Mushroom growing: where to start?
Growing mushrooms:
Where to start?
Want to harvest your first mushrooms, learn how to make your own growing medium, or inoculate your own cultures? Choose the path that suits your skill level.
Choose your starting point
The right product depends mainly on your goal: whether you just want to harvest, learn the steps, or grow your own crops.
I want to harvest
The substrate is already colonized. Place the block in suitable conditions, moisten it, and harvest.
See our ready-to-grow kitsI want to make
Prepare or inoculate a growth medium to truly understand the steps involved in cultivation.
See the DIY kitsI have a substrate
Use grain-based mycelium to inoculate straw, sawdust, CVG, or cultivation bags or buckets.
See the myceliaWhich product should I choose?
Click directly on the recommended product to go to the correct page.
| Your goal | Recommended product | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Easy Harvesting at Home | Kit or ready-to-grow block | 🟢 Very easy |
| Producing multiple harvests from an already colonized block | fruiting block -grow fruiting block | 🟩 Easy |
| Organize an activity with children or a school | Ready-to-grow kit or DIY kit | 🟩 Easy |
| Learn how to make a growing medium | DIY kit or ready-to-inoculate substrate | 🟠 Easy to moderate |
| Prepare a coconut coir/vermiculite/gypsum growing medium | Complete CVG Kit | 🟠 Average |
| Inoculate a ready-to-use bag | MycoBag All-in-One | 🟠 Average |
| Inoculate your own substrate | grain spawn | 🔵 Intermediate |
| Growing outdoors on wood or mulch | Pegs, logs, or strophaire | 🟣 Seasonal |
3 Ways to Get Started
You can start off very simply and then move on to more independent methods.
The Ready-to-Grow Kit: For Easy Harvesting
🟢 Very easy
This is the best choice if you're just starting out. The substrate is already colonized by mycelium, so you don't need to prepare your own substrate or use any special equipment.
Choose this if:
- You want a harvest first harvest ;
- you grow at home;
- Are you looking for a family-friendly or educational activity?
DIY kits and growing media: Understanding the basics of growing
🟠 Easy to moderate
This is the right choice if you want to learn the steps: preparing a substrate, inoculating it with mycelium, and monitoring colonization.
Choose this if:
- you like to experiment;
- you want to make your own blocks;
- You've already successfully grown a ready-to-grow kit.
Grain-based mycelium: for inoculating your substrates
🔵 Intermediate
Grain mycelium is the grower’s “seed.” It is used to inoculate a suitable substrate: straw, sawdust, pellets, CVG, or grow bags and buckets.
Choose this if:
- you already have a substrate ready;
- you want to create multiple blocks;
- You grow your plants in bags, buckets, or single-tube containers.
Progress at your own pace
You don’t have to know everything right from the start. You can learn about mushroom cultivation step by step.
Our recommendations based on your profile
Choose a ready-to-grow kit. It’s the easiest and most rewarding option.
Choose a ready-to-grow kit or a DIY kit, depending on how involved you want to be.
Start with a DIY kit, then move on to grain-based mycelium.
Consider the complete CVG kit or the MycoBag All-in-One.
Go straight to the grain-based mycelium and suitable substrates.
Choose between logs, stumps, or stropharia growing on mulch.
At La Mycosphère, we also produce what we sell
We produce our mycelium, substrates, and blocks in Belgium, using an approach designed to support both beginners and more experienced growers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the easiest product to start with?
The kit or ready-to-grow block. The growing medium is already colonized: all you need to do is manage moisture, indirect light, and ventilation.
Do I need a lab to grow mushrooms?
No, not for a ready-to-grow kit. A lab comes in handy if you want to grow your own mycelium, work with liquid cultures, or cultivate in Petri dishes.
Which variety should I choose to start with?
Oyster mushrooms are generally the easiest to find. Shiitake, king oyster, and lion’s mane mushrooms are also great options, but they sometimes require a little more care.
What is the difference between a ready-to-grow block grain-based mycelium?
The ready-to-grow block already colonized and ready to produce fruiting bodies. The grain-based mycelium is used to inoculate a substrate that you must prepare or purchase separately.
I want to make my own growing medium. Where do I start?
You can start with a DIY kit if you want to learn the basics, or with a CVG kit if your project uses a substrate made of coconut coir, vermiculite, and gypsum.
I want to grow plants outdoors—what should I choose?
For outdoor cultivation, opt for wooden logs, inoculated logs, or stropharia mycelium for mulch-based cultivation.
Still on the fence?
If you're a complete beginner, start with a kit or a ready-to-grow block. It's the easiest way to learn how to grow mushrooms and ensure a successful first harvest.