Growing Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus): A Growing Guide with a Kit

Introduction

Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is an extraordinary mushroom known not only for its unique appearance, reminiscent of a lion's mane, but also for its potential health benefits, including promoting brain and nerve health. Growing Lion's Mane from scratch can be a challenging undertaking, but thanks to grow kits, you can enjoy these delicious mushrooms right in your home without the complexity of traditional cultivation. In this blog post, we will explore the key steps to successfully growing Lion's Mane using a grow kit.

Step 1: Purchase a Lion's Mane Grow Kit

The first basic step is to get yourself a Lion's Mane grow kit. You can easily find them online on our shop . Make sure the kit contains the substrate colonized with Lion's Mane mycelium and detailed growing instructions.

Step 2: Preparing the Grow Area

1. Choose a suitable place for cultivation. A well-ventilated area inside your home with indirect light will be perfect. Avoid direct sunlight and excessively strong air currents.

2. Prepare your grow area by cleaning and sterilizing any equipment or surfaces that will come into contact with the kit or mushrooms.

Step 3: Activate the Kit

1. Make sure the mycelium is evenly distributed in the substrate. The Lion's Mane mycelium is very thin, it will not be completely white and dense but a little transparent.

2. Follow the kit instructions to activate it. If you are using our block kit, simply make a horizontal cut on the side of the kit about 10-15cm.

3. Lay the kit so that all excess plastic at the top of the bag is folded. The block must receive air only from the cut made, all the other sides must be in direct contact with the plastic as much as possible.

Step 4: Proper Maintenance

1. Maintain humidity. Lion's Mane requires a humid environment to grow successfully. Use a spray bottle to keep the kit moist without saturating it.

2. Adjust the temperature. Lion's Mane grows best in temperatures between 18°C ​​and 24°C. Make sure your growing area keeps these conditions more or less constant. Our kits grow well even at higher or lower temperatures.

3. Provide fresh air. Maintain good air circulation in the grow area, but avoid direct drafts over the kit.

4. Check the lighting. The Lion's Mane does not require a lot of light, but it is important to provide indirect light to stimulate growth. External ambient light is more than fine.

Step 5: Observe the Growth

1. After a few days, you should start to see the first signs of growth: small white bumps. These are the primordia of fungi.

2. Continue to maintain humidity and watch carefully. The primordia will progressively grow and develop into mature fungi.

Step 6: Collect Mushrooms

1. When the Lion's Mane mushrooms reach a suitable size and when you see the characteristic hairs forming, you can start harvesting them. Use clean scissors or a knife to gently cut them close to the substrate. You can also remove them with your hands, being careful not to take away too much substrate.

Step 7: Enjoy Your Lion's Mane Mushrooms

1. Now that you've harvested your fresh Lion's Mane, you can cook them to your preference. You can grill them, stir-fry them, or use them in a variety of creative recipes.

Step 8: Subsequent harvests

1. The Lion's Mane is a mushroom that can produce many crops! Make sure you continue to spray the previously made cut, once you have picked the first mushrooms, you will see new mushrooms develop after a while!

Conclusion

Growing Lion's Mane with a grow kit is a fun and accessible way to experiment with growing gourmet mushrooms at home. With constant attention and care, you will soon be able to enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor. Happy growing and bon appetit!