The best way to grow your own mushrooms is by using a mushroom grow kit. The kits will give you everything that you need to start growing mushrooms, and they are easy to use.
For you to grow mushrooms successfully using the growing kits, you need to adhere to the following:
- Contamination prevention.
- Cleanliness and sterilization.
- Proper Air exchange.
- A reliable source of light.
- Monitor moisture levels and maintain humidity as required.
I've compiled a list of the 10 best kits below.
1. Back to roots Organic mushroom grow kit
The Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom kit is, by far, one of the most efficient kits on the market. It has been labelled as the "most productive kit" in its class. With 5-6 harvests per year, you can see why people are making this their go-to grow kit.
Their product is made with organic cotton and all-natural, organic mushroom compost (which is free from harmful pesticides, fungicides & herbicides). This kit doesn't have a cardboard casing or plastic tubing which are both considered unnecessary.
The kit itself is quite small, with the actual fruiting block weighing less than 2 lb. This translates to the kit only needing 1/3 of a cup of water every time you spray it. The actual bag size is 4 in. x 6 in.
This mushroom cultivation kit allows you to grow your favourite mushrooms from home such as Shiitake, Oyster, Reishi, and King Olson. Back to the roots also supplies their kits with organic cotton string, an air pump and activated charcoal for the healthiest growing environment possible.
They also have a very nice "how-to" video online that explains how to grow your own mushrooms from this kit. Back to the roots is one of the most popular mushroom kits available on Amazon (with over 1,000 positive reviews) and it is easy to see why.
The price ranges from $22.85-$49.97 depending on the size that you choose. However, there are a lot of sizes to choose from.
2. Forest origins growing Kits
Forest Origins has developed easy-to-use kits with their Mushroom Farm. These kits use a mushroom block, which is very compact and requires very little maintenance. All you need to do is open the bag and let it sit there; no misting or fanning is needed.
This kit comes with growing bags that are reusable up to 3-4times. If you want huge harvests, this kit is definitely for you.
Their bestseller is the Specialty Trio Mushroom Grow Kit by Forest Origins costs around $22 to $35 (depending on your purchase) and an XL kit that costs closer to $40.
It comes in three different growing kits each with a unique specialty mushroom, i.e the brown oyster, white oyster, and pink oyster. The inclusion of additional accessories and an option for the regular or organic substrate.
The regular version of this kit contains a grow box that is reusable up to 3 times, organic cotton strings, and filter bags while the organic version contains all of the above plus organic cotton strings.
Forest Origins also guarantees the quality of the kit and if you are dissatisfied with their product, they will refund your money back. This kit is definitely one of the best mushroom kits on Amazon.
3. Myco Supply Starter Mushroom Growing Kits
Myco Supply has a great mushroom growing kit that is perfect for beginners and experienced growers alike. This kit comes with 4 different types of mushrooms to cultivate, including Shiitake, Oyster, King Oysters & Enoki. This particular product comes with mycelium plugs which are compacted mycelium with mushroom spores on the end of them.
This kit comes with a block of sterilized, certified organic cotton wool which acts as your substrate. The mushroom spores are inserted into the substrate and then you add warm water to it which activates the mycelium sporelings.
Once they grow to a certain point, you place them in different growing bags that come with this kit and let them sit for a few days until they can literally rise from their own "soil". Once they do, it is time to add some casings which come with this kit.
You then mist the bag several times a day until your spores have begun to grow and flourish. Overall, their product is very similar to Back To The Roots' mushroom growing kit in terms of what you get and ease of use.
Myco Supply's mushroom growing kits start at $34.99 with free shipping in the US and Canada. They do not offer international shipping.
4. Gallboys Mushroom Kits
Gallboys has some of the best mushroom growing kits available and it comes with a unique feature: you can choose between two different sizes.
Their small size kit costs $37.99 and their large kit costs $49.99 (they do not offer international shipping).
The interesting fact about Gallboys' mushroom kits is that they come with tree seedlings that you use as a growing medium.
According to their blurb, the Gallboy Mushroom Kit is an extremely easy-to-use mushroom grow kit for people of all ages and experience levels.
Their kits come with compost growing substrate and they also have a very helpful how-to video on their website which walks you through the entire growing process.
Once you receive your mushroom kit, all you have to do is set it up and wait until it starts growing.
Gallboys' mushroom kits are very easy to use because their substrate comes with a one-way valve that allows for easy harvest once your mushrooms begin to grow! Their kits can produce several harvests, so you will have your very own mushroom kit for quite some time.
5. North Spore | Lion's Mane Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit
North Spore has an amazing Lion's Mane Mushroom Kit which is very easy to use and does not require much attention. It comes with everything you need to grow mushrooms, including the compost substrate that is specifically formulated for this particular mushroom spore.
