Mushroom grow-kit help
When and How to Harvest Your Mushroom Kit
Look at your mushrooms rather than a fixed date. Oyster cap edges, chestnut caps and Lion’s Mane teeth tell you when it’s time to pick.
01
Have a clean knife and a plate ready
Keep the box steady and support the mushrooms near their base. Pick by the cluster for oysters, chestnuts and Lion’s Mane; shiitake mushrooms can be cut individually. Use the matching guide below.
Oyster mushrooms
Blue, pink, white and black oysters: usually 1–3 weeks to sprout.
Read more →Lion’s Mane
Opening steps, humidity-tent care and picking your first harvest.
Read more →Chestnut mushrooms
Usually 4–5 weeks to sprout; allow 4–6 weeks.
Read more →Shiitake mushrooms
A different kind of kit: follow its supplier’s opening instructions.
Read more →02
Harvest oysters before the cap edges turn up
Watch the largest caps. Pick the cluster while their edges still curve slightly downward, before they flatten or curl upward. Support it near the block and gently twist it free, or cut across the base with a clean knife.
03
Harvest Lion’s Mane when its teeth develop
Look for a firm, white cluster with hanging teeth roughly ¼–½ inch long (6–12 mm). Pick before it yellows or softens. Support the cluster and cut its attachment to the block with a clean knife; avoid squeezing the delicate teeth.
04
Harvest chestnuts while the caps are still rounded
Pick when the caps have opened enough to look like little mushrooms but are still rounded, before they flatten out. Support the cluster at its base and gently twist it away from the block. Trim off any growing material stuck to the stems.
05
Shiitake: pick while the cap edge still curls under
Choose firm caps that have opened but still have a turned-under rim. Support each mushroom and cut its stem close to the block with a clean knife.
06
After picking: prepare for another crop
Trim any growing material from the harvested mushrooms, refrigerate them and cook them thoroughly before eating. Remove loose mushroom pieces from the kit opening.
The following routine is for Nature Lion boxed oyster, chestnut and Lion’s Mane kits. Another maker’s kit or a shiitake block may need a different routine.
Let the block rest for about one week
Give your kit about a week between harvesting and soaking. Keep it away from direct sun and drying heat.
Soak for eight hours
Keep the cardboard box out of the water. Use a clean container and clean water, allowing water to reach the block. After eight hours, let excess water drain away.
Check the block’s weight
The hydrated block should weigh about 3–3.5 lb (1.4–1.6 kg). Weigh the drained block, without the cardboard box or soaking container.
If water has not soaked in, help it reach inside
The mycelium covering can keep water from entering. Gently scratch the surface with a clean fork, or poke a few holes around the block, then soak again. Drain and check the weight again. Do this between crops, not when mushrooms are developing.
Resume care and watch for another harvest
Return to the original misting routine. For Lion’s Mane, use the slit humidity tent, mist inside 2–3 times daily and give growing mushrooms their daily 1–2 hour air break. Pick the next crop using the same cap or tooth signs as the first. Timing and yield can vary.
07
Not sure? Show us your kit
Email info@naturelion.ca with a clear photo of the whole kit and a close-up of the opening. Tell us the mushroom variety, when you opened it, where it sits and how often you mist. Include your order number if you have it. We can help you choose the next step.
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More help with your grow
For more background, read the related guides below. Follow the Nature Lion instructions above for your boxed kit.
Keep a photo diary with Dr. MycoTek
Want to remember how your mushrooms grew?
A few photos on your phone are a good start. If you’d like to keep dates and photos together, you can use Dr. MycoTek. It’s optional—everything you need to follow this guide is on this page.
Continue exploring
Set up your kit
Open the box, cut the X and give your kit its first mist.
See the growing stages
Know what you are waiting for and what comes next.
My kit isn’t growing
Check the timing, moisture and location before changing anything.
Know when to harvest
Learn what to look for and how to pick your mushrooms.
Nature Lion opening and care instructions apply to our boxed kits. For another maker’s kit, follow the instructions supplied with that product. Growth photos show individual examples; timing and results vary.