Supplies and equipment to buy for Mushroom growing
Shopping list for the start of magic mushroom growing at home
The main stages in magic mushroom life cycle
Mushroom Cultivation process consists of 2 main stages:
Colonization period (first 2-6 weeks)
It is vegetative phase when mushroom mycelium is formed. This mycelium grab the nutrients from grain substrate in jars or bags.
For this phase we need to prepare liquid spore syringe, spawn substrate, bags or jars for spawn substrate, make substrate sterilization, substrate inoculation, make mushroom cakes and cover them with casing layer, make an incubator (optional) and control the necessary microclimate conditions for this period:
- dark place, no light at all
- temperature 70-81°F or +21..+27°C
- low humidity (30-55%)
Fruiting period (the next 6-8 weeks after colonization period)
It is a phase of pinhead and primordia formation, mushrooms fruit bodies growth, harvesting and flushing (mushrooms produce 3-5 flushes)
For this phase, we need to:
- prepare any kind of fruiting chamber (Growbox, MonoTub, Bottle Tek etc.)
- reduce temperature to 70-74°F or +21..+23°C
- maintain high humidity (90-95%)
- provide fresh air exchange (FAE)
- light
At first, it will be enough to prepare all stuff for the first stage — colonization period. If you succeed in it, then proceed for the second phase.
Newbie cultivators often don't know about the separation of these two stages of mushroom cultivation and confused the climate conditions.
Where do you start your magic mushroom cultivation? Alternatives and costs
❇️ Option 1 — GrowKit
Ready to use grow kit for beginners with basic stuff you need for the start can be found online (Amazon $149.98). Anyway you need to buy some stuff for convenient and sterile work.
To be honest, such kits are "so-so" quality, but good enough for the very first attempt.
For long term hobby better to make everything by your own. It's really worth it!
❇️ Option 2 — Do it yourself
It's super easy, fun and exciting process! You can setup your incubator (which is optional) and fruiting chamber (GrowBox or MonoTub) by your own. You even can use a bucket or big plastic bottle as fruiting chamber.
You don't need to buy everything at once. You just need time, passion and patience.
Our total costs were about $130 for the whole process described in this guide
Your very first growing can be organised cheaper. You can spend around 100$ for EVERYTHING you need. I'll show you how you can save money for the first time. My costs were 130$ for the whole growing process described in this guide, including equipment for simple Incubator, GrowBox and additional tools. This price doesn't include pressure cooker or autoclave, laminar flow hood and other expensive stuff for mycology.
As a result, it turned into 1883 grams of wet mushrooms (details about yield by strains and by flushes in Growing Stats section) and about a hundred spore prints. But the most important were emotions gained from 10 weeks of an exciting GROWING trip!
Let's move step by step and make a list of basic necessary stuff to start you own mushroom cultivation.
List of required items for colonization period
For the first stage of growing process you need to prepare:
Mushroom genetic material
Spore print in zip bag, or spore syringe, or liquid culture in syringe. This is the most important and indispensable participant of mushroom growing process.
Whole grain
You need unhulled good quality grain suitable for food for people and animals. You can use organic grain or grain for sprouting for making grain substrate for inoculation.
To prepare grain substrate you need about 2lbs (1kg) of DRY grain per 4-5 jars (16 oz) or 2-3 jars (32 oz)
For grain substrate you can use: wheat berry, oats, barley, rye, wild bird seeds, popcorn, corn, brown rice, millet, sorghum. I suggest to start with wheat, oats, brown rice or millet.
🌾 Whole wheat berries.
🌾 Whole oat with husk.
🌾 Brown rice.
🌾 Millet or wild bird seeds.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Hard Red Winter Wheat Berries, 5 lbs $17.95
Organic Whole Oat, 2 Lbs $21.94
Extra Long Brown Basmati Rice, 3.3 lbs $14.99
Millet Proso, 10 lbs $25.95
Ready Sterilized Rye Berry Mushroom Grain Bag $16.50
Jars and Lids with injection port and air filter
Use any jars for canning like Mason jars or heat resistant 5PP jars.
The optimal volume is 12-32oz or 350-1000 ml.
For lids use self-healing injection ports or RTV silicone and synthetic air filters
Polypropylene (5PP) is heat resistant food plastic withstand temperatures up to +140°C (284°F).
♻️ Jars, lids and components are reusable!
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Mason Jars with Lids, 16/32 oz - 6 Pack $17.99
Mason Jars Wide Mouth with Lids, 32oz - 12 Pack $27.99
Polypropylene jars, 8-32oz $11.97
Air Filters 64 pcs. + Injection Ports 100 pcs. $12.99
Incubation box
Optional if your room temperature is 70°F or +21°C and higher
Cardboard box with thermal box liner or Styrofoam shipping box (Amazon) or Insulated bag. Probably you already have something at home. This will be our incubator.
