I learned how to Grow Lion’s Mane Mushrooms and so can you!! Using a Lion’s Mane Mushroom grow kit made this process super easy and so much fun as the mushrooms grew bigger and bigger.
These super soft spongy textured mushroom balls take on the flavor of the foods that you are cooking it with.
After being gifted a large basket of homegrown fresh lion’s mane mushroom from my cousin, Judy Dean, the love of growing my own delicious mushrooms began. She explained the health benefits of eating these homegrown mushrooms and how she loved growing and eating them.
My interest was peaked and I have never looked back. Growing lion’s mane indoors is a fun project that will provide you with a gourmet mushroom whenever you would like one.
You will find lion’s mane supplements in stores, and many swear by the health benefits that these mushrooms provide.
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Three Varieties of Lion’s Mane Mushrooms (in Eastern North America)
A Lion’s Mane Mushroom is a soft yet firm mushroom. After doing some research, I discovered that this mushroom comes in 3 different varieties in Eastern North America.
The 3 species that I learned about are Hericium Coralloides, Hericium Erinaceus, and Hericium Americanum. Check out Wikipedia’s, Hericium Erinaceus, for more information about Lion’s Mane Mushrooms.
Is Lion’s Mane Mushroom Easy to Grow?
When using a mushroom growing kit, Lion’s mane are relatively straightforward mushrooms to grow. I learned how to grow lions mane mushrooms indoors and so can you!
No need to mess with Lion’s Mane spawn. These mushroom growing bags include hardwood sawdust spawn so there is no messing around with all the technical side of the growing process.
Those who are new to mushroom farming should experiment a little first. There is many options for you to choose from.
When I was searching for a growing kit, the one that stood out to me was the Michigan Mushroom Company. Having been born and raised in Michigan, this was a perfect fit for me.
Lions mane grows very quickly if done right and produces an incredibly full-bodied vegetable that makes an excellent complement to a number of dishes.
Growing your own lion’s mane mushrooms gives you the peace of mind about what you are eating. Other popular growing mushrooms kits are oyster mushrooms.
How To Prepare the Lions Mane Mushroom Grow Kit
I used a “Grow Your Own Lion’s Mane Mushroom Kit” from the Michigan Mushroom Company. My experience is solely from just that mushroom grow kit.
I was very happy with my growing experience. This positive experience includes the cost of a mushroom grow kit, the ease of use with the kit, the step-by-step instructions to growing the mushrooms, and the large amount of mushrooms that I grew from just one 5-pound bag.
If other mushroom companies would like me to review their grow kit, please contact me. I ordered my mushroom grow kit from Amazon and was told that it would take a few weeks to get because they had to prepare the kit for me.
It arrived in the mail several weeks later and the box included the mushroom grow bag, a small spray bottle, and a plastic bag.
This is what the instructions said on the side of the mushroom grow bag:
- Find a location that gets indirect lighting or overhead lighting to place the grow kit.
- Remove all the air from the bag by squeezing it out and then fold the top of the bag down making sure to keep the flap folded over. Secure with tape if necessary.
- The air vent/filter patch should be positioned at the top and not covered up.
- Cut an x or a 4 to 5 inch (left to right) slit on the front and back side of the mushroom grow bag. Where you make the cut is not important.
How To Grow Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Place the mushroom grow kit into the plastic bag that was provided. Fill the small misting bottle with fresh clean water.
Mist the inside walls of the plastic bag at least once per day. If the bag is wet do not add more water, if the bag is dry, mist some more water onto the bag.
It is also important to fan fresh air into the bag 2 to 3 times per day. Close the plastic bag with a bread tie and set in indirect light.
Make sure to use indirect light not direct sunlight. You should start to see little baby mushrooms growing within a week from the cuts that you made in the grow bag.
Continue with the daily water misting of the inside of the plastic bag as well as providing fresh air for the grow kit several times per day.
How to Harvest Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Harvest the Lion’s Mane Mushrooms when they begin to brown, or they stop growing. To harvest the mushrooms, gently peel back the mushroom top until the roots are exposed.
Use a sharp knife and cut along the edge of the large mushrooms until you have detached the mushroom from the bag. Do not cut into the bag.
More mushrooms will start to grow from that open cut area. Remove any sawdust or debris from the back side of the mushroom.
How Long Does It Take To Grow Lion’s Mane Mushrooms?
In my experience with this grow kit from the Michigan Mushroom Company, I had signs of a mushroom growing within 4 days. I let the mushrooms grow until they started to turn brown.
The lions mane mushrooms were very large in size and grew on the whole side of the bag. I harvested my first mushrooms after 31 days of growing them.
Three weeks later, I harvested my second batch of mushroom. Fresh lion’s mane mushrooms continued to grow for over 4 months.
Tips for Growing Lion Mane Mushroom
- Make sure to follow the manufactures growing instructions. If grown correctly, you should be able to get several harvesting’s from just one bag.
- Do not saturate, soak, or leave pools of standing water in the outer bag.
- Avoid getting the filter patch wet on the top of the mushroom grow bag.
- If mushrooms appear to be overly wet, skip the misting of the plastic bag.
