Best DIY Mushroom Grow-Kits for Your Garden & 5 Expert Tips to Get you Started Today

Diabetes, heart ailments, boosting foetal health and more — there’s a lot that mushrooms have to offer. Moreover, they come in several varieties, including button, oyster, cep and straw, which can be cooked in all sorts of ways. The first two varieties are the most commonly cultivated types in India.

In recent years, many urban gardeners have started adding this lucrative crop to their repository, given that it’s easy to grow and can reap big rewards. Are you looking to try your hands at growing mushrooms yourself? Here are some links you can find easily on Amazon:

1. ‘Mushroom out of the box’ grow kit

This is a cardboard box filled with coco peat and mushroom seeds (spawn) sown in it. As per the instructions, all you have to do is keep the box in a cool place with plenty of fresh air and no direct sunlight, and your mushrooms are ripe for the plucking in 15 days!

You must keep in mind to water the crop 3-4 times a day during the cycle. One box can sustain a small family for about half a month. It can also be refilled by purchasing spawn alone after the harvest. And the best part? Even your kid could grow delicious mushrooms using this DIY kit.

Buy the product here.

2. Rich pink oyster for indoor

Though a treat for the eyes as well as your health, pink oyster mushrooms are not as easily available in the market. But what if you could grow them right at home in just three steps?

All you need to do is cut open the box, spray water at least thrice a day, and harvest the mushrooms within a week. One bag can be used for two to three cycles, and provides about 180-225 grams each. Oyster mushrooms contain essential amino acids, protein, non starchy carbohydrates, dietary fibre, minerals, and Vitamin D.

Buy the product here.

3. Mini farm organic mushroom

Urban farming just got more fun and productive with this DIY mushroom kit, which takes only 10 days to grow. The kit contains plant-based soil and oyster mushroom spores. These can be grown inside the box or taken out and placed in an external pot. This easy-to-use kit can give upto four rounds of harvest.

Buy the product here.

4. Oyster mushrooms grow kit

This kit includes ready-to-use mushroom spawn and polypropylene bags. Buyers would need to purchase a straw substrate before they start farming. Boil the substrate in water for one hour and quickly dry it. Break the spawn packet into fine grains to mix it with the substrate in a ratio of 10 per cent and fill the mixture in the PP bag. Start spraying water after 15 days and a high yield is assured within a month.

Buy the product here.

5. Milky mushroom spawn

This kit contains 400 grams of spawns, which are to be sown in the existing or newly made mixture of soil. Milky mushrooms are different from oysters, and are known to be better in taste as well as nutritional value. It takes more than 15 days to get the first yield, and the kit can be used for about two or three rounds.

Buy the product here.

6. Button mushroom spawn

These ready-to-use spawns are sown in the prepared compost and placed at the required temperature. Compost can be made out of wheat/paddy straw, along with other nutrients. This is then filled in wooden trays. Button mushrooms take 30-35 days to grow, and this set can last upto 10 months.

Buy the product here.

Now that you’ve bought the ideal kit to start your mushroom journey, what are some things to keep in mind? Here’s what experts say:

1. In your first attempt at mushroom cultivation, go for oyster mushrooms. Closed spaces are the best for its growth.

Monika Chowdry, who runs The Mushroom Hub in Delhi, says, “Oyster mushrooms require very less space, whereas the others require more area and specific environmental conditions.”

2. If you plan to grow mushrooms from scratch, understand the sterilisation process of straws well. Soak the material in water that has a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for one or two hours. “Once it is soaked, the straw will have to be dried under a fan or shade (no sunlight) for 6-7 hours. This process can also be done overnight,” says Monika.

3. Get in touch with horticulture centres, nurseries, or an experienced farmer to understand the ratio and other necessary details regarding cultivation.

4. Watering is the most vital part of growing mushrooms. Spray water at least 3-4 times everyday to prevent the mushrooms from drying up.

5. Check the temperature of the room at definite intervals, especially during the attack of pests. Inappropriate room temperatures could contribute to rotting. To avoid pests in the crop, use organic products like neem oil.

(Edited by Divya Sethu)