Styrofoam box as an incubator for mushroom cultivation.
Cabinet or cupboard shelf as an incubator for mushroom colonization period
Heater for incubator
To maintain the temperature in the incubator +25°...+27°C or 77-81°F for the first 2 weeks helps to speed up mycelium growth. However it's not mandatory and depends on the season of the year and temperature conditions in your home. So, during the hot season you can proceed without it, but during the cold season you'll need additional heating to speed up mycelium colonization.
As a heater for incubation box you can use shoe dryer.
Or heating mat (silicone mat heater, heat mat for terrarium, floor mat heater, plant and seed warming mat, hydroponic heating pad for indoor seedling and germination), animals bed heater, any household heater or any heating element, сorner near radiator or even your cat.
Temperature controllers aka Thermostat to maintain stable temperature. Optional, but useful!
All stuff on Amazon:
Shoe Dryer with build in fan $47.08
Seedling Heat Mat $28.99
Reptile Heating Pad with Temperature Adjustment $19.98
Inkbird Digital Temperature Controller $35.00
Thermometer and hygrometer
Digital thermometer with a hygrometer to monitor temperature in the incubator and fruiting chamber as well.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Bluetooth Digital Hygrometer, Thermometer with Remote App $12.99
Digital Hygrometer, Thermometer - $17.99
List of required items for fruiting period
For the second stage of growing process you need to prepare:
Plastic container for fruiting chamber
Detailed construction of the fruiting chamber is presented in the DIY Grow Box for Magic mushrooms. Fruiting conditions section.
The volume should be about 30-40 liters (30-40Qt). You can use plastic boxes of larger (50-80L or about 50-80Qt) or smaller shoeboxes (15-20L or 15-20 Qt) as well. The bigger the better. Because the will be accumulated less carbon dioxide (CO2) during mushrooms growing. Bigger grow box can be ventilated rarely. It's easier to control the microclimate conditions.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Plastic Box for Growbox, Monotub, Shoebox or DubTub Tek 5/12/19/32/40/53 Qt - $44.99
2. LED lamp. The lamp light should be weak in the blue range (~435 nm).
Mushrooms don't need powerful lamps for plants. You can use diode strip as additional light for fruiting chamber. Moreover, natural light is suitable as well, but NOT direct sunlight and only diffused soft light.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Gooseneck Lamp for mushroom growbox, Metal Large Clamp, Adjustable Light - $24.98
White LED Strip Lights 19.99
LED Lamp USB Charging Port, 2 AC Power Outlet, 1H Timer - $26.99
3. Plastic Food Containers. Any food flat container for making small mushroom cakes and casing. The volume about 1-3 liters can be used
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Lunch Boxes with Lids for mushroom cakes - 28 oz - 12/20 Pack - $10.99
Seed Starting Plant Growing Trays for Mushroom Cakes - 10 pcs. - $21.99
Coconut coir for bulk substrate
Use pressed coconut fiber bricks. Coconut fiber volume increases after adding water. One brick is enough for 4-8 small mushroom cakes, or 2 tubes (shoeboxes, monotub).
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Coco Coir Brick 650 Gram Block - $7.99
Vermiculite
We need a vermiculite for bulk substrate and grain jars (optional) to balance moisture.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Vermiculite 8 qt. - 1/2/5 Pack - $12.64
Additives to bulk substrate (optional)
Gypsum (CaSO4) for better substrate aeration and source of Calcium
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Organic Garden Gypsum Calcium Sulfate, 5 lb - $20.00
✅ You can buy ready to use sterilized compost with right water content (aka field capacity). No need to buy coco coir, vermiculite, gypsum and spend time for pasteurization or sterilization. Ready to use sterile coco coir mixed with vermiculite and gypsum (CVG substrate) you can use for making mushroom cakes.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Ready Sterilized Compost Mushroom Substrate - 10 Pounds - 1 Bag - $24.95
Ready Sterile Coco Coir/Vermiculite Casing Substrate - 5 Pounds - $34.95
List of required items to buy at the pharmacy
1. Growers outfit: face mask, gloves, medical cap, disposable medical gown or PE raincoat
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon: 10 Gloves and 1 Mask Bundle - $7.99
2. Sterile syringe (5ml or 10ml or 20 ml) with needle — 1 syringe per 1 spore print. Better to use a big volume syringe to prepare more liquid spore suspension.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Syringe Needle for LC or spore syringe, 18 ga - 50 Pack - $9.90
Sterile Syringe for liquid spore or liquid culture 5/10/20/30/60 ml - 30Pack - $12.99
Sterile injection water
Minimum 10 ml per 1 spore syringe. If you use big volume syringes (20-30-50 ml), then you need more sterile water.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon: Sterile Water 100ml 6 Bottles - $8.54
Isopropyl or Ethyl alcohol (70%)Ethyl alcohol (70%)
I recommend to use 70% alcohol in spray bottle. For all manipulations you need minimum 400-500 ml.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Isopropyl Alcohol 70% USP Grade - One Quart Spray - $21.99
Isopropyl Alcohol 70% USP Grade - 4 X 1 Quart Spray Bottle - $45.00
7. Breathable bactericidal patch — minimum 20-30 pcs. For 1 jar you will need 3 patches and 8-10 pcs. for the grow box. Or you can use micropore, omnipore tape.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
