The Best Grain Spawn Bags for Growing Mushrooms
Below is a quick summary explaining some parts of growing mushrooms using grain spawn. However, it is not a detailed guide, and we recommend that you thoroughly research each step carefully before attempting your first grow.
For novice growers looking to answer questions, they may have about growing mushrooms at home the task may seem daunting. Endlessly searching the internet for advice oftentimes produces differing opinions, confusing methods, and in some cases, incorrect information that will ultimately ruin your harvest.
You may be wondering about which grain is the best for mushroom spawn propagation. We have seen many types of methods and materials used in order to grow mushrooms but we prefer our proprietary blend of perfectly hydrated sterilized millet and hardwood oak dust for extremely fast colonization and maximized yields. Before you inoculate using sub par products consider this article your spirit guide towards understanding which grain is right for your needs.
What is the best way to grow mushrooms?
Grain is an excellent way to grow because it allows for superior spawn, meaning your mycelium will spread more quickly and evenly leaving you with a larger harvest. If you have done your homework and browsed most message boards or online guides you’ve probably already noticed that rye is considered to be the best medium for growing mushrooms with grain.
But there is a growing amount of people (us included) that use sterilized millet because it actually is the BEST grain for mushroom spawn and the reason is in its size.
Grains like millet are much smaller than rye and wheat grains and allow for more surface area or inoculation points using less inoculant (culture or spores). While one pound of rye may have about 200 particles for the mycelium, our proprietary millet blend contains over 500. By using millet and unleashing the full power of our Lightning Colonization-Tek even novice growers will experience extremely fast colonization and maximized yields.
What mushrooms can I grow using grain?
Now that we’ve gone over the best medium for producing your spores it’s time to talk about some of the different types of mushrooms you can harvest.
Lion’s Mane
Lion’s mane is a fairly common mushroom that mostly grows on trunks of dead hardwood trees like oak and has a long history of use in East Asian medicine. Researchers believe Lion’s mane mushrooms may be able to improve nerve development and function, it also seems to help protect the lining in the stomach. People use lion’s mane mushroom for Alzheimer disease, dementia, stomach problems, and many other conditions, but there is no current scientific evidence to support these claims.
Oyster Mushroom
While it’s neither plant nor animal this fungus comes in a variety of colors and is renowned for possessing higher amounts of antioxidants than other types of cultivated mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are used in an array of dietary supplements and are considered to be very helpful with lowering blood sugar levels as well as cholesterol and blood pressure.
Hen Of The Wood
Although it may look like a ruffled, angry chicken, the hen of the wood mushroom grows like a circular bouquet of spoon-shaped caps. Known as the maitake mushroom in Japan, it is used in both food and medicine. The Hen of the Wood mushroom is known to have many health benefits, including support for the immune system and improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
Shiitake
One of the most commonly available edible mushrooms, shiitakes are known for their rich umami flavor and meaty texture. Native to East Asia and originally cultivated in Japan and China, the Japanese name shiitake comes from shii, one of the hardwood trees that the mushrooms grow on, and take, or mushroom.
Shiitakes are the third most cultivated mushroom worldwide which is why they can be found in dishes from around the world. Shiitakes are rich in polysaccharides like lentinans and other beta-glucans which protect against cell damage, help your immune system, and boost white blood cell production for fighting off microbes.
Chestnut Mushroom
Chestnuts may be one of the newest species of gourmet, edible mushrooms being cultivated in the US. Dark brown to tan in color, these mushrooms have a rich, nutty umami flavor and prefer to grow in heavily wooded areas.
Blue Oyster Mushroom
Unlike the popular band your dad probably loves, these mushrooms are actually satisfying to watch. For novices, this forgiving and easy to grow mushroom is a great way to sharpen your farming skills and walk away with some of the tastiest mycelium around. Starting out in its infancy this fungus takes on a strikingly blue hue and turns gray as it rapidly matures into adulthood.
Reishi Mushroom
Reishi mushrooms have been used for hundreds of years, mainly in Asian countries, in the treatment of infections. Also known as lingzhi, this particular mushroom has a bitter, woodsy taste that we wouldn’t recommend putting on your next pizza. Used throughout Chinese medicine, western researchers have yet to study its potential health benefits.
Pioppino
Also known as Black Poplar mushrooms this popular fungus is named from the fact its preferred growing habitat is around poplar trees. The Pioppino mushroom contains a light brown colored cap which sprouts from a long, thin white stem. The shorter timespan for growth as well as its usage in a wide variety of foods makes this gourmet mushroom a great choice for our grain.
Regardless of whether you’re an experienced commercial grower or a first-timer, our team is extremely humbled to have the opportunity to assist you with your mushroom growing journey. The mushroom cultivation industry hasn’t had any meaningful innovation in quite some time and we intend to change that.