Nameko 'Plant & Grow' Garden Block

$29.99

Garden with mushrooms the easy way!

Our USDA Certified Organic Plant & Grow blocks are the easiest way to add mushrooms to your garden. Specifically designed to be no-mess and no-stress, you can plant them alongside your veggies in a garden bed or by themselves. Whether you have a single bed or acres of land, these are the product for you. Think of this as the "seedling" of the mushroom world. Just remove the block and plant directly in soil or mulch.

Get Ahead on Holiday Shopping!

Give the gift of growth this season and save automatically at checkout:

Save 10%

on orders $50 - $100

Save 15%

on orders $100 –$300

Save 20%

on orders over $300

No code needed – discounts apply automatically at checkout. Offer valid through November 17th.

In Stock. Ships in 2-5 business days.

Our nameko (Pholiota nameko) Plant & GrowTM blocks feature a popular strain widely cultivated in Japan. These kits produce mushrooms that have an earthy flavor with subtle fruit-like hints. And, when cooked, they will fill the air with an aroma that is reminiscent of cashews and butterscotch. As namekos grow, they become covered in a layer of natural gelatin which gives them a unique, almost shiny appearance. In addition to eating the mushroom, their gelatinous covering has a variety of uses and can be made into soups, sauces, or used as a natural thickening agent!

Nameko mushroom kits, though reliable, require extra attention and more time to produce mushrooms. Because they need cooler temperatures and constant humidity when fruiting, they are more difficult to cultivate. They are not ideal for beginners, but can be quite rewarding for experienced growers.

Receiving and Storage

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!

Fruiting blocks should be used within 1 week of receipt. If you don't plan to use immediately, you can refrigerate your block for up to 6 months.

How to Grow

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.

Keep Growing
Opinel No. 8 Mushroom Knife
Opinel No. 8 Mushroom Knife (+$33.99)

Harvest precisely

Wine Cap Garden Bed Kit
Wine Cap Garden Bed Kit (+$44.99)

Grow Wine Cap like a pro

Shiitake Log Kit
Shiitake Log Kit (+$51.99)

Innoculate logs with ease

Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit
Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit (+$29.99)

Grow Lion's Mane indoors the easy way

Frequency Asked Questions

It’s as simple as planting tomato seedlings! Just bury the block in a shaded, moist spot in your garden and keep it lightly watered. The mushrooms do the rest—no complicated setup or special tools required.

Choose a shaded, humid area such as under shrubs or in a garden bed that stays moist. Mushrooms thrive in indirect light and cooler, stable conditions. Planting next to leafy vegetables is a great way to keep the mushrooms cool and shaded

You can see mushrooms in as little as 1-2 weeks. The Plant & Grow method is designed for fast results and multiple flushes

Yes! The Plant & Grow blocks are designed for anyone who can grow a basic garden plant. They’re USDA Certified Organic and nearly foolproof for first-time mushroom growers.

Cluster of brown-capped mushrooms with long, light-colored stems against a white background.

Backed by Our 100% Grow Guarantee

Every kit comes with our 100% Guarantee: You’ll get your first flush of mushrooms, or we’ll make it right. With over 350,000 happy growers, North Spore is trusted by hobbyists, chefs, and mycologists alike.

Crafted to the Highest Standards

Our mushroom spawn is made to mycologist-approved standards at every step of the way. Starting with USDA-Certified Organic ingredients, we mix each bax of substrate to perfect. We inoculate our products in a custom-built mushroom lab, in clean rooms that have more oxygen exchanges per hour than a hospital operating room. Every bag is carefully monitored for full colonization and the best product is hand-selected to ship to our customers.

Reviews