Spray & Grow Kit FAQ
Are North Spore Spray & Grow mushroom kits organic?
Yes! They are USDA certified organic.
What is the shelf life? How should I store before use?
Inside your Spray & Grow Kit is a living organism, so we recommend activating it upon receipt. If you need to wait, you can store them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight or in the fridge for up to 6 months.
All of the species used in our kits are very vigorous and viable, so after storing for a few weeks, they may start fruiting in the bag! It's no issue, but some recipients can be surprised or concerned which is why we have activation and storage recommendations.
Should I take the block out of the box and bag?
Our Spray & Grow Kits should stay in the bag (and inside the box) while they grow.
After removing the front panel of the box along the perforated lines, cut an X into the exposed plastic. Enough oxygen gets to the block through this cut and it directs the mushrooms to form there. Remember to leave the plastic flaps of the X on the bag, they'll help to keep moisture in. The mushrooms will easily grow out of the sliced X section, so no need to open it up more as they fruit.
Read full instructions here:
Lion's Mane Kit and Instructions
Blue Oyster Kit and Instructions
How often (and how much) should I water my kit?
You don’t need to empty the bottle each time you spray, but it is important to get the area where you cut open the bag nice and damp! Try 5-10 sprays each time. It can take a little trial and error to get the frequency and amount just right. If the surface of the block seems very dry the next time you spray it, you should give it a bit more water or water a bit more often. If you run AC or live in an arid climate, using a humidity tent can be useful to prevent your block from drying out.
Help! My kit has gnats!
Any home where there are houseplants, compost bins, unrefrigerated fruit, etc. there will likely be a small number of gnats or fruit flies hiding. (They can even live in the water pipes in your kitchen and bathroom sinks!) The moment mushroom kits enter the space, hidden gnats will seek them out. (This is especially true in warmer months!)
If you see gnats or fruit flies around your mushroom kits, try to identify the source within your home and treat it immediately. You can also create a natural repellent that can be sprayed on the outside of the kits. It's a mixture of dish soap, water, baking soda, and vinegar, poured into a spray bottle.
To make: Add a few drops of dish soap, a tablespoon of vinegar, and a tablespoon of baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture is an effective gnat repellent and should be reapplied if gnats reappear. (Note: Do not spray directly on mushrooms!)
If the issue is ongoing, gnat sticky traps or small plug-in gnat trap, like the Zevo can be useful, too. The Zevo about the size of a night light and can be plugged into the outlet next to your kits.
My baby golden oysters look like lion's mane!
When they first pin, baby golden oysters look similar to lion's mane. Watch this video to see the growth process.
Is my grow kit the correct species?
Your kit was inoculated in a sterile environment with a selected mushroom culture. It is incredibly unlikely you would ever have a competing species grow from your kit. However, if you'd like to make sure what is growing from your kit is indeed the correct species, simply take a photograph and email it to us for confirmation. Save the image on the front of your kit bag or box for reference.
We get this question most often with the golden oyster kits. As they begin to form pins (baby mushrooms) they can sometimes resemble lion’s mane mushrooms (see the video below). They start out completely white and a little blob-like. As they mature, the caps develop their signature yellow hue and more shelf-like structure. If you’re in doubt, wait a day or two to see if the yellow cap appears.
We do sometimes make mistakes, being human and all. So, it is possible we packed a mushroom bag in the wrong box. If this sounds like what happened, please reach out! We want to make it right for you.
What is this white stuff? Is my kit growing mold?
Chances are, that's not mold - it's mycelium! Your kit includes an amended sawdust block with mushroom mycelium growing through it. The block may appear covered with a soft, white, mold-like substance. That's the mushroom mycelium, and it's totally normal and healthy for your mushroom block. The mycelium of some species is more prominent than others. For example, lion's mane mycelium tends to be finer and more difficult to see while oysters can develop into a very thick and leathery mat. If you are still unsure about what's growing on your kit, reach out to us with a photo and we will help you identify what's going on.
If your kit has black, green, or orange patches it's possible your kit was damaged in transit and has mold. Reach out to us with a photo and we'll make it right.
My block has cracks, looks dry, or seems off.
You just got your Spray & Grow Kit, but something isn’t quite right. To make sure you successfully fruit some mushrooms, we’ll help you troubleshoot through hiccups along the way.
First, inspect your kit upon arrival and keep the packaging. Each kit is packaged with a batch-specific sticker, located somewhere on the substrate bag. We track quality control with these numbers, so it’s helpful to know if you need to be in touch with a member of our team. If you notice any strange colors (green, black) or foul smells before opening your bag, please get in touch with some photos. We’ll be able to determine if something happened in transit and get you a new kit. A healthy kit should have white or off-white mycelium weaving through its brown substrate and have a pleasant earthy smell.
