*CHRISTMAS GIFT* Grow Kit (Lion's Mane)
Grow Kit Christmas Gift:
- Order any time, and the Kit will be shipped just before Christmas (according to Post office's last delivery days), so it will be fresh and viable until Christmas and over it.
- You can order to your own address or straight to the address of the receiver of the gift (enter the gift receivers address to Delivery address).
- The Kit can be wrapped in mushroom-themed gift wrap before sending. If you choose the gift wrap, you can enter a Christmas greeting to the "additional information" field at checkout and it will be printed on the package. Gift-wrapped Kits will be shipped in cardboard boxes, unwrapped in brown paper bags.
Satohuone's Grow Kit allows you to easily grow your own mushrooms indoors. The package includes a pre-incubated substrate of lion's mane mushroom. All you need is a spray bottle for maintaining moisture.
Grow Kit package dimensions: 12cm x 10cm x 22cm. Weight approximately 1.2 kg.
Instructions in a nutshell:
Open the flap and cut an small X-shaped slit through the plastic.
Cover the box with a plastic bag with holes and keep moist by spraying the interior surface of the bag 2-3 times a day.
Harvest the mushrooms and enjoy!
Compost the spent substrate.
It's that easy! However, for the best results, it is recommended to read the detailed cultivation guide provided below.
Grow Kit Cultivation Guide:
With Satohuone's Grow Kit, you'll get mushrooms as long as you remember to keep it moist at all times. Though by following these instructions, you'll achieve the best possible results. At the end of the guide, you'll find answers to frequently asked questions and instructions in case you don't see any mushrooms even after four weeks.
1. Storage, before starting
The Grow Kit contains a living substrate that doesn't last forever. It's recommended to start cultivation immediately after receiving the package. If you can start within a week of receiving the package, keep it at room temperature until then. Otherwise, store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.
2. Growing environment and placement
Mushrooms need warmth, light, moisture, and oxygen to grow. When grown indoors, you don't need to worry too much about warmth and light; normal room temperature and ambient light in the apartment are sufficient (avoid direct sunlight!). A slightly cooler porch is also suitable; the optimal temperature is 15-18 degrees Celsius. Oxygen is also sufficient as long as the Grow Kit is placed in an open area, such as on a kitchen counter (avoid heat sources such as ovens or dishwashers). Don't enclose it in a cabinet or shelf. Moisture is the variable that requires the most attention because mushrooms need continuous high moisture to grow.
3. Starting cultivation
To start the cultivation, tear open the cardboard box window along the dashed lines. Underneath, you'll see the substrate covered with white mycelium. If there are cracks in the substrate from transportation, let the substrate rest at room temperature for a few days before starting. Use a sharp knife to make a small (2-3cm) X-shaped cut through the plastic into the substrate. Make sure the flaps of the X are separate. Sometimes, the substrate may be tightly stuck to the plastic, in which case, use the tip of the knife to separate the flaps from the substrate. However, always leave the flaps down to better retain moisture in the cut.
4. Moisturizing
Once the X is cut, all you need to do is maintain moisture until the mushrooms are ready to be harvested. Lion's mane mushroom is sensitive to direct misting so it is advised to make a moisture-retaining hood for it. Protect the surface below if needed. Make small (about 2-4cm) holes all over a regular empty plastic bag and place it over the Grow Kit as a hood. Spray the inside walls of the bag with water twice a day. If you use a transparent bag, you can easily observe the formation of mushrooms and the moisture level inside the bag. Don't let the bag touch the growing mushrooms. Another solution is to place the Grow Kit into a large plastic storage tote and mist the interior walls. In this case leave the lid partly open.
In the late summer when the ambient humidity levels are high, the hood is not always needed. But in this case the mushrooms should be picked younger, when the teeth aren't yet developed long, to avoid drying.
If the emerging mushroom has coral-like appearance, the moisture hood is too sealed and the mycelium lacks oxygen.
5. Waiting
Mushrooms usually start forming about 7-14 days after starting, assuming that moisture has been maintained throughout this time. Sometimes it happens faster or slower. It's important to continue moisturizing patiently. If you suspect that the substrate has dried out during the process, continue spraying. In this case, you may have to wait a little longer. Once the mushrooms start to grow, it takes about 7-14 days until they are fully grown. They still need plenty of moisture until they are harvested. If you don't see any mushrooms after four weeks of starting, and you've been maintaining moisture well throughout that time, see the advice at the end of the guide.
6. The Reward
The wait is rewarded when you see the tiny specs growing into large and delicious mushrooms, and you get to harvest your very own mushroom crop. Lion's mane usually grows just one big mushroom ball and it often has a hue of pink in the early stages. Yellow color indicates dryness or over-ripeness. Dark, rusty brown color indicates a bacterial contamination caused by too much humidity. You can recognize mature lion's mane mushrooms by their elongated "teeth" or "hair" (hence the name lion's mane) of about 0.5-1cm. Note that in high temperatures (20+) the teeth may not form. Harvest the mushroom at once by gently twisting it off the substrate. Cut off any remaining substrate, and the mushrooms are ready to be used. You can slice and fry the mushrooms in oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, or use them in various dishes such as risotto, ramen soups, or stir-fries. Mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator in a paper bag for about a week. Growing conditions significantly affect the yield of the Grow Kit, but the typical yield (for the first harvest) is 150-250g of fresh mushrooms.
7. After the harvest
Once the mushroom crop has been harvested, you can try for another flush by just keeping on moisturizing. A second crop typically takes 3-4 weeks and is smaller than the first crop (unless the first crop was very small due to unoptimal conditions). A second crop may be more successful if you rehydrate the substrate after the first harvest (instructions at the end). If you don't want to attempt a second flush, you can compost the used substrate, use it as a soil conditioner or mulch in the garden, or try inoculating it into bulk substrate material such as hardwood pellets and get even more flushes.
What if the mushrooms just don't appear?
The mushroom mycelium is very robust and will find its way to mushroom formation as long as the conditions are right. The importance of maintaining moisture cannot be overstated; the most likely reason you don't see any mushrooms is the surface of the substrate drying out. So, read the guide carefully and follow the instructions. If the substrate dries out in between, don't give up. Continue moisturizing and wait patiently. Patience is key.
If, however, you still don't see any mushrooms growing after four weeks (with successful moisture maintenance), you can try rehydrating the substrate. Remove the substrate from the cardboard box and submerge it in water with the cut facing downwards for 20 minutes. Let any excess water drain from the bag, then put it back into the cardboard box. Continue spraying according to the instructions from the beginning, even though the substrate has just been rehydrated. Follow the guide as usual. If you don't see any mushrooms 4 weeks after rehydration, please contact antti@satohuone.fi, and we'll look into it together.
Enjoy and best of success with your cultivation!