- Growth Recommended Temperature is between 50°F and 75°F
- Growth Recommended Humidity is between 60% and 85%
Fresh Lions Mane Mushroom vs. Dried
Fresh lions mane mushrooms are best but if you have an abundance that you cannot use then drying the mushrooms is also a great choice. I recommend cutting the fresh mushrooms in the size that you plan to use them later.
Place the diced or sliced mushrooms onto a parchment lined baking sheet making sure to spread them out so there is space between each piece of mushroom. Preheat the oven on the lowest setting that it will go.
Place the baking sheet on the top rack of the oven and leave the oven door cracked open so that the moisture from the mushrooms can escape. The mushroom pieces will shrivel up into a smaller size due to the water being removed.
This oven process time will vary due to the size of the mushrooms and the humidity in the air. Check the oven every hour to see how they are doing.
Remove as much moisture from the mushrooms as possible. Once the baking sheet is removed from the oven, let the dried mushrooms cool.
Place the dried mushrooms in an airtight container and only cover the container when you are sure they are completely dried. You can also use a dehydrator to dry your mushroom pieces.
How to Store Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Once you have harvested your fresh lions mane mushroom, now what do you do with them? You can use the fresh mushrooms right away or you can store them for later use.
To store these freshly grown lion’s mane mushroom, use a clean, dry paper bag. Lay the paper bag on its side and place the mushrooms so that they are in a single layer, so the stem of the mushroom is down.
Use the mushrooms within 6 days or before they turn dark brown and spoil.
Easy Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipes
Learn How to Cook Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
Mushroom Cream Sauce with Lions Mane Mushrooms
Mushroom Ham and Cheese Omelette with Lion’s Mane
Grow Lion’s Mane Mushroom – FAQ
Yes, you can now grow lions mane mushroom from home with a great mushroom grow kit.
When choosing the right grow kit, lions mane mushrooms grow quickly and produces incredibly flavorful fungi that makes an excellent complement to a variety of dishes.
To grow your own mushrooms, purchase a mushroom grow kit from a reputable mushroom company and follow the growing instructions provided with the kit.
Learn How to Grow Lions Mane Mushroom
Learn How to Grow Lions Mane Mushroom
I learned how to Grow Lion’s Mane Mushrooms and so can you!! Using a Lion’s Mane Mushroom grow kit made this process super easy and so much fun as the mushrooms grew bigger and bigger. These super soft spongy textured mushroom balls take on the flavor of the foods that you are cooking it with. Growing lion's mane indoors is a fun project that will provide you with a gourmet mushroom whenever you would like one.
Materials
- Lion's Mane Mushroom Grow Kit 1 each
- Water
Tools
- Kitchen Knife
Instructions
- Find a growing location that gets indirect lighting or overhead lighting to place the grow kit.
- Remove all the extra air from the grow bag by squeezing it out and then fold the top of the bag down making sure to keep the flap folded over. Secure with tape, if needed. The filter patch should be positioned at the top and not covered up. Cut a 4 to 5 inch (left to right) slit on the front and back side of the mushroom grow bag. Where the cut is made is not important.
How To Grow Lion’s Mane Mushroom
- Place the mushroom grow kit into the provided plastic bag.
- Fill the small misting bottle (that came with the kit) with fresh clean water. Mist the inside walls of the plastic bag daily. Two or three sprays per side will do. If the inside of the bag is wet, do not spray more water. If the bag is dry, mist some more water onto the side of the bag.
- It is also important to fan fresh air into the bag two to three different times per day. This helps with the growth of the mushrooms and is very important to do.
- Close the outer plastic bag with a tie and set in indirect light. Make sure to use indirect light and not direct sunlight.
- You will start to see little baby mushrooms growing within a week from the slits that you made in the side of the grow bag. Continue with the daily water misting of the inside of the plastic bag as well as fanning fresh air for the grow kit several times per day.
How to Harvest Freshly Grown Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
- Harvest the freshly grown Lion’s Mane Mushrooms when they begin turning lightly brown, or they stop growing.
- To harvest the fresh mushrooms, gently peel back the mushroom top until the stem is exposed. Use a sharp kitchen knife and cut along the edge of the mushroom until you have detached the mushroom from the bag. Be careful not to cut into the grow bag. More mushrooms will start to grow from the slit area.
- Remove any sawdust or debris from the back side of the lions mane mushroom.
- Use fresh mushrooms in your favorite recipes or cut into pieces and sauté in a fry pan with butter and seasoning.
Notes
Tips for Growing Lion Mane Mushrooms
- Make sure to follow the manufactures growing directions. If mushrooms are grown correctly, you should be able to get several harvesting from just one grow bag.
- Do not soak, saturate, or leave pools of water in the outer bag.
- Avoid getting the top filter patch wet of the mushroom grow bag.
- If mushrooms appear to be overly wet, skip the water misting of the plastic bag.
- Growth Recommended Temperature is between 50°F & 75°F
- Growth Recommended Humidity is between 60% & 85%
How to Store Fresh Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
When you have harvested your fresh lions mane mushroom, now what do you do with them? You can use the freshly harvested mushrooms right away or you can keep them for later use. To store these freshly grown lion’s mane mushroom, use a clean, paper bag. Lay the paper bag on its side and place the fresh mushrooms so that they are in a single layer and the stem of the mushroom is down. Use the fresh mushrooms within 6 days or before they become slimy and spoiled.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!
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