Do you want to grow fresh oyster mushrooms at home? No problem — with a little preparation and the right steps, you can do it even without prior knowledge! Here you will learn step by step what you need and how to proceed.
Note
This protocol is suitable for growing oyster mushrooms at home. If you already have some experience, you can also try other types of mushrooms.
What is needed?
Before you start, please read the entire protocol carefully and have all materials ready. The following list shows you what you need for your mushroom cultivation experiment:
Click on the image for the English version.
Where can you get the materials?
You probably already have most of these things at home, but some are a bit more specialized. So here are a few tips: You can usually find coffee filters and matching holders in well-stocked supermarkets, as well as disposable gloves and disinfectant. An old 1-liter yogurt cup is best suited as a cultivation container — it’s sustainable and practical. However, you can also use any other container with a capacity of about one liter, a lid, and an opening of at least 7 cm. You are now most reliably able to get breathing masks in pharmacies. The grain spawn and adhesive filters are a bit more specialized. We ordered both online: The grain spawn comes from Pilzmännchen, the adhesive filters from Biomed Solutions — we have had good experiences with both products.
Important:
We need two different incubation locations to form a fruiting body: an incubation location with a temperature of 20-25°C and later a cooler room with 10-20°C for the fruiting body growth.
Step-by-step instructions
Ensure good ventilation
Mushrooms need oxygen to grow. Prepare your container by carefully drilling or cutting three air holes, each 1 cm in diameter. These should be located above the coffee-spawn mixture, either in the lid or on the upper edge. Then, cover each hole from the outside with a filter to prevent germs from entering.
Clean and sterilize the cultivation container
Hygiene is paramount in mushroom cultivation, so perform all steps wearing protective gloves and a breathing mask. Clean the container and lid thoroughly with hot water and dish soap or in the dishwasher. Then, boil the container for at least 10 minutes. Let everything cool down and then carefully wipe it with disinfectant (use a well-soaked paper towel for this).
Sterilize coffee grounds
Always use fresh coffee grounds that are no more than a few hours old. To ensure they are as germ-free as possible, pour hot boiling water over the coffee grounds again just before use. Let the water drain off, preferably using a coffee filter and funnel. Then, fill the grounds into your sterile cultivation container and close the lid. Wait until the coffee grounds have cooled to body temperature.
Mix coffee grounds with mushroom spawn
Add approximately equal amounts of coffee grounds and mushroom spawn to the cultivation container. Together, they should fill about 2/3 of the container. Mix everything well with a disinfected spoon and close the lid again. If you don’t have enough coffee grounds at once, you can add more sterile coffee grounds and mushroom spawn after a few days. Make sure the substrate is moist but not wet. No water should collect at the bottom.
Wait and let it grow
Place the container in a location with 20-25°C and leave it there until the entire substrate is overgrown with white mycelium. This can take several weeks.
Temperature change for the fruiting bodies
Once everything is completely white, the mushroom needs a temperature change to form fruiting bodies. Place the container in a room with 10-20°C and leave the lid on until the mushroom threatens to grow onto it. After that, you can place a freezer bag with small air holes over the container and secure it at the edge to maintain moisture.
Harvesting the mushrooms
Once the mushrooms have reached a good size, you can carefully cut them off with a knife. You can usually harvest one to two more times from the same batch.
How long it takes until you can harvest the fruiting body depends on the temperature, humidity, and nutrient supply. So it can take different amounts of time. However, the first growth phases are often completed after 2-3 weeks. But don’t give up if it takes longer.
Have you ever grown mushrooms?
We are excited to hear about your experiences! Share your successes, tips, or problems with our community and help other mushroom enthusiasts!