Tabletop Mushroom Cultivation

Alson Sears, D.V.M.
Christopher Keller
AWSEARS@HOTMAIL.COM

1. Fresh oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus variety), Can be found at most grocery stores.
2. Dark colored paper.
3. Glass cup or bowl, large enough to cover the mushroom cap.

Procedure
   

1. Remove the stem from the mushroom, so the mushroom will lie flat on the paper. 
   
   
    

   
    
    

2. Place the mushroom with the gills down onto the paper.
   
   
    
    
    
3. Cover the mushroom with the glass or bowl.
   
   
    
      
4.  Place the entire setup in an area that will not be disturbed (Or thrown in the garbage by spouses that don't quite understand the fun of mushroom cultivation).
5.  Wait 1 - 2 days.
   
6. Remove the cover from the mushroom and discard the mushroom, there should be a white outline where the mushroom was, this is the spore print of the mushroom.
   
   
      
    
7. Proceed immediately to placing the spores into culture plate, to avoid increasing the risk of contamination.
   

Home

Agar
plates

Spore print

Preparing grain

Inoculating grain

Preparing sawdust

Fruiting mushrooms