How To Grow Cordyceps Militaris at Home

🍄 How to Prepare Malt Extract Agar (MEA) for Mushroom Cultivation

✅ What You’ll Need:

Ingredients (Standard 1 Liter Batch – Makes ~35–40 Petri dishes):

• Malt Extract: 20 grams
• Agar-Agar Powder: 15 grams
• Distilled Water: 1000 mL
• (Optional: Peptone 1–2g or yeast extract for additional nutrients)

🥣 Step 1: Mixing the Ingredients

1. Measure out 20g of malt extract and 15g of agar powder.
2. Add both to a clean 1-liter Erlenmeyer flask or heat-safe container.
3. Pour in 1 liter of distilled water.
4. Stir well until all solids are dissolved. Use a magnetic stirrer or manual stirring. The solution may be cloudy.

🔍 Tip: If you're using powdered malt extract, mix slowly to avoid clumping.

🔥 Step 2: Sterilization

1. Cover the flask with aluminum foil or a loose cap — not airtight.
2. Place it in a pressure cooker or autoclave.
3. Sterilize at 15 PSI (121°C / 250°F) for 20–30 minutes.

⚠️ Do not exceed 30 minutes to avoid caramelizing the sugars in the malt, which may inhibit fungal growth.

❄️ Step 3: Cooling

1. Allow the sterilized MEA to cool to around 50–55°C (122–131°F). It should still be liquid but not too hot to kill spores if pouring into inoculated media.
2. If using a thermometer, monitor closely. This is the ideal pouring temperature.

🧊 Do not wait too long — it will start to solidify around 40°C (104°F).

🧪 Step 4: Pouring Plates

1. Sanitize your work area thoroughly or use a laminar flow hood/still air box.
2. Pour ~20 mL of agar into each sterile Petri dish.
3. Slightly crack the lids and let them sit for 15–30 minutes until solid.
4. Once solidified, close the lids and allow the plates to fully dry for 24 hours before sealing.
5. Optional: Store plates upside down to prevent condensation from dripping onto the surface.

🧼 Label your plates with date and medium type.

📦 Storage Instructions

• Store sealed plates in ziplock bags or parafilm-wrapped stacks
• Keep refrigerated at 2–8°C (35–46°F)
• Plates are viable for up to 4–6 weeks if properly stored

🌱 Optional Additions & Notes

• Antibiotics (e.g., gentamicin) can be added after cooling (below 50°C) to prevent bacterial contamination
• Activated charcoal (0.5g/L) can be added to promote some fungal species
• Color indicators can be added for pH sensitivity, though not usually necessary for mushroom work

🍄 How to Prepare Liquid Culture (LC) Jars for Mushroom Mycelium

Liquid culture is a sterile sugar-water solution used to grow mycelium for easy inoculation of grain, agar, or other substrates. It enables fast, clean, and efficient propagation of fungal cultures.

✅ What You’ll Need

Ingredients (Standard 500 mL Batch):

• Light Malt Extract (LME): 10 grams
  (Alternative: Karo Light Corn Syrup – 4% concentration or 20mL per 500mL water)
• Distilled Water: 500 mL

🥣 Step 1: Prepare the Liquid Culture Mix

1. Add 10 grams of light malt extract (LME) to 500 mL of distilled water in your jar.
2. • If using Karo syrup, add 20 mL per 500 mL water.
2. Mix thoroughly to dissolve all sugars. Use a stir rod or magnetic stirrer for even mixing.
3. Add a magnetic stir bar to the jar if you plan to use a stir plate later (optional but recommended).

🔍 Tip: Use clear jars to visually monitor mycelium growth and contamination.

🧴 Step 2: Jar Setup & Lid Prep

1. Use a lid fitted with:
2. • Self-healing injection port (SHIP) for inoculation
   • Micropore filter or synthetic filter disc for gas exchange
2. Tighten the lid lightly to allow some venting during sterilization.
3. Cover the top of the jar with aluminum foil to prevent condensation or water from the pressure cooker entering the lid.

🔥 Step 3: Sterilization

1. Place your LC jar into a pressure cooker or autoclave.
2. Sterilize at 15 PSI (121°C / 250°F) for 20–25 minutes.
3. • Longer sterilization can caramelize sugars and darken the solution.

⚠️ Always keep jars upright and avoid overfilling the pressure cooker with water. Use a rack or trivet inside.

