Materials and Space Needed –

– Clean (sanitized) area with indirect sunlight, temperatures ranging from 40 to 70 degrees F, and a relative humidity of 85% to 90%

– Gloves, isopropyl alcohol, scissors, outdoor raised or in-ground bed, monotube for indoor growing

– Good Mushroom Golden Wine Cap/Wine Cap liquid culture syringe

– Good Mushroom Hardwood Substrate Bag

–  Other substrate materials can include wood chip, straw, mulch, and/or wood shavings

– Optional materials include hair net, face mask

Step 1 – Sanitize all materials using isopropyl alcohol including your work space, liquid culture syringe and needle, and monotub if growing indoors

Step 2 – Shake the liquid culture syringe thoroughly to mix the mycelium. Attach the needle to the syringe, and inject 4 to 5 ml of liquid culture through the self healing port of the hardwood substrate bag in 3 to 4 different locations in the substrate by rotating the needle.

Step 3 – Re-sterilize the self healing port with isopropyl alcohol and place the starter substrate bag in a dark room-temp location and let it sit undisturbed.

Step 4 – After 30% to 40% of the substrate has been colonized, gently redistribute the mycelium throughout the bag to help increase the rate of growth and coverage. Let it sit until it is 100% colonized.

Step 5 – Prepare your bed in a location with indirect sunlight that includes a soil or mulch floor, is 6 to 12 inches deep, and is free of weeds and sod.

Step 6 – Gently massage your fully colonized substrate bag until thoroughly broken loose. Layer the bottom of the bed, or monotub, with your substrate to a depth of 2 inches.

Step 7 – Layer your first layer of substrate with a thin layer of other substrate materials such as wood chips, straw, leaf litter, and yard compost. Repeat this process until you’ve used all your colonized substrate. 

Step 8 – Water your mushroom bed by hand or a sprinkler to evenly build up the moisture, or use a spray bottle to thoroughly moisten your monotub.

Step 9 – Cover the bed with straw or a thin mulch layer, or your monotub with a a lid, to help hold in moisture, while watering/misting when needed.

Step 9 – Your Wine Cap mushrooms can be ready to fruit by late Summer early Fall, or as early as 4 months with a monotub. Carefully remove the covering of straw or mulch, and expose the top of the substrate to indirect sunlight. The mushrooms will begin to show in 2 to 4 weeks after uncovering.

Step 10 – You can harvest your mushrooms while they are young and in button form, or wait a couple days until the caps open. However, if you do wait too long and after they begin to drop spores, they can become less tasty.