the magic shroom strain, some of them have different fruiting requirements.
Step 7: Mushroom Harvesting & Drying
Harvest magic mushrooms when they have reached maturity and their caps have not fully opened yet. After this step, you need to dry your shrooms on a drying rack in a well-ventilated area. And then you should store the dried magic mushrooms in an airtight container.
How to harvest magic mushrooms
To learn how to harvest magic mushrooms, there are not so many steps to follow:
- Wait for the magic mushrooms to mature
- Gently twist and pull the magic mushrooms from the cake
- Avoid damaging the magic mushrooms or the cake
You need to do that after your shrooms are fully matured, and you can use a sharp, sterile blade to cut the stem of the mushroom at its base to prevent damaging the remaining mycelium and substrate. Handle the mushrooms gently to avoid bruising them. Some people recommend harvesting the mushrooms before the cap fully opens for the best quality and potency, but you can do that afterward.
When to harvest magic mushrooms
To understand when to harvest magic mushrooms, you should look for signs that the mushrooms have reached maturity, usually 7-10 days after the initiation of fruiting. Here are the signs to look for:
- The cap should start to flatten, losing its rounded shape.
- The veil that covers the gills under the cap should break, revealing the gills.
- The gills should start to release spores.
Also, it’s better to harvest when most of the caps have started to flatten, but some are still partially closed. This allows for a few mushrooms to continue to grow and mature while others are harvested.
How to dry magic mushrooms
To dry magic mushrooms, you need to gently wipe any dirt or debris from the mushrooms with a damp cloth first.
- Place the harvested magic mushrooms on a drying rack in a well-ventilated area
- Avoid direct sunlight on your magic shrooms
- Wait for the magic mushrooms to dry completely
Now that you know how to dry magic mushrooms, you just need to store the dried magic mushrooms in an airtight container and in a dark place to make sure that they won’t lose their potency and benefits over time.
Tips & Tricks : How to avoid a bad mushrooms harvest
- Perfect conditions: Maintaining optimal growing conditions for the mushrooms, including temperature, humidity, and light, will help ensure a healthy and productive harvest.
- Proper watering: Make sure the substrate remains moist but not soaking wet. Over-watering can lead to mold and other contaminants that can ruin your harvest.
- Air flow: Proper air flow is essential for fruiting, as it helps to prevent mold and other issues that can negatively impact the quality of your crop.
- Avoid impurity: Keep your growing area clean and avoid exposing the mushrooms to contaminants like pet dander, cigarette smoke, and other pollutants.
- Observe timing: Harvest the mushrooms at the right time, when the caps are starting to flatten and the veil has broken, but before the cap fully opens.
- Handle with care: Handle the mushrooms gently during the harvesting process. Bruising or damage can reduce the quality and potency of your harvest.
Conclusion: Why You Should Grow Your Own Mushrooms
Now that you know how to grow magic mushrooms, you can consider doing that at home. There are many benefits of that – when you grow magic mushrooms at home, it provides you with a fresh and potent supply of shrooms, it gives you complete control over the growing process, ensuring high-quality results. Also, home-growing mushrooms is a fun and rewarding hobby that provides a sense of accomplishment, and in general, growing your own magic mushrooms is cost-effective and eliminates the need to purchase expensive mushrooms from a dispensary. So if you’re ready to wait some time and provide your mushrooms with all the required conditions, it won’t be an issue for you to get the desired harvest and have access to psychedelic products. Just remember about the legal status of magic mushrooms in your area to avoid any problems with the law.
FAQ
How long does it take to grow magic mushrooms at home?
The time it takes to grow magic mushrooms at home varies, depending on the strain, but it usually takes about 2–3 weeks from inoculation to harvesting. When you decide to grow magic mushrooms at home, you need to understand that you won’t get a high-quality and rich harvest the next day, so it takes some time. However, in the end, it’s all worth it, so the time factor shouldn’t be a restriction for you from growing your own magic mushrooms at home and enjoying the fun trip after that.
Where can I find supplies for growing mushrooms?
Supplies for growing mushrooms can be found online or at a local hydroponic store. The only difficulty you may face is finding high-quality spores of the desired magic mushrooms, so always make sure you order them from a reliable supplier to get spores without any unnecessary fragments. Also, the quality of seeds determines the quality of your harvest as a whole, so that’s definitely something you shouldn’t save on if you hesitate between buying shady products from a guy next door or actually good ones for a higher price.
What are my alternatives to home-growing mushrooms?
If you feel like growing magic mushrooms at home is too much for you, there’s no need to worry about that, you can always purchase them from a dispensary or forage for wild mushrooms. But the second option is not recommended since you can easily stumble upon any wild mushrooms that will be not psychoactive but poisonous, so the best option for people willing to experience the psychoactive trip without the need to wait several weeks – find a reliable supplier on the internet and order the strains you want, it’s a good alternative to home grown magic mushrooms.
What is the best mushroom substrate?
The best substrate for magic mushrooms depends on the type of mushroom you are growing. A common substrate for growing magic mushrooms is made from brown rice flour mixed with vermiculite and sawdust. However, in some cases, it’s better to use rye, straw, and composted organic materials. Some magic mushroom strains require wood chips, so you should do some research on the strain that you’re growing to get the best harvest as a result. Also, it is recommended to use a high-quality, sterilized substrate for your mushrooms to avoid contamination.
What’s the difference between mushroom spawn and substrate?
Mushroom spawn is a colonized mixture of spores of the vegetative part of the magic mushroom (mycelium) grown on a medium, such as grain or sawdust. The spawn is then used to inoculate a substrate, which is the material on which the mushrooms will grow. The substrate provides the nutrients and environment needed for the mushrooms to grow and produce a crop. So basically, mushroom spawn refers to the spores or mycelium used to inoculate the substrate, when the substrate is the material on which the magic mushrooms actually grow.
How to grow magic mushrooms at home without spores?
If you didn’t manage to find spores to grow magic mushrooms, you can try looking for the magic mushrooms grow kits. Usually, they have all the required equipment and supplies that you need to grow a good harvest, including spores and substrate. It can help you skip a few steps while growing the magic mushrooms.
But if there’s nothing similar to that in your local stores or dispensaries, it won’t be possible to grow psychoactive mushrooms at home for you because spores are essential for the process of cultivating the shrooms.