How to Make Mushroom Grain Spawn at Home
Introduction
Growing mushrooms at home can be an enjoyable and rewarding process. By making your own grain spawn, you can grow various kinds of mushrooms using affordable materials and without needing advanced equipment. This guide will take you through the steps of creating mushroom grain spawn using common household items.
What is Grain Spawn?
Grain spawn is essentially cereal grains like rye, wheat, or rice that have been sterilized and inoculated with mushroom mycelium. It serves as a nutrient-rich medium for the mycelium to grow on before being transferred to a fruiting substrate, where mushrooms will eventually develop. Making your own grain spawn at home is a simple and cost-effective way to cultivate mushrooms.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Soaking the Grains
Begin by selecting your grains—rye berries or wheat berries work best. These grains are readily available, and mushrooms grow very well on them.
- Soak the grains in water for 12 to 24 hours. The grains should absorb enough water to hydrate fully, which is essential for successful mycelium colonization. However, be careful not to over-soak the grains to avoid sprouting.
2. Preparing Specialized Lids
For the inoculation process, you'll need jar lids with specialized features that allow you to inject the mycelium into the jars without introducing contaminants. This is a key step that prevents the need for an expensive laminar flow hood.
- Drill two holes in the lid:
- A quarter-inch hole, which will be filled with pillow stuffing to create a breathable filter for the growing mycelium.
- A smaller eighth-inch hole that will be used to create a self-healing injection port using high-temperature silicone. This port allows you to inject liquid culture directly into the jar without opening it, minimizing the risk of contamination.
3. Simmering the Grains
After the grains have soaked, they should be simmered on the stove for about 15 minutes. Simmering ensures the grains are fully hydrated and soft enough for mycelium growth.
- Do not bring the grains to a rolling boil, as this could cause them to crack. Cracked grains are not ideal for mycelium colonization, as they tend to become mushy.
4. Draining and Drying the Grains
Once the grains are properly simmered, they need to be drained. Let the grains sit in a colander or sink for about an hour to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
- It’s important that the grains are dry on the outside while remaining hydrated on the inside, ensuring the ideal environment for mycelium growth.
5. Filling the Jars
Once the grains have drained, fill the jars with the hydrated grains, leaving about one-third of the jar empty. This allows space for shaking, which helps to distribute the growing mycelium evenly later on.
- Cover the jar lids with tin foil to prevent water from dripping into the jars during sterilization.
6. Sterilizing the Grain Jars
Sterilization is critical to eliminating contaminants that would otherwise out-compete your mushrooms.
- Sterilize the jars in a pressure canner for 90 minutes at 15 psi. This kills all harmful bacteria and mold spores, making the environment safe for the mycelium.
7. Inoculating the Grains
Once the grains are sterilized and cooled, it’s time to inoculate them with mushroom culture.
- Use a liquid culture syringe to inject 1 to 2 cc of liquid mycelium culture directly through the self-healing injection port. The port will automatically close after the needle is removed, preventing contaminants from entering the jar.
8. Mycelium Growth and Shaking the Jars
After inoculation, the mycelium will begin to grow and spread throughout the grains.
- Store the jars in a cool, dark place (such as a basement or garage), and check on them every few days to monitor the growth.
- Once about one-third of the jar is colonized, shake the jar to redistribute the mycelium, which will speed up the colonization process.
Conclusion
In one to two weeks, your jars of grain spawn will be fully colonized with mushroom mycelium, ready to be transferred to a fruiting substrate or used to create more grain spawn. This method of making grain spawn at home is easy, cost-effective, and allows you to grow a variety of mushrooms without needing an elaborate setup. By following these steps, you can successfully cultivate mushrooms and explore various mushroom-growing projects at home.
