Important Things To Look For In Your Mushroom Grow Kit

Mushroom grow kits are starting to ‘sprout up’ everywhere these days – no pun intended – and their huge selling point is that they offer a totally legal way to enjoy psilocybin mushrooms, as the spores and liquid cultures that are sold don’t contain the intoxicating compound – it only develops when the plant matures.  

Nowadays, mushroom grow kits come in all kinds of designs, with various features, substrates, and more.  That’s a great thing since it means that the market can accommodate beginners to advanced growers who have all kinds of different goals in mind.  But then, it also means that it’s harder than ever to pick the right one, especially since quality levels can also vary so much between one product to another.

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The Basics on Mushroom Grow Kits

Before we talk about the specifics to look at when shopping for mushroom kits, let’s go over what a mushroom grow kit is for those who are still pretty new to the idea.  A mushroom grow kit is a system consisting of substrate (growing medium) and some type of container for your substrate, along with, in some cases, methods of climate control, ranging from something as rustic as a humidity dome to something as complex as a digital mechanism that controls temperature, heat, and light. 

Mushroom grow kits come in all shapes and sizes, with various features, accessories, and more, but they all follow the same basic principles: they contain a nutrient-rich substrate, and you inoculate the substrate with a syringe containing either mushroom liquid cultures or spores, to allow the cultivation process to begin.

What to Look for Before Buying Your Mushroom Grow Kit

So, what are the key things to pay attention to before buying your mushroom grow kit?  With so many options available, it’s important to have a list of must-haves, to ensure you end up with the best product possible.

#1: A Size That’s Compatible with Your Space

Mushroom grow kits can be tiny – less than a single square foot – or up to 20 square feet, depending on how serious you are about your hobby.  Naturally, when picking a size, you’ll want to take into consideration how much space in your home you can reasonably dedicate to growing mushrooms.  Besides that, larger kits are more expensive, which is always something to pay attention to.

#2: The Level of Tech You Prefer

Like we said, some mushroom grow kits are all analog – aka non-electronic – while others use advanced digital instruments to maintain temperature, humidity, and so on.  You will need to pay close attention to the features that are included before making a purchase.  The more high-tech your kit, the less work you have to do to ensure proper mushroom development, but technological features also increase the price, and require a bit more tech savvy in order to ensure that they’re running properly.  

#3: With/Without Syringes

Some mushroom grow kits come with syringes (either spores or live cultures), and others do not.  Make sure that you check to see whether a kit does include mushroom genetics beforehand, because if not, you’ll need to buy those separately, which can increase the price of your overall venture.  

#4: Mushroom Type

If your kit comes with mushroom syringes, pay attention to the type of mushroom, since they can vary so dramatically.  Some mushrooms are a lot more potent than others, and at the same time, some take more skill to grow successfully, which can also matter, especially if you’re a beginner.  Research the mushrooms offered with a particular grow kit to know what you’re getting into.

#5: Spores vs. Live Cultures 

Should you be buying a kit that comes with a syringe, then make sure that you’re aware of the differences between spore syringes and live culture syringes.  

• Spore syringes are less common, and even contain mushroom spores that’re suspended in sterilized water.  They allow you to experiment with genetics, since they contain thousands to millions of different spores in one syringe, but they take more time, as they have to germinate prior to cultivation.
• Live cultures, on the other hand, have already been germinated, which saves a lot of time and work, and makes the process less likely to fail as the germination has already been done.  Live cultures are less shelf-stable, however, and must be refrigerated before use.

#6: Lab-Testing 

Lab-testing is a critical aspect of mushroom syringes, ensuring that they are, in fact, free of contaminants.  Never buy syringes that haven’t been lab-tested, whether they’re sold as spores or live cultures, as skipping this step can mean ending up with a very low-quality and potentially unsafe product.

#7: Contaminant-Proofing

The grow kit itself should be contaminant-proof, through filtration systems that block out any potential contaminants like pests, mold, etc.  Contaminant-proofing can range from simple to advanced and high-tech, but the bottom line is that you should find somewhere on the product page a description of how that particular mushroom grow kit does block out contaminants.

#8: Proper Airflow 

Without good airflow, your mushrooms will never be able to reach their full potential, due to the buildup of carbon dioxide.  Besides that, poor airflow can cause mold to develop, which would make your mushrooms unsafe to consume, and possibly kill them.  Make sure that your grow kit has some type of design element or feature that ensures that the airflow is adequate, as without it, there’s really no point in using the kit at all.

#9: Durable Materials 

Of course, you want to know that you’re using a mushroom grow kit that was built using good-quality materials that are generally durable, and can withstand transportation, and moisture that comes from the substrate.  Check to see what materials a grow kit was made from before buying, because there are, unfortunately, flimsy options out there that may fail to maintain their structural integrity throughout your overall endeavor.

#10: Sterilization

Sterilization is a big deal when it comes to growing mushrooms, so be sure that somewhere on the product page, the company ensures that the grow kit is made from sterile materials.  Otherwise, contaminants can end up making their way into the mushrooms, which, of course, is bad news.

#11: Good Reviews 

Overall, you want to know you’re buying from a company that has lots of good reviews, because that’s a clear sign that that brand’s grow kits are satisfying customers.  Read the reviews, looking for specific things like ease of use, quality of yield, and so on, to get a good idea of what to expect from a specific model.

#12:  A Kit That’s Within Your Budget 

Naturally, we all have our own set budget when buying a mushroom grow kit.  Some of us want to buy the simplest option to save money, and others take their hobby very, very seriously, and are happy to splurge on the most high-tech kit that’s out there.  Consider how much money you want to devote to your mushroom-growing hobby.  Also, know that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to successfully cultivate healthy mushrooms that you can enjoy consuming after harvest.

#13: Growing Condition Requirements

Some grow kits have specific requirements when it comes to things like lighting, temperature, and humidity.  So, make a point to find out what those requirements are prior to purchase, to be sure you can accommodate the kit you’re eyeing.  For example, if a grow kit requires bright, indirect light, and you don’t have a space like that in your home, it’s best to go with another model.

#14: User-Friendliness

All mushroom grow kits come with instructions, and some are far simpler than others.  For instance, some just require that you open the kit up and add water, while others require that you adjust all kinds of features to maintain a specific environment.  See what’s involved in maintaining a grow kit, and even ask yourself how much time and energy you have to devote to the hobby.

#15: One Flush/Multiple Flushes

Some mushroom grow kits are for one-time use – in other words, they can produce only one “flush,” or yield.  Others can be used over and over again to produce multiple flushes.  Naturally, ones that are designed to handle multiple or unlimited flushes will be more expensive.

Choose Your Mushroom Grow Kits Wisely!

Mushroom grow kits are easier to find than ever, but that doesn’t mean that you should just go with the first one you see.  Above all else, you need to find one that comes from a reputable manufacturer to ensure that it’s safe and capable of giving you the yield you’re looking for.  Binoid’s new mushroom grow kits can meet your shroom needs, with the same quality standards we apply to our top-selling hemp products.  Explore our new grow kits today, and simply enjoy a whole new hobby that provides you with premium mushrooms.

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