GROW AT HOME · SOUTH LONDON
Mushroom Cultivation Guides
Everything you need to grow your own gourmet mushrooms at home, in plain steps. If you scanned the code on your grow bag, this is where it brings you. Bookmark it — I’ll keep adding guides here over time.
Growing your own mushrooms is simpler than most people expect. This page is your permanent home for how-to guides. Start with your grow bag below, then explore the full guides underneath when you want to go further.
Your grow bag: quick start
You’ve got a grow bag full of living mushroom mycelium. Here’s how to turn it into fresh mushrooms. It’s forgiving, and you’ll usually get more than one harvest from a single bag.
- Find the right spot. Put the bag somewhere with indirect light and fresh air — a kitchen windowsill, bathroom or shaded corner is ideal. Keep it out of direct sunlight.
- Open the bag. Once the substrate is fully covered in white mycelium, make a few small slits or holes in the bag where you’d like the mushrooms to grow.
- Mist 2–3 times a day. Spray the exposed area with water two or three times a day. Keep it moist but not waterlogged. A simple spray bottle is all you need.
- Watch for pins. Within a few days to a week you’ll see tiny mushroom pins forming. They grow surprisingly quickly — sometimes within days.
- Harvest. When the caps start to flatten out, grab the cluster at the base and gently twist and pull it away. Harvest before the edges curl upwards, when they’re at their prime.
- Grow again. Keep misting between harvests — you should get several flushes from one bag. When it’s finished, the spent substrate is brilliant for gardens and compost.
A quick word on safety: only ever eat mushrooms you’re sure of. If anything you grow ever looks or smells wrong, don’t eat it — compost it and start again.
More guides and ways to grow
Frequently asked
How long until I see mushrooms?
Oyster mushrooms typically show pins within a few days to a week of opening the bag, then grow quickly from there. Lion’s mane is a little slower. Timescales depend on the temperature and humidity in your home.
What if nothing happens?
It’s almost always moisture or air. Mist a little more often, make sure there’s fresh air and indirect light, and give it time. Mushrooms are resilient — a slow start usually just needs patience.
Are the mushrooms safe to eat?
The mushrooms you grow from a kit or bag are edible gourmet species grown from food-grade materials. As with any food, only eat them if they look and smell right. If anything ever looks off, compost it rather than eat it.
Can I grow more than once from one bag?
Yes. Keep misting between harvests and you should get several flushes from a single bag. When it finally stops fruiting, the spent substrate is great for the garden or compost heap.
Grow with us
Browse the shop for grow kits and fresh gourmet mushrooms, or join a cultivation workshop or foraging walk. Locally grown or foraged, small-batch, and transparent about every ingredient.
Visit the shop