Mushroom grow-kit help
How to Set Up a Mushroom Grow Kit
Get your Nature Lion kit started: open the back window, cut an X, gently scrape the exposed surface and give it its first mist.
01
Open your Nature Lion kit, step by step
These steps are for Nature Lion oyster, chestnut and Lion’s Mane boxed kits. You’ll need your kit, the included spray bottle, clean water, a clean knife, and a clean fork if you prefer it for scraping. An adult should handle the knife.
Open the growing window
Stand the box on a stable surface. Open the window on the back of the box to uncover the bag inside. Keep the block in its bag and box.
Cut an X
With a clean knife, carefully cut an X through the exposed plastic and 1–2 inches into the block. Keep your other hand out of the blade’s path. Leave the four plastic flaps attached.
Lift the flaps and gently scrape
Lift the flaps of the X. Use a clean fork or knife to gently scrape away the white mycelium on the exposed surface. Mycelium is the white mushroom growth covering the block. You are roughening the surface, not digging out a hole. This helps encourage tiny mushrooms to form at the opening.
Give it its first mist
Fill the included spray bottle with clean water. Gently mist the exposed surface underneath the flaps of the X, then lay the flaps back down. Leave the surface damp, without puddles.
Keep up the daily care
Repeat the gentle mist underneath the flaps 2–3 times per day until mushrooms begin to sprout. Return the flaps after each mist.
02
Find a comfortable spot indoors
Set your kit where it gets indirect daylight and you’ll remember to check it each day. A kitchen counter or shelf away from direct sun is a good starting point. Avoid heaters, air-conditioning vents and fans blowing straight at the opening.
Leave space for the mushrooms to grow out of the box. Don’t shut the kit in a cupboard or seal it inside a container. Check the temperature guidance on your particular kit if your room is especially hot or cold.
03
Lion’s Mane only: use the included humidity tent
Lion’s Mane is the only Nature Lion kit supplied with a humidity tent. The tent is a loose cover that helps keep the air around the mushrooms moist.
Make a few air openings
Cut a few slits in the tent before putting it over the kit.
Drape it loosely over the box
Leave room around the growing opening. Don’t seal the tent around the bottom or press it against the mushrooms.
Mist the inside 2–3 times a day
Mist the inside walls of the tent to keep them moist, then put it back over the kit. Continue the gentle care of the block’s opening while you wait for mushrooms. Avoid soaking the mushrooms themselves.
Once mushrooms grow, give them a daily air break
Take the tent off for 1–2 hours once a day, then replace it. Keep the kit away from a drying fan or heater during the break.
04
When will mushrooms appear?
Count from the day you open and start caring for your Nature Lion kit. These are times to the first tiny mushrooms, not to a finished harvest. Your room conditions can change the pace.
- Oyster mushrooms: usually sprout in 1–3 weeks.
- Chestnut mushrooms: average 4–5 weeks; allow 4–6 weeks for sprouting.
- Lion’s Mane: watch for small white growth at the opening. Keep up the tent routine; ask us if you are unsure about its progress.
05
Your first-day checklist
Put your spray bottle beside the kit and choose two or three times you’ll remember to check it. A morning, afternoon and evening routine works well.
- Plastic flaps are still attached and laid back over the damp opening.
- The box sits away from direct sun and drying vents.
- Lion’s Mane has its loose, slit humidity tent.
- You know which mushroom you’re growing and when you started.
06
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.
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.