It’s Time to Make Some Substrate

Substrate is an important factor when it comes to mushroom cultivation. It provides the necessary nutrients and environment for mushrooms to grow. Depending on the type of mushroom you are growing, different kinds of substrates may be used such as straw, cardboard, sawdust, wood chips, compost and so on. After sterilizing or pasteurizing your substrate, spawn is then added allowing the transfer of mycelium onto your chosen substrate. It is essential to use the right kind of substrate in order to get the desired results as different mushroom mycelium like thrive in different material.

For most beginners growing gourmet mushrooms such as oysters, lions mane, and chestnuts in their own home we suggest using “Masters Mix”, this is a specially formulated blend of hard wood sawdust and soy hulls.

The masters mix is pretty straight forward: “Combine 1 part hardwood sawdust with 1 part soy hulls, hydrate to 60%, and sterilize at 15 PSI for 2.5 hours.” It is simply A 50/50 mix of soy bean hulls and hardwood sawdust hydrated to perfection!

This blend will produce beautiful full clusters of mushroom fruits and is the chosen substrate of most experienced and beginner mushroom growers.

Alternatively if you have trouble finding soy hulls to purchase, wheat bran is also an excellent nutrient that can be added to your hardwood sawdust. Usually the recipe is 25 percent wheat bran to 75 percent sawdust.

Check out this great video from Freshcap to learn more.