It cost $39.99 on Amazon and it only ships to the US.
This mushroom kit is perfect for beginners or people who do not want to take care of their own mushrooms because it comes with everything you need including the growing bag, casing soil, compost substrate and spores! All you have to do is open up your package, soak it in water according to the instructions that come inside the package, and then place it in a cool, dark place.
The spore requires a warm environment because it is a tropical mushroom species. The good news about this North Spore kit is that you can literally leave your mushrooms on the counter once the package has been activated and they will do all of the work for you as long as conditions such as humidity and warmth are met.
6. Mushroom Mojo Growing Kit
Mushroom Mojo has an interesting mushroom kit that can produce several harvests and you can use it to grow all sorts of mushrooms such as oysters, shiitake, and bird's nests.
Their bestseller growing mushroom kit is MOJO PRO WHITE OYSTER MUSHROOM BLOCK KIT.
It costs $27.99 + shipping costs and you get free shipping on it if you purchase items over $45 on their website.
The Mushroom Mojo kit is very easy to use, with set instructions. Basically, all you have to do is inject water into the bag 3-4 times a day for 2 weeks. When your spores are ready, they will begin shooting out of their holes. At this point, you will know that they are ready to eat!
7. 2funguys mushroom growing kits
2funguys kits are amongst the best-reviewed mushroom product on Amazon and are one of the most popular as well as good value for money! It has great reviews and it offers a money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied with your purchase.
The kit comes with 100 Plugs enough to do 2 – 36″ long X 4″ diameter logs with a Mushroom Season extender pack.
Additionally, the kit also comes with everything included to grow mushrooms, including topsoil and mushroom spores.
The best thing about this kit is that it does not require any work from your end except watering daily for two weeks until they begin shooting out of their holes. It's an easy process to follow even for a beginner!
This kit is $29.99 on their website.
8. GMHP Gourmet Mushroom Products
Their bestselling growing kits are:
Morel Habitat Kit - Backyard Morel Mushroom Growing Kit.
Organic King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit.
The prices are $59.99-$69.99 depending on the mushroom kit you choose. Their products are available to ship worldwide!
GMHP is one of the few growing kits that offer their product worldwide and they focus mainly on mushrooms such as Shiitake, Maitake, Lion's Mane, Oyster Mushrooms & Porcini Mushrooms. If you have a preference, they can certainly accommodate your needs!
They recommend exposing it to a minimum of 4hrs of sunlight daily for 5 consecutive days & keeping it moist at all times.
Their kits come with everything you need from the substrate blocks, mushroom plugs, and spores! They also have video tutorials available on their website to help you out if you're having any problems or you want to know how to do something.
GMHP also offers a 20% discount on your first purchase by subscribing to their newsletter! So it is definitely worth giving them a try.
9. Root Mushroom Farm | Golden Oyster Mushroom | All in one Gourmet Mushroom Growing kit
Golden oyster mushroom growing kit and All in one Gourmet mushroom growing kit by Roots Mushroom Farm are some of the best in the market.
They cost $22.90 and $27.90 respectively.
All in one Gourmet Mushroom Growing Kit by Root Mushroom Farm has great reviews and it is definitely worth giving it a try if you want to grow your own shrooms at home! It's very easy to use and really fun for everyone in the family to get involved.
Root Mushroom Farm kits come with a mushroom growing humidifier, biological humidifier, mycelium substrate plug, and the spawn of the strain you have purchased. As per their recommendations for healthier growth, they suggest that these be kept at room temperature between 65F-85F with not less than 5 hours of sunlight daily for 5 consecutive days. Also, keep it moist at all times.
10. Mushroom Mountain: Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit
The Shiitake's need a low-medium light level and they need to be watered every 2 days. The unique thing about this kit is that it has its own humidity pack made from recycled paper, these are supposed to last for 30 days! This feature helps increase the growing speed of mushrooms by providing humidity without needing to spray water excessively on them.
They also have 9 tips in their guidebook for better growth which you can download on their site.
You can purchase this kit for $25.00 and is available in 3 sizes - mini, small, and medium. This one is a little more expensive than the rest but it is still worth checking out if you have the budget.
Conclusion
There are many types of mushrooms that can be grown, but these 10 kits will give you an excellent start. The kits are easy to use, so it is worth checking them out.
When choosing a growing kit always remember to ask yourself: What do I want out of this? Will any kit be able to fulfil my desires?
I hope this article has been helpful & I highly recommend giving these a try if you're interested in trying your hand at growing mushrooms yourself! You can purchase them directly from manufacturers or from major online retailers like Amazon.
Have you used any of these kits before? Think we left out a kit that you would recommend?
Let us know in the comments!
