1. Our kits are ready to fruit, for best results start the process below as soon as you receive it.
2. Sanitise a sharp blade.
3. Cut into the kit along the 'X' that is marked for you.
4. Place the grow kit in a mild spot (20c) inside your home that does not receive any direct sunlight e.g. kitchen bench, laundry or bathroom (our favourite).
5. Mist the cut surface once per day with tap water. Do not peel back the cut and spray the sawdust directly, just the surface of the bag.
6. Stop misting once you see small mushrooms starting to emerge from the cut.
7. It is normal to see growth inside the bag, it is important to leave these alone and keep the bag taped tightly. Do not make extra cuts or open the bag any further. The mushrooms will find their own way through the 'X'.
8. The mushrooms are ready to harvest once the majority of the caps have formed the classic 'oyster shell' appearance. Typically, this takes 5-7 days from when pins first appear.
9. To harvest, grab the whole cluster of mushrooms at the base and gently pull it off. It should come away with very little resistance. Once the cluster has been removed, trim away the sawdust and tough parts of the stems. The mushrooms will last up to 5 days in the fridge if kept in a plastic container that is lined with paper towels.
10. Once harvesting is complete, remove any leftover debris from the opening ensuring the sawdust is now exposed and repeat steps 5-9. Subsequent harvests may take anywhere from 3-14 days to appear. If no new mushrooms appear after 7 days, stop misting for the next three days.

The bag will produce the vast majority of it's mushrooms in the first two harvests, any subsequent harvests will be much smaller.

If you have any concerns about your grow kit, please send photos or questions through to: sales@mushroomsbythesea.co.nz and we will be happy to help.

Tip:
To maximise your total yield, find a shaded spot in your garden after the second harvest is complete and break up the contents of the grow kit onto the ground. If there is no rain forecast, water the patch for the first few evenings and stop once you see signs of growth.

Pekepeke-Kiore (NZ Lion's Mane)

Growing this mushroom follows many of the same techniques as our Oyster Mushroom grow kits but there are a few differences listed below. Please read through the Oyster Mushroom Instructions above before you begin, the set up, location and harvest process are the same. 

1. Cut into the kit along the diagonal line that is marked for you.
2. Mist the cut surface of your kit with water once a day. Do not peel back the cut and spray the sawdust directly.
3. It will take up to 14 days for the mushrooms to begin poking their heads through the cut.
4. When the mushrooms are actively growing, continue to mist gently once per day. It is important to avoid saturating the mushrooms while growing.
5. Your mushrooms will begin to grow very quickly as they begin to mature, keep an eye out for icicle-like formations. When these get to be 3mm long you are very close to harvest.
6. Harvest your mushrooms as soon as the tips start to turn yellow, this is usually 4 weeks after first making the cut.
7. Before you begin misting again to start the second flush it is helpful to give the surface of the bag a quick disinfectant wipe.
8. The second harvest will come through a little faster than the second and it is well worth trying for a third with this mushroom. So far we have not had any success creating an outdoor patch with these as pictured in the Oyster Mushroom instructions.

Tip:

To get the most out of your grow kit, place it in a clear plastic tote with the lid left open to allow fresh air exchange. This environment will allow higher humidity levels for your mushrooms and give you a better quality result. The humidity dome is not necessary for Oyster Mushrooms which can better tolerate drier environments.