GARDEN
BLOCK
GROW GUIDE
STEP ONE: CREATE THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT
When you are ready to fruit your grow block, finding a suitable environment is the most critical step for success. Mushrooms in the wild generally like growing in forests after it rains.
This means mushrooms like growing in:
indirect light
the temperature stated for your variety
humidity levels above 70%
fresh air = high O2/low CO2 (600ppm or lower)
Depending on where you live, the season, and what you have access to at home, the perfect environment may be created in many ways.
Outdoors
In a greenhouse, indoors or out
In a simple homemade fruiting chamber
Already have your growing spot set?
You can skip the next few sections and scroll down for our variety specific block instructions.
Outdoors
For many of our varieties, Spring and Fall are a great time to grow outdoors. Mushrooms naturally grow outdoors, and flourish with availability of fresh air.
Temperature and humidity are critical. Fluctuating temps from 50’s to 70’s and high humidity after rain provide good growing conditions for most of our varieties. In the Midwest, this means April/May and late September through early November often are the best growing months.
Placing your block into a shady spot in your yard during the correct conditions will bring great results. Ideal locations can be on a covered porch, under a shrubby plant or trees, or behind a structure (where the sun never directly shines). Tucking the block under shrubs and surrounded by other plants create an ideal microclimate with increased humidity and oxygen levels. If humidity is low and it hasn’t rained in a while, an occasional soak with a spray bottle or hose can help get your mushrooms growing.
Greenhouse
The high humidity and oxygen in greenhouses and certain sunrooms usually provide a great environment for mushrooms, and can extend the season in which they can be grown outdoors. Plants and mushrooms make great growing companions! It is important to keep your blocks out of direct sunlight to keep your mushrooms from drying out. This can be achieved with shade cloth, or simply placing the block under a plant table.
Some people opt to have a mini-greenhouse inside of a garage or basement. This usually requires some sort of fresh air intake, like several vents or a fan bringing in fresh air.
DIY Fruiting Chambers
Another simple option is to build a Monotub to create the ideal balance of humidity and fresh air using an inexpensive clear storage tote.
It’s important to create proper fresh air exchange in one of these containers. Simply putting in the block the container with the lid on tight will suffocate the mushrooms. The simplest option is to place the lid on crooked so there are gaps for fresh air to come it. An even better method with these totes is to drill several 1/4” holes all around the container, as pictured.
Now that you know where to grow, we’ll show you how to grow!
Click you Mushroom below for variety specific Garden Block Growing Instructions.
