How To Grow Reishi at Home

Agar Cultivation

1. Prepare the agar medium by mixing water, agar powder, and malt extract in a flask.
2. Autoclave the agar medium to sterilize it and let it cool to around 50°C.
3. Pour the agar medium into petri dishes, leaving some space at the top for inoculation.
4. Inoculate the agar plates with reishi mushroom spores or mycelium culture using a sterile technique.
5. Seal the petri dishes with parafilm or tape and incubate them in a dark, warm place for 7-14 days.
6. Check the plates regularly for contamination and growth of the reishi mycelium.
7. Once the mycelium has fully colonized the agar plates, you can use them to inoculate your substrate for fruiting.

Liquid Culture Cultivation

1. Prepare a sterile work area by cleaning all surfaces with a disinfectant and using a laminar flow hood or a still air box.
2. Gather all necessary materials including reishi mushroom spores, liquid culture medium (such as malt extract agar), sterile syringes, and sterilized containers.
3. In a clean environment, flame sterilize the needle of the syringe and allow it to cool before drawing up the liquid culture medium.
4. Inject the liquid culture medium into the sterilized container, ensuring that the container is sealed properly to prevent contamination.
5. Incubate the liquid culture at the optimal temperature for reishi mushroom growth, typically around 75-80°F (24-27°C).
6. Monitor the liquid culture for signs of growth, such as mycelium forming in the medium. This process can take several weeks.
7. Once the liquid culture is fully colonized with mycelium, it is ready to be used to inoculate substrate for fruiting reishi mushrooms.

Substrate Prep and Innoculation

1. Prepare the substrate by mixing hardwood sawdust with wheat bran in a ratio of 5:1.
2. Moisten the substrate mixture until it reaches a field capacity moisture level.
3. Fill sterilized bags with the substrate mixture, leaving some space at the top for inoculation.
4. Inoculate the bags with reishi mushroom spawn by evenly distributing it throughout the substrate.
5. Seal the bags with a filter patch and incubate them in a dark, warm environment at around 75-80°F.
6. Check the bags regularly for signs of colonization, such as white mycelium growth spreading throughout the substrate.
7. Once the substrate is fully colonized, move the bags to a cooler environment with indirect light to induce fruiting.
8. Maintain proper humidity levels and air circulation to encourage the growth of reishi mushrooms.
9. Harvest the reishi mushrooms when they reach maturity, typically indicated by a reddish-brown color and a firm texture.

Fruiting Preparation and Conditions

1. Prepare a fruiting chamber by cleaning and sterilizing it thoroughly to prevent contamination.
2. Fill the fruiting chamber with a substrate such as sawdust or grain spawn that has been inoculated with reishi mushroom mycelium.
3. Maintain a relative humidity level of around 90-95% in the fruiting chamber to promote mushroom growth.
4. Keep the temperature in the fruiting chamber between 70-75°F (21-24°C) to encourage fruiting.
5. Provide indirect light or low-intensity light to simulate natural conditions for reishi mushrooms to grow.
6. Monitor the moisture levels in the fruiting chamber and mist the substrate if it appears dry.
7. Harvest the reishi mushrooms when they reach maturity, typically indicated by a reddish-brown color and a firm texture.