Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit

Growing & Harvesting Instructions:

1. Leave mushroom block in its bag and place in an indoor spot where it will receive indirect sunlight and protection from heat and drafts. Best results will occur between 50° and 65°F.
2. In one to two weeks, swellings resembling small, round mushrooms will begin to appear. When these caps are about 1/2-inch across, open the top of the bag three to four inches.
3. If the growing area does not contain sufficient humidity, the inside walls of the bag may need to be misted two or three times a day until harvesting. Water should not be allowed to accumulate on the bottom of bag.
4. After a few days the cottony white veil beneath the mushroom cap will fully break away from the stem. Mushrooms should be harvested at this point, before they are fully open. Using a sharp knife, cut the stem off as close to the block as possible.
5. After the first crop has been harvested, reclose the bag and allow block to rest for three to four weeks, checking it regularly for new growth.
6. The kit will typically produce three or more crops when the above steps are followed.

Maintenance Instructions:

1. With time your mushroom kit may lose so much moisture that it will stop producing. If two weeks pass without a new crop emerging, use a sharp knife to make long 1/4”-deep incisions on all sides of the block.
2. Submerge block in a bowl of cold water overnight, using a weight to hold it down. After allowing the block to drain for ten minutes, return it to a clean bag. This treatment often produces one or more late crops.