This depends entirely on whether you’re using a spore syringe or liquid culture, what type of mushroom you’re trying to grow, and also some good ol’ fashioned dumb luck. If you’re using a spore syringe it could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month before you see any mycelium; it’ll actually be there a shade before this, you just may not be able to see it as it’ll probably be more in the middle of the bag than between the grain and the bag.

With liquid culture you’d expect to shave a couple of weeks off that, as you already have mycelium, so it hits the ground running when it lands on the grain. You can turn your spores into liquid culture quite easily with one of our Culture Shock liquid culture starter kits.

Temperature is important, in terms of speed of colonisation - if your temperatures are even a few degrees below the ideal range for your chosen mushrooms, then although everything will still work fine, it’ll be slower the further out you are. This is normally around 20-25c. The general rule is that if it’s too cold, it’ll be slow, and if it’s too warm, you run the risk of any contaminants having more of an advantage because they tend to prefer the hotter temperatures.

If you’re feeling a bit impatient and want to add a bit more after 20 days or so, then sure, try and fire another 2cc in with a fresh needle.

Towards the start of every year we notice an increase in support tickets relating to speed of colonisation, and it’s a temperature issue 99% of the time. It’s a brilliant time for oyster mushrooms though!

We still recommend that for 1kg you use 2ml of liquid culture solution and 3-4ml for 1.5kg grain bags. However, unlike with spores, if you squirt loads of liquid culture in there, it will actually speed things up as the mycelium is already growing. With this said, you do need to be careful that you don’t overhydrate the grain bag; we’ve got it to the perfect levels of hydration for what you want, so if you go adding a pint of liquid culture to it then you’re gonna have a very wet bag. Exercise restraint!

Store it in a cool dry place like a kitchen cupboard.

Don't store it in the fridge as this could cause contamination due to condensation forming on the filter patch and bridging through into the bag.

Our sterile grain arrives in an official Unicorn spawn bag.

They are the T type filter which is specifically designed to keep CO2 levels high to discourage mushrooms from growing prematurely on your grain.

Our 1kg bags use the 4T injection port bags and the 1.5kg bags are in 10T injection port bags.

We also sell them, as we’re Unicorn’s official UK partner!

You can buy those here.

Organic Rye Grain for mushroom grain spawn

MycoPunks Rye is certified organic which, when coupled with our organic substrate mixes gives you a fully organic mushroom grow! Rye berries are the OG grain choice for mushroom growers because they are nutritionally balanced and hold water really well. During colder months when temperature fluctuations can cause condensation in your bag, rye happily keeps that moisture held in place so you don't end up with wet spots in the bag.

Pros : Organic, good moisture control, balanced nutrient profile. Reliable results.
Cons : Not the quickest colonising grain in show.

Millet for mushroom grain spawn

Millet is small and dense, nutritious with lots of minerals to encourage healthy mycelium growth. The small grain size is slightly slower going compared to rye but the surface area for mycelium when mixing with your substrate more than makes up for the spawn production delay. During warmer months when temperatures aren’t an issue this is an unrivalled grain choice.

Pros : Super quick to colonise substrate, quick spawn production if the conditions are controlled well. Fosters healthy mycelium.
Cons : Can produce condensation a bit in temperature fluctuations and is slightly more prone to bacterial contamination than rye.

Triple Mix

Nutritionally balanced with 3 different grains for the best of all worlds. The oats in this are perfect for moderating moisture levels in the bag to keep anaerobic bacteria issues at bay. The millet gives more surface area for quick mycelium jump-off into fruiting substrate.

Pros: Super healthy mycelium promotion, this is a good beginner bag with higher tolerance for screw ups.
Cons : A little on the slower side due to nutritional density - if the mycelium has all it needs in one spot it won’t search as hard for the next meal…

Milo / Red Dari

Milo has a similar nutrient profile to millet, being from the same grain family. The slightly larger grain size makes up for the slower colonisation of millet but it is a dense grain and isn't very forgiving of condensation during colder months. The contrast of mycelium on a dark purple red grain is rad to see.

Pros: Larger grain gives quicker grain colonisation time than millet.

Cons : Can produce condensation a bit with temperature fluctuations and is more prone to bacterial contamination than millet or other grains.

Popcorn

The largest of the grains we do, also the best smelling. Popcorn is a super popular grain with The Shroomery crowd and they take their mycology very seriously indeed. Super quick grain colonisation and highly dense with plenty of simple sugars gets you going very quickly. However the larger grains are slower to colonise fruiting substrate.

Pros : Super quick grain spawn production which is the most important factor for growing mushrooms. And it’s popcorn, y’know? Everyone likes popcorn.

Cons: Slow to colonise bulk substrate.