Instructions (Grey Oyster and Nameko)

1. Substrate selection: You will receive the substrate in a sealed Microsac. Make sure it does not overheat. Keep the bag at its optimum temperature, between 18 and 23°C. The inside of the substrate is always warmer than the outside and it should never heat up above 25°C or the center of the block may die. The bag is sterile and breathing, keep it complete and unpunctured. Keeping the substrate at lower temperatures is also fine, it will slow down the growing process but not harm it.

2. Fructification: When you see small mushrooms – primordia – coming up naturally on the surface of the substrate bag under the plastic, cut the plastic and put the bags in a damp and shady place, between 15 and 20°C or even a bit colder and with relative humidity (RH) above 90%. A shadowy corner or a moist greenhouse / cellar (with windows) will do just fine. Make sure the atmosphere in and around the bag is moist. Don’t use direct watering or raining or the mushrooms will rot. You could put the bag on a moist surface like wet earth to keep moisture up.

3. Fructification (continued): Contradictory to what many may think, mushrooms also need a certain amount of oxygen and sunlight. Make sure you cut the bag so that the fruits receive a lot of light and oxygen. Most people make slits in the bag through which the mushrooms will grow. 

Instructions (Shiitake)

1. Substrate selection & incubation: You will receive the substrate bag. When you receive the bag, make sure it does not overheat. Keep the bag at temperatures between 20 and 23°C. The inside of the bag is always warmer than the outside and the substrate should never be warmer than 25°C or it dies in the center of the block. The bag is sterile and breathing, try to keep it complete and unpunctured.

 2. Fructification - induction: When you see small mushrooms – primordia – coming up naturally on the surface of the substrate bag under the plastic, remove the plastic. 

3. Fructification - 2:  Now you have a choice: the first choice is to place the substrate freely in a larger bag and maintain 16-18°C; there must be enough space inside it for the mushrooms to grow from all sides properly. Tape off the bag, but keep some opening so there can be gas exchange. This bag is only for keeping the humidity high enough as Shii-take hates drying out.

The second choice does not involve a large bag. There is no need for a bag if the humidity of your environment is 85-90%. Put the substrate in a damp and shady place. A shadowy corner or a cellar (with windows) will do just fine. Make sure the atmosphere in and around the bag is very humid (85-90%). Contradictory to what many may think, mushrooms also need a certain amount of oxygen and sunlight. Make sure that the fruits receive enough of it.

4. Fructification - 3: The mushrooms will come up in a large number. Harvest them and enjoy! They will stop growing, but after some time, a second, less intense flush will come up. And even more later on. The substrate will at this point more than likely be infected by green mould, but you may still get some harvest off it. Make sure your contaminated blocks don't infect healthy blocks!

The leftovers from the blocks can be crumbled and composted.