How to grow Mushrooms using any of the PureSpawn All-In-One Grow Bags.
Step 1: Inoculation
- Sanitize Your Space: Clean a flat surface with 70% isopropyl alcohol. Turn off any fans or AC units to minimize airborne contaminants. Pro-Tip: After shutting all fans and any AC units, wait 20 to 30 minutes to let all the dust settle.
- Prepare the Syringe: Shake your syringe to distribute the spores or liquid culture (LC). Flame-sterilize the needle until it is red hot, then let it cool for a few seconds.
- Inject: Wipe the black self-healing injection port with an alcohol swab. Insert the needle and inject 2–3 ml (for LC) or up to 5 ml (for spores). Pro-Tip: After injection your LC or Spore Solution into the bag, immediately place of piece of painter's tape or our Micropore Tape over the injection port to ensure contents are kept sterile. The injection ports are self-healing; however, this step comes with a higher risk of introducing unwanted bacteria into the bag.
- Incubate: Store the bag in a dark, clean spot at room temperature, ideally between 60–75°F
Step 2: Grain Colonization
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Initial Growth: Allow the mycelium to grow undisturbed. You will see white, wispy growth starting at the injection site.
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Wait for the grains to fully colonize: Do not mix the bag until the bottom layer of grain is fully white with mycelium.
Step 3: The "Break and Shake"
Mix the Layers: Once the grain is fully colonized, massage the bag from the outside to break up the grain clumps.
(Once bottom layer is 80-90% colonized, it is time mix the grain and substrate.)
- Incorporate Substrate: Thoroughly mix these colonized grains into the upper Substrate layer. This creates multiple "inoculation points" to speed up final colonization.
- Resettle: Gently pat the bag down to reform a flat, even cake at the bottom. Ensure no grains are stuck in the upper folds of the bag. Pro Tip: After you have thoroughly mixed the colonized grains into the substrate, make sure you shape the mixture to form a nice flat surface and lightly compact together as this will be the final surface that your mushrooms will grow from. Avoid clumps and unlevel surfaces.
Step 4: Full Recolonization
Wait for White: Let the bag sit until the entire mixture—both grain and substrate—is completely white and solid.
- Pre-Fruiting Prep: Before opening, some growers place a rubber band roughly 1 inch below the surface of the cake to prevent "side pins" (mushrooms growing between the cake and the plastic).
Step 5: Initiating Fruiting (FAE)
Introduce Air: Cut a 1–2 inch slit in the bag roughly 1–2 inches above the substrate surface to allow Fresh Air Exchange (FAE).
- Introduce Air: Cut a 1–2 inch slit in the bag roughly 1–2 inches above the Filter Patch to allow Fresh Air Exchange (FAE).
- Light: Move the bag to an area with indirect light (natural daylight or a 12/12 lamp cycle).
- Maintain Humidity: If the bag looks dry, mist the inside walls of the bag with water once or twice daily, but avoid spraying the substrate or developing pins directly.
After Your Harvest
Once your bag stops producing, the spent substrate makes excellent compost for gardens or houseplants. Simply empty the bag into a compost bin or garden bed. This is a great way to complete the cycle and support your plants with nutrient-rich material.