❄️ Step 4: Cooling

1. Let the jar cool fully to room temperature before use (may take several hours).
2. Do not inoculate while warm — it will kill your spores or culture.

💉 Step 5: Inoculation (In Sterile Conditions)

1. Use a still air box or laminar flow hood.
2. Sterilize a syringe needle with flame or alcohol.
3. Inject 1–2 mL of spore solution or agar wedge into the LC through the SHIP.
4. Optionally swirl gently or place on a magnetic stir plate for 30 mins daily.

🧬 Step 6: Incubation & Growth

• Incubate at 21–25°C (70–77°F).
• Shake or stir once daily to prevent clumping and increase oxygenation.
• Mycelium should begin showing in 3–7 days, fully colonized in 10–21 days depending on strain and environment.

🧪 Monitoring & Use

• Look for cloudy, web-like mycelium suspended in the liquid.
• Discard if you see:
• • Sediment or grainy debris
  • Smell of rot or sourness
  • Color other than white (green, black, pink = contamination)

Once colonized, the LC can be used to:

• Inoculate grain spawn
• Transfer to agar
• Create additional liquid culture jars

📦 Storage Instructions

• Store at room temperature if in use
• For long-term: refrigerate for up to 2–3 months
• Always flame sterilize the needle before every use

🍄 Grain Spawn Prep & Inoculation Guide

For 8 x 2-Quart Jars (16 Quarts Total)

✅ Ingredients & Materials

Grain Batch (for 16 quarts):

• Whole grains (e.g. rye berries, millet, wheat): 4 kg (~500g per 2-quart jar)
• Distilled or filtered water: ~6–7 liters (for soaking & simmering)
• Gypsum (optional): ~3–4 tablespoons (1 tsp per jar)

🥣 Step 1: Rinse & Soak the Grains

1. Weigh 4 kg of dry grain (500g per 2-quart jar).
2. Rinse grains thoroughly to remove dirt and excess starch.
3. Soak in clean water (6–7 liters) for 12–24 hours.
4. • Add gypsum (3–4 tbsp) if desired.
   • Soaking helps hydrate grains and begin germination (weakens bacterial spores).

🔥 Step 2: Simmer the Grains

1. After soaking, bring grains to a gentle simmer in clean water for 15–20 minutes.
2. Check readiness: grains should be swollen, soft but not split or mushy.
3. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

❄️ Step 3: Strain and Dry

1. Pour into a colander or strainer.
2. Let steam dry for 30–45 minutes.
3. • Surface moisture should evaporate.
   • Grains should feel dry on the outside but remain hydrated inside.
   • No pooling or clumping.

🧴 Step 4: Load Jars

1. Load each 2-quart jar 2/3 to 3/4 full with hydrated grains.
2. • Leave room to shake for redistribution.
2. Add glass marbles or stir bar (optional) to aid future shaking.
3. Close with modified lids:
4. • Injection port for LC inoculation
   • Filter for gas exchange
4. Cover lids with foil to protect from condensation during sterilization.

🔥 Step 5: Sterilize the Jars

1. Place jars upright in your pressure cooker.
2. Sterilize at 15 PSI (121°C / 250°F) for 2.5–3 hours.
3. • Use a trivet inside and ensure water level is correct.
   • You may need to run in multiple batches depending on PC size.

⚠️ Let jars cool completely (ideally overnight) before inoculation.

💉 Step 6: Inoculate with Culture

Option A – Liquid Culture (LC):

1. Flame-sterilize your syringe needle.
2. Inject 2–4 mL of LC per jar through the injection port.
3. Gently swirl or shake.

Option B – Agar Wedge:

1. In a sterile box or flow hood, use a flame-sterilized scalpel.
2. Transfer a clean agar wedge to each jar.
3. Close and shake lightly if needed.

🌱 Step 7: Incubation

• Incubate jars at 70–77°F (21–25°C).
• First signs of growth: 3–7 days
• Full colonization: 2–3 weeks

Shake jars once 25–50% colonized to redistribute and accelerate growth.

🧪 Signs of Healthy vs Contaminated Grain

Healthy:

• Even, white mycelial growth
• Earthy mushroom smell

Contaminated:

• Sour, musty, or wet smell
• Colored patches (green, black, orange, pink)
• Slimy or soggy grain

🗑️ Discard contaminated jars immediately to prevent spore spread.