If the mushroom block is broken upon arrival, there’s hope yet! We often see this as a result of jostling around in transport. While it’s still in the bag, we recommend gently pressing the block back together and allowing it some extra time to bounce back before cutting it open to start the fruiting process. It may take about a week to re-establish itself. If your bag is already open, gently smoosh it together as best you can and make sure to keep the block moist. We recommend using a humidity tent. Take a trash bag or other large loose bag and cut lots of ½” holes throughout - mushrooms need fresh air to form correctly! Drape the bag over your block and mist the inside of the bag every day. When you start to see baby mushrooms form (pinning), you can remove the bag and keep misting the block.
If your mushroom block looks “dead” or like nothing is happening, there are a few possible causes. Lion’s mane mycelium is notoriously fine and often appears very light or unnoticeable - especially compared to oyster kits. If you have a lion’s mane kit and the block holds together, the mycelium may be difficult to see. For other kits, it's possible the block was broken up in transit and needs some time to grow back together. Give it a few days, making sure to keep it misted, and see if the mycelium becomes more noticeable. We guarantee all of our kits will fruit within two weeks, or we’ll send you a replacement.
If your mushroom block seems dry and hasn't produced any mushrooms yet, try using a humidity tent. Take a trash bag or other large loose bag and cut lots of ½” holes throughout - mushrooms need fresh air to form correctly! Drape the bag over your block and mist the inside of the bag every day. When you start to see baby mushrooms form (pinning), you can remove the bag and keep misting the block.
If your block still seems dry using the humidity tent or if your block has produced once or twice and dried out in between, you can give it a boost by soaking it in some water. Take your bag out of the box and let it soak, cut side down, in a bowl of water for an hour for oysters. Let a lion's mane kit soak for 10-15 minutes and keep an eye on it, the mycelium of these mushrooms tends to be more delicate so soaking for too long can result in your block disintegrating. Pat the block dry before putting it back in the box. Mist as you would 2-3 times per day, a little extra if you live in an arid or dry climate.
Why is my new kit already growing mushrooms?
Sounds like you've got a very vigorous kit! This is totally normal. There is a filter on the bag to provide fresh air and oxygen, and mycelium will try to grow towards it. If the mushrooms are easily accessible, you can break them off and compost them, so you can start fresh.
Why do my mushrooms look weird?
Sometimes the caps of mushrooms look bizarre and wonky when they’re little and starting to emerge. As they grow, if there’s not enough oxygen or moisture, the mushrooms can deform. Leggy, stringy, or sparse mushrooms need more airflow; let 'em breathe! Try moving them to a more open place or put a fan near them.
Mushrooms that are otherwise abnormally shaped may need some more humidity - you can try using a humidity tent. When lion's mane starts to yellow it's usually a moisture issue. They can easily get water logged if they're sprayed directly. Try spritzing from further away to give them a mist instead of a soaking. Alternatively, if they're yellowing and not soggy, its likely they're a little past peak maturity. Time to harvest and reset your kit for another fruiting!
Caps that are pale likely need more natural light. Avoid keeping your kit in closets or cabinets. Ambient sunlight helps them develop rich hues.
What are the amber colored beads growing on my kit?
This is called "mycelial exudate." It's a byproduct of the mycelium's metabolic process and is natural and harmless. Fungi digest outside of their body, so the release enzymes into their environment to help break down materials so they can more easily absorb them. Those amber beads are sort of like digestive juices!
Why did my kit start (then stop) growing?
Usually, mushroom pins stop growing when there isn't enough humidity around the block. Don't panic! Your mushroom kit still has all the food needed to produce mushrooms. Simply pick off the dried-up pins, wait one week, letting the block dry out on a plate. Then, soak the block for 20 minutes in cold water, drain all the water out of your kit (species that grow in the bag) and start the process over. If you didn't use a humidity tent the first time then it may be helpful the second go around. It creates a moist microclimate that your block should thrive in.
When you start to see baby mushrooms form (pinning), you can remove the bag and keep misting the block. Make sure to keep a close eye on the kit. Spray 2-3x daily with water to keep it hydrated.
How do I make a humidity tent?
Mushrooms thrive on humidity and can easily dry out if they don't get enough of it. We recommend using a humidity tent in dry conditions, when blocks have been broken up, or if you can’t water your block one day. It creates a moist microclimate that your block should thrive in.
Take a semi-transparent trash bag or other loose-fitting plastic bag and put plenty of 1/2 inch holes in it. Your mushrooms need to breathe! Drape the bag over your kit and mist the inside of the tent or the slice on your block several times per day. You can use a plastic tote, chopticks, or anything else you have handy to help prop up your bag if it's not stiff enough to hold on its own. When you start to see baby mushrooms form (pinning), you can remove the bag and keep misting the kit.
When should I harvest my mushrooms?
