Organic Piopino Fruiting Block

The species: Pioppino (Cyclocybe aegerita)

Our fruiting blocks let you grow your own Pioppino mushrooms at home.

Characteristics of culture media:

• harvest Between 0.7 and 1 kg of fresh mushrooms over 2–3 harvests.
• Ingredients: Water, sawdust, grains (including alfalfa), lime, mycelium. Net weight per bale: approx. 5 kg. 
• Dimensions: 25 x 20 x 20 cm (L x W x H)
• Origin: Belgium (Mycosphere)

The Pioppino is an excellent edible mushroom with a crisp texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. The caps (3–5 cm) are dark brown at first, gradually lightening to a creamy beige as they mature. The stems remain crisp when cooked if picked young.

Note: The harvest estimates harvest based on our experience but are not guaranteed. Yields depend on growing conditions and the grower’s experience.

(*) Our bales are certified organic ("BE-BIO-01") by Certisys (Belgium).

Legal notice for Belgium: "Organic growing medium: Pasteurized and inoculated mushroom-
ing medium" (Exemption No. EM470.J)

Usage

If you can't use the bundle right away, store it in the fridge for about two weeks.

This variety thrives in warm conditions (20–27°C) but can also be grown in cooler temperatures down to 12°C. Harvest the mushrooms while they’re young, just before the caps open, for better shelf life and a more tender texture. Note that these mushrooms grow very quickly.

There are two methods of fruiting

• Open the top of the bag, leaving 15–20 cm of plastic above the substrate; wait for the primordia (mushroom buds) to appear, then gradually lower the plastic to the level of the substrate.
• Make a slit in the side of the bundle at the substrate level and squeeze the air out of the bag through this opening. This technique takes a little longer and tends to yield slightly fewer mushrooms, but it promotes the development of the caps more than the stems, resulting in mushrooms that are slightly different in taste and texture.

Maintain a humidity level of 80% to 90% while the mushrooms are growing. Use our mini-sprayer or professional misters to maintain optimal humidity.

fruiting parameters

Where should it be grown?

Grow them indoors (kitchen, garage, basement). Pioppinos need some light to grow. Opt for indirect sunlight and avoid anything that might dry out the root ball: drafts, radiators, and direct sunlight. Pioppinos like humidity but don’t like being constantly soggy.

Tips

To promote growth and productivity in second and third crops:

• Rehydrate the bags by soaking them in water overnight, then drain them and return them to the growing medium.
• Give the bundle a " cold shoc placing it in a cool place (such as the refrigerator or outdoors) overnight. This simulates the onset of winter and encourages fungal growth.