3M Micropore Tape 1530-1 (2 rolls) 1 x 10 yards - $4.60
Micropore Surgical Tape - 3m - 2" x 10 YD - 6 rolls - $9.95
Box of Flexible breathable bandages - 50 pcs. - $14.99
8. Cotton disks — 1 pack (50-100 pcs.)
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon: Cotton Rounds Organic, 100 Count - $3.79
List of required kitchen and household items
1. Pressure cooker, autoclave or multicooker.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Aluminum Pressure Cooker - 7 Qt - Silver - $38.45
Pressure Cooker 15-PSI, Polished Aluminum - 22 Qt - $91.39
Pressure Canner and Cooker - 23 Qt - $128.63
Pressure Cooker & Canner, 3 PSI Settings - 22 Qt - $129.99
Steam Autoclave Sterilizer - 8.5 Qt - $179.90
Professional All-American Non-Electric Sterilizer - 25 Qt - $449.95
2. Saucepan (the volume about 3 liters).
3. Sieve or colander.
4. Aluminium foil.
5. Marker pen.
6. Teaspoon.
7. Tablespoon.
Useful and helpful, but not necessary stuff
These items will be helpful for cultivation process, but not necessary for the first growing experience.
1. Aquarium air pump for automatic ventilation and to maintain high humidity level. This gadget is useful for automatic fresh air exchange.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Quiet Oxygen Pump for 20-100 Gallon - 2 Outlets - $14.99
Air Pump with Dual Outlets - up to 80 Gallon - $16.98
Adjustable Oxygen Pump for 20-100 Gallon - 2 Outlets - $16.99
Powerful Air Pump - for 20-200 Gallon - 2 Outlets - $19.99
Your grow box can be ventilated and misted manually. Details are in the DIY Grow Box for Magic mushrooms and Pinhead initiation. Fruiting parameters sections.
2. Humidifier for growbox. Terrarium humidifier allows you to maintain a constant humidity level of the grow box automatically.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Cheap USB-Powered Mini Humidifier 250ml - $6.99
USB Mini Portable Humidifier 350ml - Led Light - $10.99
Portable Humidifying Unit - 0.7 L - Light and Auto Shut-Off - $29.99
Professional Humidifier/fogger with Extension Tube - 4L Large Tank - $37.99
Professional Humidifier, Fogger for GrowBox - 2 L Tank - $45.99
3. Carbon dioxide sensor (CO2 detector). To control carbon dioxide level in growbox during mushrooms fruiting period. These sensors are also indicate temperature and relative humidity.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
3-in-1: Portable CO2 Detector, Temperature, Humidity - LCD Display - $48.99
Air Quality Monitor: CO2, Temperature Humidity - NDIR Channel Sensor, Rechargeable Battery - $71.99
3-in-1: CO2 Meter, Temperature, Humidity; USB Power & Battery - $89.45
Professional 6-in-1: CO2 Detector, Air Pollution, Temperature, Humidity - $89.99
3-in-1: CO2, Temperature, Humidity, Tabletop & Wall Mountable - $129.99
Smart Home - All-in-One - Radon & Air Quality Monitor - $148.76
4. Soil pH meter to check and control acidity level of substrate.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Digital Soil Ph Meter - $17.95
5. UV Sanitizer Lamp. Useful for preparing conditionally clean spore prints from your harvest and for preparing working space for all mycological manipulations. This device can reduce contamination risks greatly!
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Ozone UV Germicidal Light UVC Lamp Timer, for Home and Mycology - $27.99
UV Light Sanitizer - for Home and Mycology - $29.99
6. Medical or jewelry pocket scales for weighting mushroom crop, microdoses and trip doses accurate to the 0.01 gram. Turned out to be very useful.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Digital Pocket Jewelry Scales - Scale Capacity 200 g, Scale Accuracy 0.01 g - $10.75
Mini Digital Jewelry Scale - Capacity 500g, Accuracy 0.01g - $10.99
Professional USB Milligrams Scale - Capacity 50g, Accuracy 0.001g - $22.78
All in One: Scales, Case, Tweezers, Calibration, Weighing Pans - Capacity 50 g, Acuracy 0.001g - $37.99
And many other useful gadgets to optimize your growing process and make your mushroom cultivation automated.
