Companies like Wonderbags offer fully colonized mushroom bags for research purposes.These bags contain living mycelium and can be used to grow amazing mushrooms even though this isn’t their intended purpose. Here is a quick overview that talks about how to use these mushroom bags to grow your own mushrooms.
This is the fastest and the surest way to grow your own mushrooms. Growing this way is faster, easier, and more reliable than other methods. It also has some distinct differences from growing in mono-tubs, outdoors or in other types of bags that are not fully colonized.
First of all, if the contents of the bag looks broken up or cracked when you receive it, tap it against the table and press down on the substrate so it forms a nice flat surface. Then just set the bag aside. The mycelium will form the block back together. When the myselium colonizes a substrate it forms a network of cells that can communicate and share resources. This network being intact is essential for fruiting, however don’t worry, the mycelium is very resilient, and will repair gaps and breaks in this network when broken.
If the mycelium block shows any off colors like green, orange, yellow, or pink, this can be a sign that it has become contaminated and you should contact your supplier right away to notify them right away and they should offer you a full refund or replacement for a flawed bag. Contamination in fully colonized mushroom bags is much more rare than in other methods but it does still happen and suppliers like, Wonderbags, offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee that will allow you to obtain a full refund or replacement on your order should you be unhappy with the product for any reason.
After you have inspected your bag or recompressed it due to any breaks or cracks just follow these simple steps:
Place the bag in a convenient area. The bags do need some light, indirect natural light and artificial light are both great however you want to avoid direct sunlight (the direct sun is bad for the mushrooms). Ideal temperature range is 65F-75F (too cold or too hot can hinder the progress). Please do not open the bag, The bag provides everything that the mycleium needs to be successful, furthermore, these varieties of mushrooms are optimized for performance in a closed bag environment so opening the bag prematurely can cause the project to stall.
Expect to see results starting within 14 days of receiving your bag, however it can sometimes take a little longer depending on the variety and growth conditions.
Keep an eye out for pins (baby mushrooms). Once you spot them, you know your mushrooms are mere days away from maturing.
Once the mushrooms are large, it is important to watch the veil (the thin layer of flesh that connects the cap and stem of the mushroom in young mushrooms), as it will indicate when the time is best to pick the mushrooms. Soon after the veil breaks, it will release its spores into the bag, signaling the end of the first flush. Spores are not harmful to people or future flushes and really only affect the aesthetics of the mushrooms, most growers just avoid them because of the way that they make the mushrooms look. Harvest the mushroom when the underside of the cap starts to stretch, but before it fully opens up into an umbonate (flattened) shape. Once this happens, the spores drop is just a few hours away.
When the veil indicates the time is right for harvesting, cut the bag open just below the seal, and pick the mushrooms with a gloved hand. Reach inside the bag and gently twist the stalk to remove it. If any substrate comes loose with the mushrooms simply remove it from the bag. Once the bag has been opened, pieces of substrate and mycelium that are no longer connected to the mycelial network can be a vector for contamination.
After harvesting the first flush, give the bag a quick squeeze to push out the air that had accumulated and then allow it to fill again with some fresh air. Close the bag by folding the very top over a few times and clipping it closed again with a pair of clips, or some tape and wait for the next flush.
There will typically be 1-2 more flushes, each is usually smaller than the previous one. Certain Grow Bags are formulated so that adding moisture during growth and between flushes is not typically necessary. However, its good to evaluate the moisture level after each harvest by looking for condensation forming on the inside of the resealed bag. If condensation is absent you can soak the block by adding some cold water to the bag and placing a small weight on top of it so that it submerges below the surface. It’s helpful to add a few teaspoons of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution to the water to fend off any would be contaminants that may be introduced during the soaking process. Soak for 1-2 hours and be sure to pour out any excess water, then close the bag back up and you are good to go. The next flush should begin in 5 to 21 days.
Most times the first flush is the largest, but occasionally it is the second flush. It depends on the unique mycelium culture.
HOT TIP: If your harvest is exceptionally large or you notice that the block inside the bag is getting a little dry, (usually after the 2nd flush) you can soak it in some tap water with a few teaspoons of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. This will typically increase yields and help to prevent contamination that can sometimes set in with later flushes.
It’s ok to keep flushing, although most growers compost their blocks after 2-3 flushes, we have seen customers get 4 and 5 flushes out of one bag. You can keep resetting your bag after each harvest to see if it will continue to produce more flushes beyond the 2nd or 3rd.
And this is all there is to it. Mycology has never been easier, and with fully colonized bags like, Wonderbags, you'll be on your way to the exciting world of mushrooms in no time at all.
Happy Growing!
