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!

Namekos can be successfully cultivated outdoors, but they require the right environment and a little more care than some other species. In the wild, these mushrooms fruit in cool, moist forest floors—and with the right setup, your garden can mimic those conditions.

How to initiate fruiting outdoors:

• Site selection: Choose a cool, shaded spot—such as under dense tree canopy or along a north-facing slope. Avoid areas that receive direct afternoon sun.
   
• Burying the block: Bury your block in moist soil with a loose covering of straw, leaf litter, or pine needles to help maintain humidity. You can also scratch the surface of the mycelium with a clean fork (about 1cm deep) to help trigger fruiting—just be gentle.
   
• Temperature: Nameko mushrooms fruit best in temperatures below 65°F. Fall or early spring are ideal planting windows in most climates. If summer heat is unavoidable, consider burying the block deeper or adding shade cloth and mulch to help regulate soil temperature.
   
• Humidity: These mushrooms need consistently high humidity, especially during pinning. Water the area daily during dry spells—ideally in the morning and evening—to avoid surface drying.
   
• Airflow and CO₂: Outdoors, airflow is generally sufficient, but avoid enclosed areas where air might stagnate. Pin formation is especially sensitive to excess CO₂ buildup.
   

What to expect:

• Slower fruiting: Namekos may take a few weeks to fruit, especially if conditions aren’t cool enough. Once pins appear, maintain high humidity until harvest.
   
• Harvesting: Pick clusters before the caps fully open. Gently twist or cut at the base and trim off any soil or substrate.
   

For experienced gardeners or those ready for a more hands-on mushroom, Nameko offers a rich, savory reward—and a beautiful amber-hued addition to the shaded parts of your garden.

• 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.

If you don't plan to use immediately, you can refrigerate your block for up to 6 months.

Nameko is a lesser known culinary mushroom in the Americas, but it is used widely in East Asia. It has a gelatinous cap that can thicken soups and sauces and an aroma that walks the line of being both fruity and earthy. Nameko mushrooms go well with dark green vegetables, red meats, and shallots, and are used traditionally in Japanese miso soups.

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.