Grow Guide for EZPZ™ Grow Kit version 2

We also recommend reading our troubleshooting guide before attempting any grow as it’s full of useful information which will help you solve and avoid problems.

Step 1: Inoculation of Sterile EZPZ substrate

In this initial stage of mushroom cultivation, the goal is to inoculate the sterile EZPZ substrate with your selected gourmet mushroom spores or culture. This process involves preparing a spore/culture syringe and injecting a specific amount of this solution into the CyloTub, our specialized container designed for mushroom growth. It’s crucial to maintain a clean and sterile environment throughout this process to prevent any contamination. Also, it’s important to ensure the correct amount of spore or culture solution is used, and essential components of the CyloTub, like the air exchange filter, remain undisturbed.

1. Prepare for the process: First, ensure cleanliness to avoid contamination. Use the blue Clinell wipe provided to thoroughly clean your hands and forearms.

2. Prepare the mushroom spore/culture syringe: Get your gourmet mushroom spore or culture syringe ready. Attach a new, sterile needle by screwing it onto the syringe.

3. Clean the injection port: On the lid of your CyloTub, you’ll find a grey rubber injection port. Use a green Clinell wipe to clean this area.

4. Be cautious of the pink filter strip: You’ll notice a pink filter strip on the lid of your CyloTub. This strip is crucial for maintaining clean air exchange, so don’t touch it or attempt to remove it.

5. Inject the solution: Pierce your needle through the cleaned grey injection port. Aim towards the edge of the CyloTub, then slowly inject 3ml of your spore or culture solution. Please be careful not to exceed 3ml to avoid overfilling.

 

Step 2: Colonisation of Sterile EZPZ substrate

Step 2, colonisation of the sterile substrate, is where you’ll start seeing signs of growth from the mycelium, the root structure of your mushrooms. During this stage, it’s essential to provide an environment that’s conducive to mycelium growth. This means storing your CyloTub in a place that’s not airtight – the CyloTub’s original cardboard box is perfect for this. One of the critical factors to monitor is temperature; maintaining a consistent temperature between 20-26°C is ideal for avoiding problems like contamination or slow growth. While it might be tempting to use heat mats, we advise against it due to potential uneven heat distribution and excessive condensation. If you’re having trouble maintaining the right temperature, consider using an incubator for better control. With these conditions met, you should see mycelium growth in 4-5 days, and potentially achieve full colonisation within 14 days.

1. Don’t suffocate your Mycelium: Your Mycelium is a living organism and needs to breathe. Avoid placing your CyloTub in an airtight container.

2. Use the box for storage: The cardboard box that your CyloTub arrived in makes a perfect storage spot. It will help to keep your colonising CyloTub clean.

3. Keep an eye on temperature: Temperature plays a significant role in successful colonisation. Avoid temperature extremes; too hot (above 26°C) or too cold (below 20°C) can lead to problems, like contamination or slow/no growth.

4. Maintain consistent temperature: Aim to keep a stable temperature between 20-26°C. Avoid frequent or drastic temperature fluctuations.

5. Say no to heat mats: Heat mats can lead to uneven warming, causing excessive condensation. This could result in water buildup, inviting contamination into your CyloTub.

6. Consider an incubator: If maintaining the right temperature is difficult, think about creating or purchasing an incubator. It’s more cost-efficient than constantly heating your home and yields better results.

7. Wait for growth: At the optimal temperature of 26°C, expect to see mycelium growth in about 4 to 5 days. After this point, the growth rate will increase significantly.

8. Full colonisation timeline: With optimal conditions, your CyloTub could be fully colonised in 14 days. We’ve tried it ourselves!

 

Step 3: Fruiting your Mushrooms!

In the third stage of the mushroom cultivation process, we transition from mycelium colonisation to mushroom fruiting. Once your CyloTub is fully covered in white mycelium, it’s ready to be prepped for this fruiting phase, which begins with a process known as ‘dunking’. Dunking involves hydrating the substrate to stimulate mushroom growth. After this, the CyloTub is moved to a grow tent where conditions such as temperature and humidity are carefully managed. There’s no need for misting in this stage; the natural humidity generated within the grow tent will suffice. Harvesting your mushrooms comes next when the veil beneath the mushroom cap is about to tear. After the initial harvest, the dunking process is repeated to stimulate further flushes of mushroom growth. With appropriate care, your CyloTub can produce multiple flushes until the substrate nutrients are exhausted.

