SHROOM WIZARD'S GROW GUIDE VERSION 4.0

“Introduction”

Welcome to Wizard’s World. I’ve read a lot of grow techniques over the last 38 years and found most of them to be very intimidating to say the least. Almost all of them gave me the impression that someone needs to be an educated scientist or mycologist if they want to be successful at growing mushrooms.

I’ve tried my best to write this newest grow guide of mine in the easiest and most understandable language that I could. I’ve tried to use words and wording that most people will understand and I’ve included dozens of color pictures to help the beginning mycologist (mushroom grower) out. I’m a firm believer in the old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words.

For those of you unfamiliar with the whole mushroom cultivation process, I can tell you that it consists of only two different stages. The first stage in the process is the growing of the mushroom plant called “mycelium”. Mycelium really isn’t a plant, it’s a fungus, but for clarity and easier understanding of the process I will be referring to it as a plant throughout this grow guide. Once you have grown the matured mushroom plant, the next step in the process is the actual growing of the fruits we know as mushrooms. Mushrooms are not the actual plant as most people believe, but they are the actual fruits of the mycelium plant that grows below ground. Once this mycelium plant has fully matured it can then be forced to produce its fruits.

Over the last two years I have tried and experimented with twelve new and different mushroom fruiting methods. Out off these twelve different methods, I’ve chosen the top three mushroom producers to be explained in this new grow guide. Almost every cultivation method begins the same way – the growing of the mycelium (mushroom plant) in glass canning jars. It is the act fruiting of the mushrooms that have such a wide variety of different techniques. Of the three different mushroom fruiting methods covered in this CD grow guide – the first one I’ve named the “ALL-IN-ONE” method. This is the easiest and least expensive setup to put together and it also involves the least amount of maintenance and upkeep. I think everyone should have a setup like this one – no matter what other method of fruiting they are using. Using this technique you can fruit your colonized mycelium cakes one at a time. This will be discussed in more detail later in this guide.


The second fruiting setup I will be teaching you is the one I’ve named the “BUBBLE OR NOTHING” method. This fruiting technique costs a little bit more to set up – but it’s well worth the extra cost because it can be used over and over for many years. Using this technique you can fruit anywhere from one to six colonized mycelium cakes at a time.

The third and final fruiting technique I will be teaching you is one I’ve named the “LEAPING LIZARD” method. This setup is very similar to the “BUBBLE OR NOTHING” method, but with one huge difference as you will later learn. Using this technique you can fruit anywhere from one to four colonized mycelium cakes at a time.

Well, about all I can say now is kick back, get comfortable and prepare your brain for some new information. Mushroom cultivation should not be intimidating and it’s a lot easier than you could even imagine. I’ve also included a small dictionary along with this grow guide to help everyone understand some of the words and terms used when discussing mushroom cultivation.

Always Around,
Shroom Wizard (RIP June 21, 2008)

 

PS – As one last note I want to inform everyone that the home cultivation of Psilocybe Cubensis mushrooms, no matter which strain you might consider growing, is against most state, federal and local laws. I do not encourage anyone to try cultivating these types of mushrooms. This grow guide is to be read for increasing someone’s knowledge and not to be experimented with illegally. If you do decide to use the procedures outlined in this guide for mushroom cultivation I suggest using Portabella, Shitake, Button or any other strain of grocery or restaurant quality spores. Growing your own mushrooms can be a lot of fun – but not from a prison cell.

ADVANCE to Chapter 3: Mixing and Sterilizing Substrate Jars