Growkit Basic

More about Growkit Basic

This growkit contains no spores, so they have to be bought separately, click here for our offer in spores. 

The growkit Basic introduces you the foundation of growing magic mushrooms at home. In just 4 simple steps you will learn more about the rice flour cake method, or also known as the PF Tek, and this method is very suitable for beginners.

This growkit is more challenging than the other growkits because the growth medium needs to be sterilized before use and checked on moisture levels. The efforts result in multiple harvests! Once you have mastered the techniques, you can cultivate your knowledge further. Before you know it, you are a professional mycologist.

Caution! The substrate contains gluten. The mushrooms themselves contain traces of this. Not suitable for people with (severe) gluten intolerance. 

Note: Begin cultivation as soon as you receive the cultivation kit. If this is not possible right away, store the kit at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius.

Contents

• 4x Grow boxes.
• 1x 200g Organic rice flour.
• 1x Vermiculite (natural mineral).
• 1x Grow bag with filter.
• 1x Pair of sterile gloves.
• 1x Mouth mask.
• 2x Paperclips
• 1x Manual.

Other requirements

• Adhesive tape.
• Alcohol (or other disinfectant).
• Lighter.
• Aluminium or silver foil.
• Safety pin or a nail.
• Pressure cooker or any other pan with a lid.
• 10 ml spore syringe.

Usage

Once you have grown, harvested, (and potentially dried) your mushrooms, they are ready to be consumed. It is best to consume magic mushrooms on an empty stomach. Not only do you minimize the chances of getting nauseous and vomiting, but the mushrooms also work better.

Take 5 to 12.5 grams of fresh or 1 to 2.5 grams of dry mushrooms for a mild to strong trip.

WARNING
Do not use during pregnancy or lactation, when taking medications, during depression or driving motorized vehicles, and when you are under than 18 years of age. Do not combine with stimulants or alcohol.

Manual

Step 1 - Preparing the cultivation boxes

0.0 - Preparation

Before you start, clean part of a table to use as a work area. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and dry them with a clean towel or kitchen paper (or wear gloves). If possible, close the windows and doors to minimize air current in the room.

1.1 - Make holes in the lids

Use a safety pin or nail to make 4 small holes in the lid of each cultivation box. These holes are later used to inject the spores into the substrate.

1.2 - Fill up the cultivation boxes

Mix 600 ml of the vermiculite with 300 ml water. Add the rice flour and mix thoroughly. Loosely fill up the cultivation boxes until 1 cm from the top of the box. See tip #1.

Wipe the upper edge clean and fill the boxes with a layer of the remaining vermiculite (0.5-1 cm). The top layer of vermiculites will later serve as a water reservoir for the growing mushrooms. 

Close the lids and fully wrap the boxes in double layer of aluminum foil.

Tip #1: You can also start with 1 or 2 boxes at first. This way, it is easier to get an insight in the process, and you can learn from any mistakes. Evenly distribute the (dry) vermiculite and rice flour to store the leftovers in a dry place. The spore syringe can be kept (put the cap back on after use) in the ziplock bag.

Step 2 - Sterilizing the substrate

Next step is heating the cultivation boxes in a pressure cooker to kill bacteria. You can also use a normal cooking pan, provided it has a lid that closes well. However, a pressure cooker is preferred as it operates at 121 °C and guarantees to sufficiently sterilize the substrate. This is not always the case when using a normal cooking pan.

2.1 - Sterilize

Fill the pressure cooker with a few centimetres of water and place the boxes on the bottom. The boxes should not be in direct contact with the bottom or they might crack. They should also not float. See tip #2.

2.2 - Cooling down 

Once sterilized, the boxes need a few hours to cool down. Try not to be impatient - a warm substrate can kill the mushrooms spores. When the boxes have cooled down to room temperature they can be removed from the pan/ 

Do not remove the aluminum foil. Do not wait too long before proceeding to the next step.

Tip #2: If the cooker you are using does not come with a metal rack, you can use a (heat proof) coaster or a towel. Also do this when using a regular cooking pan.

Step 3 - Injecting spores

It is now of utmost importance to work clean and sterile. Clean your work area with a disinfectant and wear the provided gloves and mouth mask. If possible, close doors and windows to minimize air current. When touching a non-sterile part, wipe your hands clean with disinfectant before you proceed.