📦 Storage or Use

• Fully colonized jars can be used to inoculate bulk substrate (coir, straw, manure).
• Store colonized jars in the fridge for up to 2 months if sealed tightly.

🍄 Cordyceps militaris Substrate Preparation & Cultivation Guide

🧬 Using Basmati Rice, LC Inoculation & Silicone Bag Sterilization

Cordyceps militaris thrives on a carefully balanced substrate of grains and supplemental nutrients. This guide follows advanced methods adapted from professional cultivators like Terrestrial Fungi.

📦 Ingredients (Per Full Batch – Yields ~4–5 Fruiting Containers)

🟠 Dry Ingredients:

• 615 g brown basmati rice
• • Rinse thoroughly 2–3 times to reduce surface starch
  • Avoid rice grown in the southern U.S. (higher arsenic); use basmati from California, India, or Pakistan
• Optional: Add a small pinch of sea salt for trace minerals

🟡 Nutrient Broth:

Blend the following with 600 mL clean, filtered water:

• 2 whole eggs (shells removed) – protein, choline, and vitamins
• ½ tbsp (4.5 g) malt extract – carbohydrate energy for early colonization
• ½ tbsp (4.5 g) dextrose – simple sugar, rapidly absorbed
• ½ tbsp (4.5 g) starch – slow-release carbohydrate
• 1½ tbsp (9.5 g) nutritional yeast – amino acids, B-vitamins, glutamates
• 1 tsp (2.3 g) pea or soy protein powder – protein for cordycepin production
• ¼ tsp (1.2 g) calcium carbonate – pH buffer to help mycelium thrive
• Optional: ¼ tsp (2 g) kelp meal (Epsoma brand) – minerals & trace elements (ensure arsenic-safe source)

🥣 Step-by-Step Mixing & Bag Preparation

1. Rinse rice thoroughly and drain well.
2. Blend all broth ingredients (eggs + supplements) in a blender for 30–60 seconds until smooth and uniform.
3. Pour the broth into the rice and mix well in a clean bowl or directly inside the silicone kneading dough bag.
4. • Make sure all grains are evenly coated and the mixture is fully hydrated but not soupy.
4. Leave air space in the silicone bag — don’t overfill. You need expansion room during sterilization.
5. Seal the silicone bag using a zip closure or food-safe clamp.

🔥 Sterilization (Silicone Dough Bag Method)

1. Place the sealed silicone bag upright inside a pressure cooker.
2. Add a trivet to prevent direct contact with the pot base.
3. Sterilize at 15 PSI (121°C) for 90–105 minutes.
4. • Longer sterilization ensures complete kill of endospores in nutrient-rich media.
4. Allow the bag to cool completely to room temperature inside the cooker.
5. • Opening too early risks contamination or condensation inside the mix.

💉 Inoculation with Liquid Culture

1. Move to a sterile work environment (still air box or laminar flow hood).
2. Open the cooled bag carefully, avoiding outside surface contact.
3. Add 2–5 mL of high-quality liquid culture (LC) per ~300 g of substrate.
4. • Distribute inoculant evenly across the rice.
   • Use a sterile syringe with a 16–18 gauge needle for precision.
4. Mix thoroughly inside the silicone bag using sanitized gloves or sealed shaking.
5. Transfer inoculated substrate into shoebox-sized plastic containers.
6. • Fill to ⅔–¾ full, tamping lightly but not compacting.
6. Place each container inside a Unicorn mushroom grow bag with filter patch.
7. Seal the bag using an impulse sealer or fold + clip, ensuring the filter patch is unobstructed for gas exchange.

🌱 Incubation Conditions

• Temperature: 68–73°F (20–23°C)
• Light: Dark or indirect dim light
• Duration: 14–21 days until full colonization
• Monitor for:
• • Bright white, dense mycelium
  • No wet spots or discoloration
  • No visible signs of contamination

🍄 Next Steps (Fruiting Preparation)

Once fully colonized, begin environmental changes for primordia formation prior to fruiting:

• Move containers to lighted space (12 hours/day, 6500K light spectrum)
• Keep relative humidity moderate (60–70%) — fruiting often occurs inside sealed grow bags
• Maintain ambient temperature ~60–68°F (16–20°C) for best fruit formation
• Expect fruiting to begin 7–10 days after colonization is complete

🍄 Cordyceps militaris — Primordia Initiation & Fruiting Transition Guide

Focused on triggering pin formation after full colonization

🧬 1. Ensure Full Colonization Before Initiation

Before you initiate primordia, the substrate must be fully colonized:

✅ Colonization Checklist:

• White, dense mycelium covers the entire surface of the rice substrate
• No visible grains or uncolonized patches remain
• Substrate is firm and slightly matted on top
• No signs of excess moisture (puddling) or contamination
• Containers feel warm to the touch from mycelial activity (optional but common)

⏳ Colonization typically takes 14–21 days, depending on strain strength and ambient conditions.