1. Wait for full colonisation: Wait until your CyloTub is entirely covered in white mycelium – that’s when you know it’s fully colonised and ready for the next step.

2. Prepare for ‘dunking’: ‘Dunking’ is a method used to add moisture to your substrate to prepare it for fruiting. Fill your CyloTub (with the colonised substrate inside) with water, then secure the lid. Leave it for 4-6 hours before draining all the water.

3. Move to the grow tent: After draining, remove the lid from your CyloTub and place it in the grow tent. Seal the tent’s opening with selotape.

4. Manage temperature: For the fruiting stage, keep the temperature slightly lower than your incubation temperature, ideally between 18-24°C.

5. Humidity is key: At the right temperature, humidity will naturally increase inside the grow tent due to the water soaked into the substrate. This is crucial for fruiting.

6. No need for misting: Unlike some other kits, you don’t need to mist this one. Only open the tent when it’s time to harvest your mushrooms.

7. Harvest time: When the veil under one of your mushroom caps is about to tear, it’s time to harvest your first flush. Use a clean scalpel or knife to cut the mushrooms off.

8. Repeat the dunking process: After harvesting, add more moisture to your cake by filling the CyloTub with water and leaving it for 4-6 hours. Then drain the water. If you’ve misplaced the CyloTub lid, use tin foil or cling film as a cover during soaking. After draining, place the CyloTub back into the grow tent.

9. Expect multiple flushes: Continue this dunking process after each flush. With proper care, you should be able to get multiple mushroom flushes from your grow kit until all nutrients are used up.

 

Happy Shroomin’ ♡

Thanks for choosing our grow kit! We hope you enjoy the process and the results!

 

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Additional Tips for Enhanced Mushroom Growth:

In addition to the main steps of growing mushrooms with our kit, there are several other practices that can enhance your results. Central to healthy mushroom development is a balance between humidity, fresh air exchange (FAE), temperature, and light. You can increase FAE by making small slits in your grow tent and using a fan to circulate air gently within the room. Providing indirect sunlight or using an LED/fluorescent light with a specific wavelength can also help mushrooms grow optimally. If your grow tent seems dry, there are various adjustments you can make, such as adjusting the environment’s temperature or the position of your fan or grow lights. Within a week of entering the grow tent, you should see small white dots known as hyphal knots, which will develop into mushroom pins. Keep a close eye on your mushrooms’ growth and adjust your setup if needed, especially the level of FAE. It’s all about observing and making necessary tweaks to achieve that delicate balance for optimal mushroom growth.

1. Achieving the best results: For healthy mushroom development, maintaining a balance between humidity, fresh air exchange (FAE), temperature, and light is key.

2. Increase FAE: To enhance FAE, make a 1cm slit on both sides of the grow tent, near the top. Position an electric fan in the room on a low setting, which will stimulate a gentle air current and increase FAE inside the tent.

3. Provide sufficient light: Provide indirect sunlight or place a 6-7000K LED/fluorescent light a couple of feet away. This will give your mushrooms the necessary light for optimal growth.

4. Troubleshoot dry conditions: If your grow tent seems dry, it could be due to the following:

   • Too cold of an environment, preventing humidity from developing.
   • The fan being too close, thus drying out the tent.
   • The slits in the grow tent being too large and allowing too much humidity to escape (in this case, use tape to reduce their size).
   • Grow lights being too close and generating excessive heat.

5. Watch for the first signs of growth: After 3-7 days in the grow tent, you should see tiny white dots (hyphal knots) that will develop into primordia (the precursor to mushroom pins).

6. Mushroom development: It usually takes another 4-5 days for these pins to grow into mature mushrooms. Keep an eye on their progress; they’ll let you know if conditions aren’t right.

7. Adjust FAE if needed: If you see fuzzy mycelium at the base of the mushrooms or thin stems, you may need to increase FAE. Try increasing the fan speed or enlarging the slits in the bag.

8. Observe and adjust: The fruiting stage requires careful observation. Adjust your setup as needed to maintain the balance of humidity, FAE, temperature, and light.