3.1 - Heat the needle

Shake the spore syringe really well for 5-10 seconds for even distribution of the spores. Take off the protective cap and heat the needle of the syringe until it is red hot. Then let it cool for 15-20 seconds.

3.2 - Inject

Remove the aluminum foil and inject about 0.5 ml of the spore suspension into each of the holes you made earlier. Be aware that this is a crucial step in the process. After injecting, immediately seal the holes with some tape.

3.3 - Incubate

Put the cultivation boxes in a warm, dark place. See tip #3. A temperature of 20 °C is acceptable, but if possible aim for a temperature around 28 °C. Lower temperatures can slow the growth process. Temperatures of 15 °C and below will halt the growth of mycelium. Your job is done for now. The spores need time to grow into mycelium. This takes about 2-4 weeks. See tip #4.

Ready for step 4 - When the substrate is completely covered with white mycelium (except for the top layer of vermiculite)

Tip #3: A good place to store the boxes would be the cupboard above the refrigerator. The heat produced by the refrigerator rises and increases the temperature by a few degrees. Heat pads can also be used, but be careful. Too much heat will cause the mycelium to dry out, and it will fail to produce mushrooms. Therefore, make sure to leave some space (5 cm or more) between the boxes and the heat source. Never place them directly onto a heat source.

Tip #4: If you see any other colour than white (like green or black) you probably have a bacterial contamination. If a box contaminates, it unfortunately cannot be saved and will have to be discarded.

Step 4 - Mushroom growth

You now have a ready-to-grow cultivation box that will provide several harvests. It doesn’t take too long now before the first mushrooms will pop up. But first we need to water the cultivation box, to make sure there is enough water available for the growing mushrooms.

4.1 - Water

Carefully open one corner of the lid of the box. Gently turn on the tap and let the box entirely fill up with water. Close the box again and let it stand for 12 hours.

4.2 - Let the excess water run off

After 12 hours the mycelium has soaked up all the water it needs. Open slightly one corner of the lid, turn the box upside down and let all the excess water run off.

Make sure to remove as much as water form the bottom as possible by letting it drip for 10-20 seconds.

4.3 - Growth

Wash your hands with soap, remove the lid and place the box inside the grow bag. Fold the top of the bag twice and attach the paper clips to keep it closed (make sure not to block the filter). Wipe the lid clean with some kitchen paper and store it in a clean place - you will need it again later on.

Place the grow kit in a warm spot (20-25°C) with daylight, but not in direct sunlight or on top of a heat source. Temperatures of around 25°C will allow for faster growth of the mushrooms.

Leave the bag closed and the first tiny mushrooms will appear in about 14 days. These will mature in about 7 days and can then be harvested. See tip #5.

4.4 - Harvesting

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and dry them with a clean towel or kitchen paper (or wear gloves). Pick all the mature mushrooms at once, except when some are growing much faster. See tip #6. Avoid touching the mycelium.

Tip #5: Preferably harvest the mushrooms when the veil on the underside of the cap starts to tear.  If you wait longer the caps will open and the mature mushrooms will drop their (black) spores onto the mycelium. Usually this is not a problem. However, since the spore release normally completes the mushroom life cycle, this could affect your next harvest (see step 4.5).

Tip #6: Harvest the mushrooms by grabbing the stem at the base and perform a twisting motion while lifting it upwards. Do not poke or dig into the mycelium. Difficult to reach and minuscule mushrooms (< 1 cm) are best left undisturbed. The minuscule mushrooms might grow into mature mushrooms during the next grow cycle.

4.5 - Next cycle

Each box produces several harvests. Immediately after harvesting, the box needs to be filled with water again, just like you did at step 4.1. This will stimulate the mycelium to produce more mushrooms. Repeat all steps onwards until your next harvest.

The  cycle  of  watering, growing and harvesting can be repeated until the mycelium is depleted. Often this is only after three or more growing cycles, with the second cycle generally giving the best results.

Tips for reuse - The cultivation box*, the syringe* and grow bag can be reused in a new grow project. The box can also be used to store food. *sterilization with pressure cooker necessary