The image on the front of your Spray & Grow Kit box shows the mushrooms at their ideal stage of growth for harvesting. The general rule is that mushrooms should be harvested before their caps flatten or become concave. In the case of lion's mane, before they become yellowed and mushy. Unlike plants, mushrooms grow incredibly fast, sometimes doubling in size each day. Make sure to keep a close eye on your kit so you don't miss the opportune time to harvest!
We like to harvest oyster mushrooms right before their caps begin to flatten out, while the edge is still a little curved under. At this point, the mushrooms have almost grown to their full size and will store better than mushrooms harvested later. You can definitely pick and eat mushrooms after the cap has flattened out, but they won’t keep as long and are more brittle.
Lion’s mane doesn’t have caps and gills, but rather teeth. When they’re young, they form as dense round balls, sometimes growing more mounds and lumps in maturity. The length of their teeth or spines can be used as a good indicator of when to harvest. We like to pick them when teeth are ¼-½” long before any yellowing.
To harvest, reach your hand around the base of the mushroom cluster and twist. This motion should be enough to pop your mushrooms off the block. You can also use a knife if you want, too! Remove any extra loose debris on the block before starting to spritz again for a second flush. Your first flush could produce anywhere between ½-2 lbs. of mushrooms!
If mushrooms become dried out, moldy, or look unappetizing in any way chances are they weren't harvested early enough. You can send us a photo to see what might have happened. Stringy mushrooms with long stems and little caps probably are in a high CO2 environment. Give them some air or even try a fan!
What do you mean by 'fruiting' and 'flush'?
The word fruit can be very specific, referring to foods like berries and apples, or a bit more general to refer to how an organism reproduces. So tomatoes and rosehips are the fruits of those plants; they contain the seeds. Likewise, mushrooms are the fruits of a fungus; they contain spores. So when a fungus starts to produce mushrooms, we call that fruiting.
Specifically, mushrooms are the reproductive structure of the fungus. The block in your kit is primarily comprised of mycelium (the vegetative body of a fungus), and it's food (a bag full of supplemented sawdust). As the mycelium grows, consuming the sawdust mix, it uses up the nutrients available in the bag. When it's fully established, has run out of nutrients or experiences other environmental cues like a temperature or oxygen shift, that's a cue for the fungus to fruit and produce mushrooms so that it can move on to another food source.
A flush refers to the production of multiple mushroom fruit bodies at one time. Many of the fungi we cultivate tend to produce many mushrooms simultaneously - this is known as a 'flush' of mushrooms.
How many flushes will one kit produce?
We guarantee at least one fruiting of mushrooms off your kit, but depending on the species you choose to grow it is likely you will get a second, third, fourth, or even fifth fruiting with care and patience. Growing mushrooms is an art, and it takes skill to be good at it. Be patient, follow the instructions carefully, and try to maintain a humid environment for your kit and you should succeed.
In terms of yield, you can usually expect your first flush to be somewhere in the range of 1/2 of a pound to 2 lbs. This varies significantly species to species, environment to environment. It depends greatly on how much care you put into maintaining your kit! Each subsequent fruiting will likely be smaller as the fungi use up nutrients in the substrate.
Do I need to cook my mushrooms?
Yes, you should make sure any mushrooms you eat are thoroughly cooked. Mushrooms contain a compound called chitin which is difficult to digest. Chitin also occurs in arthropod shells giving them strength and flexibility. It readily breaks down with heat, so cooking mushrooms makes them easier on our bodies.
How do I harvest my mushrooms?
Hold the cluster near the base and spin them. If you'd rather use a knife and cut them, that's fine too! Clean off any loose bits from the kit before continuing to spray and cut off any bits of sawdust from the block on your mushrooms before cooking and eating them.
How do I get a second flush of mushrooms from my kit?
We guarantee your first flush of mushrooms, but with a little patience and skill you can often get a second or more flushes! After you’ve harvested your first flush of mushrooms, continue spraying your kit daily. If it's looking a bit dry, cover it with a humidity tent. It's important to keep it hydrated throughout the process. There's no need to take the block out of the bag or cut a second X in it. In around 2 weeks, you should start to see baby mushrooms (pins) forming again.
It may a little longer for mushrooms to appear every subsequent fruiting. However, if by then there's no progress after a couple weeks, it’s a good idea to soak your block. It’s possible during the first flush the kit got a little too dry. Take your block out of the box and set it cut side down in a bowl of water. Most species only need to soak for 20 minutes. If you have a lion’s mane kit, soak your block for 5-10 minutes and keep an eye on it. Lion’s Mane mycelium is very fine, so these blocks tend to break apart if soaked for too long.
After soaking, let the block drain by leaving it cut side down for another 10 minutes or tip it around to let extra water run off. You don't want to leave standing water in your bag. Pat your block dry with a towek before placing it back in the bag. Then place the bag back into the box with the cut side facing out. Or, just skip the box and leave the block cut side up and keep spraying it 2-3x per day.
Are you hoping for a third, fourth, or fifth flush? We’ve got some ideas for how to get more life out of your kit here.