Varieties of Mushrooms
Here are some of the many varieties of mushrooms to consider for your cultivation. There are many more but these are common varieties that our customers are actively growing now.
OYSTER (Pleurotus ostreatus)
Ease of cultivation: Easy
Growing season: Year-round
Growth characteristics: Very aggressive
Best substrates: Grains (rye, millet, popcorn, birdseed)
Sawdust Spawn containers: Canning jars or spawn bags
Spawn incubation temperature: 75°F (24°C)
Best Fruiting substrates: Hardwood Sawdust & Soy Hulls
Fruiting Best in: Grow Bags
Fruiting time: Fast -2–3 weeks after spawning
Fruiting humidity: 90–95%
SHIITAKE (Lentinula edodes)
Ease of cultivation: Easy–medium
Growing season: Spring to fall with plug spawn; year-round with sawdust bags
Spawn substrates: Grains (rye, millet, popcorn, birdseed)
Sawdust Spawn containers: Quart jars to large spawn bags
Best Fruiting substrates: Hardwood Sawdust & Bran or Soy Hulls
Spawn incubation temperature: 70–80°F (21–27°C)
Fruiting temperature: 60–70°F (16–21°C)
Fruiting Best in: Grow Bags
Fruiting time: Moderate 30-60 days from inoculation
Fruiting humidity: 70–85%
LION’S MANE (Hericium erinaceus)
Ease of cultivation: Easy
Growing season: Late summer/fall
Spawn substrates: Grains (rye, millet, popcorn, birdseed)
Sawdust Spawn containers: Quart jars to large spawn bags
Spawn incubation temperature: 70–75°F (21–24°C)
Fruiting substrates: Wood: indoors on supplemented sawdust blocks; outdoors on hardwood logs
Fruiting containers: Grow bags
Fruiting temperature: 65–75°F (18–24°C)
Fruiting time: 15–30 days from inoculation
Fruiting humidity: 90%
MAITAKE (Grifola frondosa) Alternate names: Hen of the Woods
Ease of cultivation: Difficult
Growing season: Fall
Spawn substrates: Grains (rye, millet, popcorn, birdseed)
Sawdust Spawn containers: Large spawn bags
Spawn incubation temperature: 70–75°F (21–24°C)
Fruiting substrates: Wood: indoors on supplemented sawdust blocks; outdoors on buried hardwood logs
Fruiting containers: Grow bags
Fruiting temperature: 50–70°F (10–21°C)
Fruiting time: 30–45 days from inoculation to pinning; another 30–45 days for full development Fruiting humidity: 75–85%