So far I’ve done 3 kits, all from Pulpit Rock, and have had pretty good results. My first two kits were a portabella and shiitake. The photos below are of the portabella and shiitake kits.
Both did produce quite a few mushrooms. The shiitake kit produced over 3 lbs and the ports I didn’t really keep track of. Both kits come in their own boxes that are also used as the “planters” and humidity tents which are plastic bags, with holes in them, to place on top of the boxes. After setting them up I also spray them with distilled water every other day.
The shiitake comes with sawdust filled with spores and you activate by soaking it in water and a little salt for about an hour, you then place the spore filled sawdust lump on a plastic dish and then the box that it came in. In just of few days I had my first shiitake. I then resoaked the “log” for more shiitakes. I’ve decided for my next shiitake kit to go with another company because I want to attempt to grow them on a real log, supposedly they will taste different.
I just recently purchased another portabella kit. Here are the photos of how to start it and its fruiting after 11 days. The first photo is the box that it comes and grows in, the second photo is of the compost
Above is the Peat moss and lime, the casing, which comes in a separate bag on top of the compost. You have to mix the casing with water until it is barely damp. The casing is then spread evenly on top of the compost and the box is shut for 7 days in a dark place that is about 70 degrees. After that the mycelium is formed.
The next photos are the development up to day 14.
