Aug 16, 2021
Making mycelium at home.
I thought it would be fun to experiment with mushrooms/mycelium, the first step would (obviously) be growing mycelium. So I did.
While the packaged mycelium is on its way, I used the oyster mushrooms I had in the fridge. For other ingredients, I also used things I already had at home.
Growing mycelium out of the ingredients you already have at home
AKA cardboard mycelium
- cardboard
- hydrogen peroxide
- oyster mushrooms(or other mushrooms)
- sealable container or container+cling film
- gloves
- knife
- cutting board
I took inspiration from this guide and other resources online.
One of the ways to grow mycelium from mushrooms is to use cardboards. Pretty sure everyone can find them at home. Why are they so good? Corrugated layers leave space for the mycelium to grow.
I used oyster mushrooms because it’s one of my favorite mushrooms, it also grows fast and I had them at home. It’s very beginner-friendly.
Step 1: Cut cardboard to fit into your container
Step 2: Soak it in water
Step 3: separate the cardboard layers
Step 4: sterilize with hydrogen peroxide
*Wash the mushrooms*
For step 4, first put on and sterilize the gloves, then sterilize the surface, the container, the knife, the cutting board. Then the cardboard, then the mushrooms.
THIS STEP IS CRUCIAL. If you don’t put in enough effort you will get mold instead of mycelium.
Step 5: slice the mushrooms very THIN
Step 6: add the layers
Spread tiny pieces of mushrooms(I could’ve made mine tinier) on the cardboard, repeat 4–7 times filling the container.
Step 7: INCUBATE — cover the container, put it in a warm dark place
Mine started showing on the second day after I “planted” it. The growth speed depends on the conditions.
Extra tip: keep it closed as much as possible, there’s a lot of nasty stuff in the air. BUT open it once a day for a few seconds to let it breath(change the air).
2 days after mycelium started to appear:
3 days later:
4 days after:
8 days later:
Since then, it hasn’t been changing too much.
Moving mycelium on grains
*detailed article coming*
I have planted pieces of cardboard with mycelium into sterilized grain jars. One got contaminated so I thought that the cardboard wasn’t sterile enough but the other jars seem fine. One more jar with cardboard has an insignificant amount of mold — mycelium was able to outgrow it.
Next time, I would sterilize the cardboard better. Especially if I plan to take that mycelium further, not just grow it on the cardboard but use for something more too.
My website: dashanikolaeva.com
Reach out to me at t.me/dashanikolaevaa or dashanikolaeva555@gmail.com