The sky is the limit!
Here are some helpful tips and notes for newbie grower.
Where to buy everything you need
Be ready to check:
- Shroomok's Choice on Amazon
- Grow-Kits from Shroomok
- pharmacy
- flower store
- pet store
- supermarket
- market
- grocery store with all sorts of household trivia.
- the vast expanse of the Internet to help you, where you can order online a lot of useful things to start growing.
Don't forget to check all stuff you've already had at home.
Why is sterility so important for mushroom cultivation?
In the process of psilocybin mushrooms cultivation we are simulating natural conditions. In these conditions there is a fierce competition and fight for the nutrient substrate between psilocybe spores, bacteria, molds and viruses.
It is very easy for psilocybin mushrooms to lose this battle. But we can help them win!
How? By maintaining sterility at all stages of growing process.
Main sources of contamination with bacteria, molds and viruses are:
🔴 Grower himself (hands, hair, breath, snot, saliva).
Solution: gloves, face mask, medical cap and medical gown (or PE raincoat).
🔴 Workspace (microorganisms on surfaces and flying in the air).
Solution: disinfect the space, avoid draughts and ventilation during mycological manipulations, treat all surfaces with alcohol, use a glovebox or still air box (SAB).
🔴 Instruments and tools.
Solution: treatment with alcohol or sterilization.
🔴 Spore print.
Solution: use sterile spore print or antibiotic application.
🔴 Substrate.
Solution: use antibiotic or hydrogen peroxide for spawn substrate preparation and thorough substrate sterilization.
How to prepare work space for mycological manipulations?
Let us remind you that in this guide we use only the simplest and most accessible methods to organize growing psilocybin mushrooms at home. Our process was carried out without laboratory equipment, glove box and SAB which are desirable but not necessary. Still, let's say a few words about the ideal conditions for growing psilocybin mushrooms. Such conditions minimize the probability of mold spores, bacteria and viruses entering the substrate during liquid spore syringe preparation, during inoculation, casing process and during spore prints preparation.
Still, let's say a few words about the ideal conditions for growing psilocybin mushrooms. Such conditions minimize the probability of undesirable spores penetration, which leads to substrate contamination.
Laminar flow cabinet or Glove box
Glove box or laminar flow cabinet — a vacuum box, which is used in laboratories to ensure the sterility of the laboratory procedures carried out. The main disadvantages are its high cost, as well as a number of inconveniences arising from working with thin and fragile instruments while wearing thick gloves.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
Vertical Laminar Flow Hood, Clean Bench with Three Fans, HEPA-Filter for Cleanliness Dust Free Work - $480.85
Simple mobile acrylic glovebox for mycological manipulations.
An alternative option is a DIY sealed glovebox made from a plastic container with a germicidal lamp and gloves. This is a simple and cheap option.
Still air box (SAB)
One more alternative simple option is still air box (SAB) for all mycological manipulation. It's easy to make. SAB is not sealed, it does not eliminate the possibility of contaminants, but it helps greatly reduce the risks of contamination by bacteria and spores flying in the air or live on surfaces.
Moreover, you can use such box as SAB, then use it as a growbox or make a monotub. So, no need to buy additional stuff.
Shroomok's Choice on Amazon:
SAB Mini Still Air Box | 32qt - $99.95
What if there is no glovebox and SAB?
If you don't have such devices and don't want to bother with them for your very first growing experience, then take care about preparation the cleanest space at home, which isn't occupied by molds. Ideal for manipulation is a bedroom and a table thoroughly wiped with alcohol over the entire surface. Kitchen and bathroom are not recommended for mycological manipulations. Such places give more opportunities for further contamination.
Now you need to do the following:
- Clean your room before mycological manipulations.
- Turn off any ventilation or air conditioning, close windows and eliminate drafts.
- Wipe a table with alcohol (70%).
- Prepare your grower outfit: medical cap, face mask, gloves, and a PE raincoat or medical gown.
It's sad and funny that after a while this look became normal on the streets of all cities and countries. Suddenly, covid-19 turned everyone into growers :)
We don't know about the corona virus, but in the case of growing psilocybin mushrooms, this outfit is must have! No doubts, from your hair, from your face, from your clothes, through snot and saliva can fall a lot of "uninvited guests", which won't let the magic mushrooms come into the world.
Keep in mind! You should use your grower outfit at ALL stages of the growing! Just change gloves, if necessary. You can neglect anything, but not a sterility!
❗️❗️❗️The first and the most important rule of growing mushrooms is a STERILITY❗️❗️❗️
For now, we have everything prepared according to the lists above. Bags for our growing trip are packed! It's time to begin exciting journey that will last for the next 10 weeks
Let's go! STEP 1. Day 1. Liquid spore syringe ▶️
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