🌱 2. Environmental Triggers for Primordia Formation

Cordyceps militaris is highly phototropic and requires specific environmental signals to shift from vegetative to reproductive growth.

Once colonization is confirmed, initiate the primordia phase by altering the environment as follows:

🔄 Environmental Shift:

💡 3. Light as a Fruiting Trigger

Light is the primary stimulus for Cordyceps primordia formation. It doesn’t need intense heat or high humidity like many mushrooms, but it absolutely requires:

• 12:12 light cycle
• 6500K daylight-spectrum light
• Positioned directly above the containers (top-down lighting triggers vertical growth)

📌 Tip: Inconsistent light = poor orientation or uneven fruit body shape

👁️ 4. Signs of Primordia Formation

You’ll begin to notice changes within 3–7 days of environmental shift.

✅ Primordia indicators:

• Small, orange to peach-colored dots begin to form on the substrate surface
• These gradually elongate into club-like stalks
• Orientation is upward and centralized if lighting is even
• Slight moisture on container walls is fine, but avoid pooling

🧼 5. Container Adjustments for Fruiting

Once primordia form:

• If growing inside sealed Unicorn bags, maintain partial closure to allow some gas exchange
• If in a controlled chamber, remove containers from bags once pins are 1–2 cm tall
• Maintain steady conditions:
• • Temp: 60–65°F
  • Light: 12 hours/day
  • Humidity: 60–70% RH (just enough to prevent surface drying)

🛑 Common Mistakes to Avoid

🍄 Cordyceps militaris — Fruiting, Maturity, and Harvesting Guide

📅 1. Fruiting Timeline: From Pins to Harvest

Once primordia (pins) have successfully formed after light and air exposure, the fruiting phase begins.

Total time to harvest: ~18–24 days post-inoculation, or ~7–10 days after visible pin formation
Growth rate varies slightly depending on genetics and ambient temperature.

🌿 2. Ideal Fruiting Environment

Cordyceps does not require the same high humidity as other gourmet mushrooms.

• Temperature: 60–68°F (16–20°C)
• Humidity: 60–70% RH
• • Keep just enough moisture to prevent substrate drying
  • Avoid direct misting — light condensation on container walls is ideal
• Light: 12 hours/day at 6500K daylight spectrum
• • Place light directly above for uniform vertical growth
• Air Exchange: Passive FAE via slightly open Unicorn bag or chamber airflow
• • Too much CO₂ = long, pale, fuzzy fruiting bodies
  • Too much airflow = drying out and stunted growth

👁️ 3. How to Know When to Harvest

Harvest timing is critical to preserve the potency and aesthetic of the fruit bodies.

✅ Harvest When:

• Fruiting bodies are fully upright and orange
• The stalks are thick and club-shaped
• No fuzzy mycelium is covering the base
• Caps may begin to slightly wrinkle or roughen on top
• Spores have not yet been released (no powdery residue)

❌ Do NOT wait until:

• Tips are browning or collapsing
• Spores have visibly dropped
• Fruit feels soft or watery to the touch

⏱️ Ideal window: A 2–3 day window once maturity is reached — harvest as a batch for best uniformity.

✂️ 4. Harvesting Process

1. Wash hands or wear sterile gloves
2. Open the container or grow bag in a clean, dust-free area
3. Use tweezers or clean fingers to gently pull each Cordyceps stalk upward from the rice
4. • They should detach easily without tearing the substrate
   • Avoid pulling out clumps of rice
4. Optionally, use sterile scissors or a scalpel to snip at the base for a cleaner cut
5. Place harvested fruiting bodies onto a clean drying rack or dehydrator tray immediately

🧺 Post-Harvest Cleanup

• Remove any leftover pins or tissue to prepare for a second flush
• Let the substrate rest for 7–10 days
• Resume light, airflow, and lower temps to initiate another round
• Most blocks yield 2–3 flushes, with smaller returns each time