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How to Grow Mushrooms from a Spore Syringe

How to Grow Mushrooms from a Spore Syringe

Posted by Ajay on 5th Dec 2024

What are spores?

Spores are the seeds of the mushroom world; every mushroom from Lion’s Mane to the magical Psilocybe Cubensis has some. Fungi release these microscopic particles that come in different shapes, sizes, and colours. They are carried by the wind or animals to disperse their genetics and continue their lineage. Spores are tough; they can remain dormant and survive conditions mycelium cannot, and your spore syringe can stay viable for up to a year in the fridge! Just make sure it does not freeze; fungi are incredible but even they have limits.

Each spore germinates to create a hyphae network, a collection of thin fibrous strands to find nutrients in its environment. Two of these networks need to meet and join in order to produce a fruiting body, aka a mushroom. So, although technically, you only need two spores, your seemingly clear syringe will likely contain millions.

Spores drop from the mature caps of mushrooms; these are only the fruiting body of mycelium whose sole purpose is reproduction. These are collected from a non-sterile environment so here is the issue with spores.

Spore Syringe Mushroom Grow Kit At Home Quick Magic Mushrooms PF Tek All In One Bag Bulk CVG Grain Spawn Rye Milo

Are spores clean?

A careful grower will take many steps to collect the best and cleanest spores. However, they are not sterile (like your grow kits); for mushrooms to grow, they need air exchange, so spores have a chance of picking up hitchhikers.

If you want to ensure your spores are clean and worthy of your grain you must clean them up on agar. The process is simple and only takes 1-2 weeks; you germinate the spores and select a clean, healthy culture, then grow these in bulk grain bags.

But back to reality, we are all probably just going to risk it anyway. Growing directly from spores can have a good success rate if you choose a supplier who knows their stuff. The best advice here is not to put all your eggs in one basket; the chances of one kit getting contaminated can be high… the chances of four are much, much lower.

How much spore solution do I need?

This question does not have a correct answer. It’s usually a case of use less if you want to be thrifty or use more to speed up the process. A good rule of thumb is to use 1.5ml per KG of grain; however, as you only need two spores to germinate, you could use 0.5ml or 5ml, who knows. A lot of beginners get caught up with this part. It's not an exact science; I prefer to use fewer spores as it will make the syringe last longer and reduce your chances of contamination.

What can I use my spore syringe with?

As mentioned before, spores to agar are ideal. However, you can use your spore syringe to inoculate a range of mushroom grow kits. You can try PF Tek for its short time to grow mushrooms. Grain spawn bags if you like to keep it traditional and are happy to spawn to bulk substrate. Or maybe you want to try all-in-one kits for convenience and a higher success rate. The inoculation process will be the same for all.

Things you will need:

Spore syringe

Alcohol wipe or spray bottle

Needle

Lighter or flame

Tape (if you don’t have an injection port)

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How to inoculate your mushroom grow bag

Prep your grow area

Find a suitable room that is relatively clean. Close all windows and doors. Clean your work surface, i.e. desk.

Prep yourself

Take a shower, stick on some clean clothes, and get to work.

Bag Prep

Your syringe kit should come with an alcohol wipe. Investing in some 70% iso spray is a good idea for any budding mycologist; however, we can make do. Use your alcohol to thoroughly clean your injection port. If you don’t have a port, pick an area of the bag near your grain and clean that.

Syringe Prep

Your syringe will come with a cap on; shake it thoroughly for 60 seconds to disperse the spores. If your needle is new and sealed, it is sterile and ready to be attached to the next step.

If your syringe is used, you must use a lighter to flame sterilise the tip till it is red hot. Give it a few seconds to cool before proceeding.

Injecting your spores

Insert your syringe into your injection port or bag, ensuring the tip of the needle enters all the way into the bag. Inject the volume of spores you decided on. Remove the needle and replace the cap, or if inoculating more bags, flame sterilise the needle and continue.

That’s all, folks. It is simple stuff. If you have spores left over, store them with the cap on in the fridge.

How long do spores take to grow?

Spores will typically take a week to germinate and begin to grow mycelium. This can sometimes be in the centre of your bag and take another week or two to be visible. It depends on a lot of factors, such as genetics and the temperature of your grow room. To speed up the process, you can use agar and inoculate with a live culture to skip the germination period, heat the growing area to the ideal temperature for that species, or use more spore liquid in each bag.

If you would like to read our guide on what’s next in your mycology journey, check this out.