The home cultivation of magic mushrooms is becoming increasingly common due to the rise in their consumption. Being an easy, fast and convenient crop, as well as profitable, more and more people are choosing to grow them at home. While it may sound complex at first, with the right instructions and materials it turns into a rewarding experience that’s within anyone’s reach.
Today we want to make things easy for you with this introductory guide, which covers the basic and most important aspects of cultivation so you can successfully harvest your mushrooms without setbacks or headaches. Let’s go!
General instructions on how to grow hallucinogenic mushrooms
Each brand offers its own instructions to customers on how to achieve abundant harvests of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Although we recommend following each brand’s instructions, there are certain parameters that are generic and can be applied to all grow kits. To begin, we’ll quickly show you how to grow a hallucinogenic mushroom kit or bag, and then we’ll go into detail on each of the points we’re about to discuss:
To grow hallucinogenic mushrooms at home, the first step is obviously to get a grow kit to cultivate. To do so, and especially if you need some extra information before deciding, you can visit our posts on magic mushroom varieties for beginners or magic mushroom varieties for experienced users.
Once the product arrives at home, you should take it to a place that’s as clean and hygienic as possible to open it, unless it’s a grow bag, in which case you shouldn’t open it at all, just leave it in a space with the right temperature, between 23 and 27 ºC.
Going back to the usual mushroom kits: the best option is to put them inside the bag that comes in the package (Mushbag) or in a mini-greenhouse. This will be the space that guarantees the right environmental conditions for fruiting: between 22 and 26 ºC and at least 80% humidity.
If you ensure these conditions and pay close attention to hygiene, in 15 to 35 days (depending on the variety) you’ll be able to collect your first magic mushrooms. These can be eaten fresh or dried for storage.
So, after this speed-run on how to grow hallucinogenic mushroom kits, let’s go through it step by step and in detail:
Materials needed to start a magic mushroom grow
The materials needed to start this type of mushroom cultivation are:
- The cultivation method (bag or mini-greenhouse)
- A thermo-hygrometer
- Heat source (if necessary): heating mat or tubular heater
- Water
- Sprayer/humidifier
Cultivation method: advantages and benefits of each one
The first step is to determine which cultivation method suits you best. Each has pros and cons, so you should choose the one that best fits your space and its environmental conditions. The most common methods are three: the Mushbag bags that come with mushroom kits, mini-greenhouses and ready-to-grow cultivation bags.
- Mushbag bags: these are breathable bags where you place the cake so that it can fruit. They act as a climate system where humidity and temperature can be easily controlled. They are individual, one per kit, and usually come with the kits you buy.
- Mini-greenhouses: mini-greenhouses are the next step towards a more controlled grow. It’s easier to regulate the climatic conditions and you can also cultivate a greater number of kits in the same place.
- Cultivation bags: these are bags with the mycelium already inside, so you don’t need anything else, just temperature control. An example of this type is the
Recommended climatic conditions for hallucinogenic mushrooms
For growing this type of mushroom, the first step is to know which climatic conditions are required. The three essential parameters are temperature, humidity and ventilation.
- Temperature: between 22 and 26 ºC.
- Humidity: it must stay above 80% at all times. You can spray water on the inner walls of the bag or greenhouse to keep it high, for example when you air the kit daily.
- Ventilation: ideally, open the bag for a few seconds every day to renew the air inside and prevent CO2 from building up.
It’s very important to stress that one of the main points to consider are sudden climatic changes, both in temperature and humidity. