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Cheat Sheet

20 mushroom cultivation TEKs

Every major cultivation method as a scannable cheat sheet — equipment, recipe, the actual steps, timelines, yields, and the one pitfall that wrecks each one. Bookmarkable. Shareable. Public mycology knowledge in one page.

Beginner all-in-one

PF Tek

Beginneraka Brown Rice Flour Cakeaka BRF

The first widely-published home cultivation method (Robert McPherson, 1991). Small grain cakes in half-pint jars — no flow hood needed, minimal contamination risk.

Best for: First-time growers · cubensis-family species · small batches

Equipment

  • · Pressure cooker (90 min @ 15 PSI)
  • · Half-pint canning jars (6–12)
  • · Drill + 1/8" bit for inoculation holes
  • · Aluminium foil
  • · Spore syringe or LC
  • · Perlite + plastic tote (for SGFC fruiting later)

Recipe

  • · Per half-pint jar: ⅔ cup vermiculite
  • · + ¼ cup brown rice flour
  • · + ¼ cup water
  • · Top with a thin dry-vermiculite layer (contamination buffer)

Steps

  1. Mix vermiculite + BRF dry, add water last, do not pack
  2. Fill jars to ½" from top, add dry-vermiculite cap
  3. Drill 4 inoculation holes in lid, cover with foil
  4. Pressure cook 60 min @ 15 PSI, cool overnight
  5. Inoculate ¼ cc into each hole, seal hole with micropore tape
  6. Colonize 4–6 weeks at 75–80°F (24–27°C), dark
  7. Once 100% white, birth cakes into perlite SGFC + fruit

Timeline

~6 weeks inoc → first flush

Yield

30–80 g dry per cake across 2–3 flushes

Pitfall

Packing the substrate. Mycelium needs air gaps to grow — fluffy, not dense.

Uncle Ben's Tek

Beginneraka UB Tekaka Microwave Rice Bag

Use pre-cooked microwave rice pouches (Uncle Ben's / Ben's Original) as both substrate and bag. No pressure cooker. Massive contamination resistance because the bag is pre-sterile.

Best for: Apartment growers · no kitchen equipment · fastest start

Equipment

  • · Uncle Ben's / Ben's Original 90-second rice pouches
  • · Pre-sterile gloves
  • · Alcohol (70% iso)
  • · Spore syringe or LC
  • · Micropore tape

Recipe

  • · Pouch as shipped (do not microwave)
  • · Slight massage to break clumps

Steps

  1. Wipe pouch with alcohol, work in a clean still-air box
  2. Tear small slit at top corner of pouch
  3. Inject 1–2 cc spore solution into the rice
  4. Seal slit with micropore tape (allows gas exchange)
  5. Massage gently to distribute
  6. Colonize at 75–80°F, 1–2 weeks
  7. Once colonized, mix with bulk (CVG / coir) into a monotub OR cake-fruit directly

Timeline

~2 weeks to colonized spawn

Yield

1 pouch = ~250 g spawn (inoculates ~1 quart of bulk)

Pitfall

Some store brands switched binders and won't colonize. Original Uncle Ben's / Ben's Original 90-sec only.

Coir-Only Tek

Beginneraka Hydrated Coiraka No-Cook Bulk

Coco coir block hydrated with boiling water (no pressure cooker). Mix with already-colonized spawn, fruit in a tub. Lowest-effort entry into bulk.

Best for: Beginners moving up from PF · oyster cultivation · low-budget

Equipment

  • · Coco coir compressed block (650 g)
  • · Boiling water source
  • · 5 gal bucket with lid
  • · Already-colonized spawn (1 part spawn : 2–4 parts coir)
  • · Monotub or shoebox

Recipe

  • · 650 g coir + 4 L boiling water
  • · Steep covered ≥ 4 hours (overnight is fine)
  • · Cool to field capacity (squeeze: 1–2 drops, no stream)

Steps

  1. Pour boiling water over coir block in bucket, seal lid
  2. Wait 4 hours minimum — kills weak contaminants, hydrates fully
  3. Cool to room temp
  4. Mix with spawn 1:2 to 1:4 ratio in monotub
  5. Cover, colonize 5–10 days until white throughout
  6. Open holes for FAE, mist if dry, fruit in 7–14 days

Timeline

~2–3 weeks from mix to first flush

Yield

1.5–3 lb fresh per 6 qt tub

Pitfall

Mixing while coir is still hot kills the spawn. Cool to room temp before adding.

Shoebox Tek

Beginneraka SB Tek

Smallest possible monotub. Clear plastic shoebox (~6 qt), drilled holes, perfect for a single PF/UB pouch worth of spawn. Apartment-friendly + cheap.

Best for: Tiny harvests · single-species testing · dorm rooms

Equipment

  • · Clear plastic shoebox (~6 qt)
  • · Drill + ½" bit
  • · Polyfil
  • · 1 colonized Uncle Ben's pouch or 2–3 PF cakes worth of spawn
  • · 1 L hydrated CVG

Recipe

  • · 1 part spawn : 2 parts hydrated CVG

Steps

  1. Drill 4 holes (2 per long side)
  2. Mix spawn + CVG in shoebox
  3. Tape holes, colonize 5–10 days
  4. Remove tape when pinning starts, stuff with polyfil
  5. Fruit at 70–75°F, mist walls daily
  6. Harvest 7–14 days from pinning

Timeline

2–3 weeks inoc → harvest

Yield

100–300 g fresh per box · 1–2 flushes

Pitfall

Shoebox plastic flexes. Don't drop or carry by lid — substrate breaks loose from sidewalls.

Spawn making

Grain to Grain (G2G)

Intermediateaka G2G Transfer

Use already-colonized spawn to inoculate fresh sterilized grain. 10× faster colonization than syringes because you're starting with millions of cells, not spores.

Best for: Scaling up · multiple bulk tubs · faster turnaround

Equipment

  • · Sterilized grain bags or jars (uncolonized)
  • · Already-colonized spawn (donor)
  • · Still air box or flow hood
  • · 70% iso alcohol
  • · Sterile work surface

Recipe

  • · 1 part colonized grain : 5–10 parts sterilized grain
  • · Donor should be ~30–60% colonized (most vigorous)

Steps

  1. Sterilize both bags fully (90 min @ 15 PSI), cool overnight
  2. In SAB, alcohol-wipe everything
  3. Break up colonized donor (shake the bag)
  4. Pour ~10–15% donor into recipient bag, seal injection port
  5. Shake to distribute
  6. Colonize 7–14 days vs 3–4 weeks from syringe

Timeline

7–14 days to colonized

Yield

1 donor bag → 5–10 fresh bags

Pitfall

Transfering from a 100%-colonized bag works but is slower. Use one mid-colonization for max vigour.

Rye Berry Spawn

Intermediateaka Rye Tekaka WBS alternative

Rye berries are the gold-standard grain for spawn — small kernels = more inoculation points per gram than rice or corn. Industry default.

Best for: Most species · best general-purpose spawn · scaling

Equipment

  • · Rye berries (whole, not flour)
  • · Spawn bags with filter patch (autoclavable)
  • · Pressure cooker / autoclave
  • · Mesh strainer

Recipe

  • · 1 kg dry rye + 1.2 L water (simmer 20 min)
  • · Drain thoroughly, surface-dry on towel
  • · Field capacity: kernel splits when squeezed firmly
  • · Optional: 1% gypsum (CaSO₄) to prevent clumping

Steps

  1. Simmer rye 20 min until kernels are al dente
  2. Drain, spread on towel, surface-dry 30 min
  3. Pack bags ½ full, fold tops, sterilize 90 min @ 15 PSI
  4. Cool overnight to room temp
  5. Inoculate via LC or grain transfer through self-healing port
  6. Shake at 30% colonization to redistribute

Timeline

10–21 days from inoc to fully colonized

Yield

1 kg dry → ~2.5 kg colonized spawn

Pitfall

Wet kernels (excess surface moisture) = bacterial soup. Air-dry until they don't stick to each other.

Popcorn Spawn

Beginner

Popcorn kernels are larger and harder than rye — easier to surface-dry, very forgiving. Great first grain for beginners moving up from PF.

Best for: First grain spawn · groceries-only equipment · troubleshooting

Equipment

  • · Popcorn kernels (any colour)
  • · Quart jars with self-healing lids OR grain bags
  • · Pressure cooker

Recipe

  • · 1 cup dry popcorn + 1¼ cup water per quart jar
  • · Soak 12–24 hours (or simmer 15 min)
  • · Drain, surface-dry

Steps

  1. Soak or simmer popcorn until al dente
  2. Drain, dry surface moisture
  3. Fill jars ⅔, leave headspace
  4. Pressure cook 90 min @ 15 PSI, cool overnight
  5. Inoculate, colonize 2–3 weeks
  6. Shake at 30% to break clumps

Timeline

2–3 weeks

Yield

1 quart = ~600 g colonized spawn

Pitfall

Sticky kernels stick together and don't fully colonize. Dry until they rattle in the jar.

Wild Bird Seed (WBS)

Intermediateaka Bird Seed Tek

Cheap mixed grain from any pet store — millet, milo, sunflower, etc. Works fine for cubensis-family species. Avoid if you can get rye.

Best for: Budget growers · large bulk batches · non-fussy species

Equipment

  • · Wild Bird Seed (no preservatives, no oily seeds)
  • · Spawn bags or quart jars
  • · Pressure cooker

Recipe

  • · 1 kg WBS + 1.2 L water (simmer 30 min — harder grains)
  • · Drain thoroughly

Steps

  1. Rinse, simmer 30 min until grains crack
  2. Drain, dry 30 min
  3. Pack bags or jars, sterilize 90 min @ 15 PSI
  4. Cool, inoculate, colonize 14–21 days

Timeline

2–3 weeks

Yield

1 kg dry → ~2 kg colonized spawn

Pitfall

Some mixes contain mineral grit or treated seed. Read the label — no preservatives, no rodent-treatment.

Sterile lab

Agar Tek

Intermediateaka MEA Platesaka Isolation

Agar plates let you isolate a single clean strain, multiply spawn from one cell, and store cultures long-term. Once you do this, contamination problems mostly disappear.

Best for: Strain isolation · cloning · long-term storage · breaking bad genetics

Equipment

  • · Petri dishes (90 mm, sterile)
  • · Malt extract agar powder (MEA)
  • · Pressure cooker
  • · Still air box or flow hood
  • · Scalpel + parafilm

Recipe

  • · Per litre: 20 g malt extract + 20 g agar agar + 1 L water
  • · Optional: 2 g yeast extract for nutrient bump

Steps

  1. Mix dry, add water, dissolve in microwave/pot
  2. Pour into pressure-cooker-safe bottle, loose cap
  3. Sterilize 30 min @ 15 PSI
  4. Cool to 50–55°C (warm but not too hot)
  5. Pour ~15 mL per plate in SAB, lid on immediately
  6. Cool plates upside down (condensation drips into lid)
  7. Inoculate with spore drop or tissue clone, parafilm-seal
  8. Incubate 5–10 days at 75°F

Timeline

Plates: 30 min prep. Colonization: 5–10 days.

Yield

1 L recipe → ~25 plates

Pitfall

Pouring too hot kills the culture you'll inoculate. Pouring too cool makes lumpy plates. 50–55°C is the sweet spot.

Liquid Culture (LC)

Intermediateaka LCaka Sugar Water Tek

Sterile sugar water inoculated with mycelium. Once colonized (~10–14 days), one jar inoculates dozens of grain bags via syringe. Cleaner + faster than grain-to-grain transfers.

Best for: Scaling spawn · cloning strains · faster colonization

Equipment

  • · Wide-mouth pint jars
  • · Self-healing injection port lid
  • · Light malt extract (LME) or honey or karo syrup
  • · Magnetic stir bar (optional but huge)
  • · Pressure cooker

Recipe

  • · Per 500 mL water: 20 g light malt extract OR 2 tsp honey OR 2 tsp karo
  • · pH ~5.5 (slightly acidic — naturally there)

Steps

  1. Dissolve sugar source in water
  2. Fill jars ½ full (room for shaking)
  3. Drop in stir bar, attach injection-port lid
  4. Pressure cook 30 min @ 15 PSI, cool overnight
  5. Inoculate with spore syringe or wedge of agar culture
  6. Shake daily (or stir bar on plate)
  7. Colonized in 10–14 days — visible mycelium clouds

Timeline

10–14 days to fully colonized LC

Yield

1 pint LC = ~20 grain bag inoculations

Pitfall

Bacterial contamination — looks cloudy and uniform, smells sour. Mycelium clumps and smells mushroomy. Sniff before using.

Spore Syringe Tek

Beginneraka Spore Print to Syringe

How to turn a spore print into the syringe everyone uses for inoculation. Two-minute job that saves $15/syringe at vendor prices.

Best for: Anyone with a spore print · multi-strain comparison · cost savings

Equipment

  • · Spore print (fresh)
  • · 10 cc luer-lock syringe (sterile)
  • · Distilled water
  • · Pressure cooker (for the water)
  • · Sterile scalpel

Recipe

  • · 10–15 mL sterile distilled water per syringe
  • · Spore quantity: tip of scalpel = millions of spores, plenty

Steps

  1. Sterilize distilled water in pressure cooker 30 min, cool
  2. In SAB, scrape a tiny amount of spore print into syringe barrel
  3. Draw 10 mL sterile water into syringe
  4. Shake vigorously
  5. Sit 4–24 hours so spores hydrate
  6. Inject 1 cc per inoculation point

Timeline

Same-day if water is pre-sterilized

Yield

One print → 5–10 syringes

Pitfall

Using tap or bottled water introduces contamination immediately. MUST be sterile distilled.

Tissue Cloning

Intermediate

Cut a piece of internal flesh from a fresh mushroom, transfer to agar. You're copying the exact genome — invaluable for preserving an exceptional wild find or a top-performing strain.

Best for: Preserving outstanding genetics · wild→cultivation · strain banking

Equipment

  • · Fresh healthy mushroom (NOT old or wet)
  • · Sterile scalpel
  • · Lighter / alcohol flame
  • · MEA plate
  • · Still air box

Recipe

  • · Cut a few mm³ of internal flesh from the cap-stem junction
  • · Never use surface tissue (already contaminated)

Steps

  1. Flame-sterilize scalpel until red, cool 5 sec on plate edge
  2. Tear (don't cut) mushroom in half, exposing fresh interior
  3. Excise a tiny piece of clean internal flesh
  4. Place flesh-side-down on agar plate
  5. Parafilm-seal, incubate 7–14 days
  6. Transfer healthy mycelium edge to fresh plate to clean further

Timeline

7–14 days to visible growth · 2–3 transfers to clean culture

Yield

1 mushroom → unlimited clones via successive transfers

Pitfall

If you cut into the surface, you're growing the surface bacteria too. Tear the mushroom open, work from the middle.

Bulk substrate & fruiting

Monotub Tek

Beginneraka Monoaka Bulk Tub

Plastic tote with holes drilled for fresh air. Spawn + bulk substrate mixed inside, colonized then fruited. The most popular bulk-fruiting method for psilocybin species.

Best for: Cubensis-family · 1–3 lb fresh harvests · home growers

Equipment

  • · Clear or translucent storage tote (6–66 qt)
  • · Drill + 2" hole saw
  • · Polyfil for holes
  • · Spawn (colonized grain)
  • · Bulk substrate (coir, CVG, manure)
  • · Spray bottle

Recipe

  • · 1 part spawn : 2 parts bulk (light) OR 1 part spawn : 4 parts bulk (denser)
  • · Field capacity bulk (squeeze: 1–2 drops, no stream)

Steps

  1. Drill 6 holes (3 per long side), tape over them initially
  2. Mix spawn + hydrated bulk in tub, smooth surface
  3. Cover with lid, colonize 7–14 days at 75–80°F
  4. Once 90% white + first pinheads form, remove tape (open holes)
  5. Stuff holes loosely with polyfil
  6. Fruit at 70–75°F, 90%+ humidity, indirect light
  7. Mist walls (not substrate) once daily
  8. First flush in 7–14 days

Timeline

3–4 weeks total · 2–3 flushes per tub

Yield

1–3 lb fresh per 6 qt tub across all flushes

Pitfall

Holes opened too early kills early pins (substrate dries). Wait for visible pins THEN open.

Shotgun Fruiting Chamber (SGFC)

Beginneraka Perlite Chamber

Plastic tote drilled with hundreds of holes, lined with hydrated perlite. The perlite holds humidity passively. Pairs perfectly with PF cakes — no electronics needed.

Best for: PF cake fruiting · low-tech humidity · apartment growers

Equipment

  • · 60-quart clear tote
  • · Drill + ¼" bit (you'll drill ~200 holes)
  • · 5 L perlite
  • · Spray bottle

Recipe

  • · Perlite hydrated until water just runs out when squeezed
  • · 2" layer on the bottom of the tote

Steps

  1. Drill holes every 2" across all 6 sides + lid
  2. Rinse perlite (dust is irritating, wear mask)
  3. Hydrate perlite, drain excess
  4. Layer 2" perlite in bottom
  5. Place birthed PF cakes on tin-foil squares on perlite
  6. Fan air through 4× daily, mist perlite as it dries
  7. Pins form in 5–10 days

Timeline

Set up: 30 min · First flush: 5–10 days from birthing

Yield

Per cake: 30–80 g dry across 2–3 flushes

Pitfall

Too many holes = too dry. Too few = stagnant air, contam. Start with 200, add more if drying too fast.

CVG Substrate

Beginneraka Coir + Vermiculite + Gypsum

The standard monotub bulk recipe: coco coir for structure, vermiculite for water retention, gypsum for calcium + buffering. Cheap, forgiving, works for most cubensis.

Best for: Cubensis monotubs · forgiving humidity · beginners

Equipment

  • · Coco coir block (650 g)
  • · Coarse vermiculite
  • · Gypsum (CaSO₄)
  • · 5 gal bucket with lid
  • · Boiling water

Recipe

  • · 650 g coir + 1.4 kg vermiculite + 70 g gypsum (5% by weight)
  • · + 4–5 L boiling water (pasteurize + hydrate)

Steps

  1. Mix dry coir + vermiculite + gypsum in bucket
  2. Pour boiling water over, seal lid
  3. Steep ≥ 4 hours (overnight better)
  4. Cool to room temp
  5. Use as the bulk in monotub mix

Timeline

4 hours pasteurize + cool

Yield

Enough for one 6 qt monotub

Pitfall

Skipping the gypsum lets the substrate pack and pH drift. It's cheap — always add it.

Master's Mix

Advancedaka Supplemented Sawdustaka MM

50/50 hardwood sawdust + soybean hulls, pressure-sterilized in autoclave bags. The highest-yielding bulk substrate for gourmet species. Industry standard for commercial lion's mane, oyster, shiitake.

Best for: Lion's mane · oyster · shiitake · commercial yields

Equipment

  • · Hardwood pellets (oak, beech — NOT pine)
  • · Soybean hulls (animal feed store)
  • · Filter-patch autoclave bags
  • · Pressure cooker / autoclave (2+ hr cycle)

Recipe

  • · 2.5 kg hardwood pellets + 2.5 kg soy hulls per bag
  • · + 8–10 L water (field capacity: squeeze releases drops, not stream)

Steps

  1. Hydrate hardwood pellets (they expand 4×)
  2. Mix with soy hulls until uniform
  3. Pack into autoclave bag, ~5 kg wet weight
  4. Sterilize 2.5 hours @ 15 PSI
  5. Cool overnight
  6. Inoculate via grain spawn through injection port
  7. Colonize 2–3 weeks at 75°F
  8. Cut bag open, initiate fruiting with light + FAE + humidity

Timeline

3–4 weeks colonization · 7–14 days to fruit

Yield

1.5–2 kg fresh per 5 kg bag across 2 flushes

Pitfall

Pine-based pellets kill mycelium (terpenes). Buy explicitly hardwood — oak or beech.

Pasteurized Straw

Beginneraka Straw Tekaka Bucket Tek

Chopped straw pasteurized in hot water or hydrated lime bath. Cheapest large-scale substrate for oyster mushrooms. Iconic 5-gallon bucket method works in any garage.

Best for: Oyster mushrooms · large yields · low-budget commercial

Equipment

  • · Chopped wheat or rice straw (3–4" pieces)
  • · 5 gallon bucket (drilled holes on all sides)
  • · Mesh laundry bag
  • · Hot water source (160–180°F) OR hydrated lime

Recipe

  • · Per bucket: ~1.5 kg dry straw
  • · + 1 part oyster grain spawn : 10 parts straw (by weight)

Steps

  1. Pasteurize straw: submerge in 160°F water 1 hour OR cold lime bath 12–18 hr
  2. Drain to field capacity (15 min)
  3. Mix with spawn in clean bucket (drilled holes)
  4. Layer in bucket, lightly pack
  5. Cover loosely, colonize 2 weeks at 60–75°F
  6. Once white throughout, mushrooms pin through the holes
  7. Mist exterior 2× daily to prevent drying at pin sites

Timeline

3 weeks inoc → harvest

Yield

1.5–3 kg fresh oyster per bucket across 2–3 flushes

Pitfall

Hot water too low (under 160°F) doesn't pasteurize. Too hot (boiling) cooks out the structure and goes anaerobic.

Wood-loving & outdoor

Log Tek

Beginneraka Plug Spawn Logsaka Outdoor Log Cultivation

Drill holes in fresh hardwood logs, hammer in pre-colonized wooden plugs, seal with wax. Most hands-off cultivation method — first harvest 9–18 months later, then years of recurring flushes.

Best for: Shiitake · oyster · lion's mane · backyard / homestead

Equipment

  • · Fresh-cut hardwood logs (oak, maple, beech, sweetgum, 3–6" diameter, 3–4 ft)
  • · Plug spawn (vendor-bought, species-matched)
  • · 5/16" drill bit
  • · Cheese wax / beeswax + brush
  • · Shaded outdoor location

Recipe

  • · 30–50 plugs per 3 ft log
  • · Holes in diamond pattern, 6" apart row-to-row, 2" within row

Steps

  1. Use logs cut within 2 weeks (older = wild fungi already colonizing)
  2. Drill 1" deep holes in diamond pattern
  3. Hammer in plug spawn flush with bark
  4. Melt wax, paint over each plug + any bark damage
  5. Stack logs in shaded area, off the ground
  6. Wait 9–18 months for colonization (oak slowest, alder fastest)
  7. Once colonized, soak 24 hr in cold water to trigger fruiting
  8. Flush every 8–12 weeks if soaked

Timeline

9–18 months to first flush · 3–5 years of production

Yield

1 lb fresh per log per flush · 4–6 flushes per year (if soaked)

Pitfall

Logs cut from a living tree colonize fastest. Salvaged dead-wood is already losing the race to wild fungi.

Outdoor Wood Chip Bed

Beginneraka Stamets Patchaka Mulch Tek

Pile hardwood chips in a shaded yard area, mix in sawdust spawn, mulch over. King Stropharia and wine caps love this — first flush as soon as 8 weeks, recurring for years.

Best for: Wine cap (Stropharia rugoso-annulata) · garden integration

Equipment

  • · Fresh hardwood chips (oak, maple — NOT cedar/pine)
  • · Sawdust spawn (1 lb covers ~10 sq ft)
  • · Cardboard (weed barrier)
  • · Shaded location with morning sun

Recipe

  • · Layer 1: cardboard (weed barrier + extra fuel)
  • · Layer 2: 4" hardwood chips, water heavily
  • · Layer 3: sawdust spawn crumbled evenly
  • · Layer 4: 4" more chips, water again

Steps

  1. Pick shaded spot — north side of fence, under tree canopy
  2. Lay cardboard, water to soak
  3. Spread 4" of fresh chips, water heavily
  4. Crumble spawn over the chips
  5. Top with another 4" of chips, water again
  6. Keep moist — water weekly in dry weather
  7. First flush 8–16 weeks (warm wet conditions)

Timeline

8–16 weeks to first flush · 2–4 years of recurring fruiting

Yield

Variable — pounds per flush in season

Pitfall

Direct sun cooks the bed. Pick truly shaded ground. Morning sun is the max.

Commercial scale

Bag Tek

Advancedaka Autoclave Bag Cultivation

Filter-patch autoclave bags hold substrate, get sterilized, inoculated, colonized, then cut open to fruit. The workhorse of commercial gourmet farms.

Best for: Commercial oyster / lion's mane / shiitake · scaling past 50 lb/wk

Equipment

  • · Filter-patch autoclave bags (4.0 micron polypro)
  • · Autoclave (large enough for batch — 25 gal common)
  • · Flow hood (not optional at scale)
  • · Grain spawn (rye preferred)
  • · Master's Mix or hardwood-sawdust block substrate

Recipe

  • · Per bag: 5 lb substrate (wet weight)
  • · Inoculation: 5–10% by weight grain spawn

Steps

  1. Mix substrate to field capacity, pack bags
  2. Fold bag tops, sterilize 2.5 hr @ 15 PSI
  3. Cool overnight
  4. Under flow hood: open bag, add spawn, fold + tape closed
  5. Colonize 14–21 days at 75°F in clean room
  6. Cut bag with knife (2–4 slits) to initiate fruiting
  7. Move to fruiting room: 60–70°F, 90%+ humidity, ~12hr light/day
  8. First flush 7–10 days after opening

Timeline

4–5 weeks per cycle

Yield

1.5–2 lb fresh per 5 lb bag · ~80% biological efficiency

Pitfall

Without a flow hood, contamination rate at scale will eat all profit. Build the flow hood before scaling.

Stuck on a step?

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