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Organic Pioppino Mushroom Grow Kit Fruiting Block












Skill level | Advanced |
Grow location | Indoors |
Grow speed | 2 to 3 weeks |
Shelf life | 6 months (refrigerated) |
Kit dimensions | 6in H x 9in W x 6in D |
Kit weight | 5 lbs |
Fruiting temps | 55-65°F |
Our pioppino (Cyclocybe aegerita) fruiting block features a popular strain that produces large flushes with long stems and velvety medium-to-large brown caps. A culinary favorite, their flavor is best described as earthy, nutty, and mild with a slightly peppery-sweet finish.
Pioppino mushroom kits, though reliable, may take extra attention and time to produce mushrooms. They prefer cooler temperatures and need constant humidity. Using a humidity tent or humidity-controlled fruiting chamber will help mitigate moisture issues as long as there is proper fresh air exchange.
Upon receiving your kit:
Remove kit from the shipping box as soon as possible. Then, unfold the top of the bag, making room for air space. It's also important to check and confirm that the filter patch is not obstructed. This will help the organism breathe and continue to thrive until you are ready to grow your fruiting block!
Scroll down for guides on growing, storage, cooking, and more.
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For the majority of mushroom species, all that is needed to initiate fruiting (or begin the growth cycle) is a change in environmental conditions -- specifically humidity, light, temperature, and changes to oxygen and CO2 levels.
For best results:
We recommend growing your pioppino block in a fruiting chamber (like a monotub or martha tent) as a controlled environment will decrease the risk of contamination and increase the chances of success.
Creating optimal conditions:
The environmental parameters for pioppino mushrooms can be found on this page under "Temp, Humidity & CO2 guide" and on page 14 of our fruiting block instruction booklet.
Preparing your block:
Unfold the top of the bag, making room for air space. It's also important to check and confirm that the filter patch is not obstructed.
How to initiate fruiting:
- Make a small cut (2-3”) at the top of the bag under the seam and place upright in your fruiting chamber.
- Allow the block to pin within the bag.
- Once pinning has occurred, cut off the top of the bag, leaving sidewalls approximately 4” taller than the block.
- Return to fruiting chamber until ready to harvest.
Special considerations:
- Pioppino mushrooms are not heat tolerant and require cooler temperatures to fruit.
- Pioppino mushrooms are slow to pin.
Harvesting your mushrooms:
Harvest pioppino mushrooms when first veil breaks. Remove entire cluster with care to minimize breaking and then trim away substrate. Shelf life can be prolonged by harvesting your pioppinos early, before the veil breaks.
Growing different blocks together:
With some compromise, many different species of mushrooms can be grown together in a fruiting chamber. First, consider the temperature range of the mushrooms you desire to grow, and second, the CO2 sensitivity. Humidity ranges overlap for the majority of species. We encourage you to experiment with many different groupings!
Troubleshooting:
Having issues with unusual growth, stunted growth, or no growth at all? Refer to pages 16-18 in our fruiting block instruction booklet.
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Temperature 55-65°F | 13-18°C Humidity (Phase 1: Primordia) 95-100% Humidity (Phase 2: Fruitbody) 85-95% CO2 Sensitivity (Phase 1: Primordia) <2,000 ppm CO2 Sensitivity (Phase 2: Fruitbody) <2,000 ppm - Primordia - The earliest recognizable stage of fruitbody development. Also known as “baby mushrooms” or “mushroom pins.”
- Fruitbody - A fully grown mushroom, the reproductive structure of the organism in which the spores are produced.
- CO2 sensitivity - When CO2 levels are too high, yields will decrease, stems will become long and stringy, caps will be small, and/or growth will halt.
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If you don't plan to use immediately, you can refrigerate your block for up to 6 months.
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Both the cap and stem are firm and develop a crisp and crunchy texture when cooked. They also produce a mild and nutty flavor when cooked.
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If you’re going to consume home-grown mushrooms, make sure to cook your fresh mushrooms thoroughly with heat. If it is your first time eating this species, it is best to start with a small amount to check for allergies, even if cooked.
Mushrooms grow spores as they develop. This is a natural means of reproduction. This is when people with allergies or compromised immune systems may want to consider putting fruiting mushroom kits outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Spores in mushrooms sometimes cause respiratory irritation. In rare cases, spores may also cause irritation for some non-allergic or non-immunocompromised mushroom growers. If you are one of them, it is recommended to reduce the overall spore load by harvesting mushrooms while they are still in their younger growth stages.
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Heavy producer, easy to fruit, and tastey.
My mom bought me this kit for my birthday last year and it was a hit. It did well in my DIY fruiting chamber, and I was able to taste the famous Piopinno for the first time. They remind me of a milder shiitake with a more delicate texture. They hold up similarly through long cooking sessions but give up all their flavor to the broth. Very versatile culinary mushroom from an easy to grow kit.

Fantastic Experience
I bought this block with limited knowledge. The instructions were clear and I saw pins in a very short time. Everyone in the house had a great time watching them grow. I wrote to customer service for help on what the mushrooms should look like when they were ready to harvest. They were very helpful and I am confident that this company takes great care of all their customers. Will buy from them again!
Loved This!
This kit was really fun. These mushrooms changed so rapidly I was amazed. I wasn’t sure when to harvest them so I wrote to customer service here. Louis Giller responded promptly with great advice. He even asked me to send an additional photo the next day to verify that they were ready to harvest. This company really cares about the satisfaction of their customers and the quality of their products.

Forms a wonderful canopy of delicious mushrooms.
My experience with these were awesome grew in 95% humidity to form pins then dropped it to 88% for harvest with plenty of fresh air exchanges. The mushrooms were gorgeous and these are some of my favorite tasting mushrooms. They go great with Pasta and I even pickled some. Highly recommend growing this variety if you can.

Pin city
I was astonished to see just how many fruits were growing off this block. I top fruited it, but pins were busting through on all sides and just growing like crazy. Clearly, the genetics of this strain is quite good. I had this block in a climate-controlled fruiting chamber, which definitely helped it grow so abundantly. If you are trying to fruit this without a humidity dome/bag or something like that, I would not expect results similar to mine. It's on the second flush right now, and I expect many more mushrooms off this block. They do advise you that it may take 2-3 weeks for them to ship it out. I understand why there is a delay, but I wish it didn't take that long. I gave it 4 stars only because it took exactly 3 weeks for it to ship after I placed the order, which, to be fair, was *just* within their estimate. If it only took 2 weeks to ship, I would give them a fat 5 stars.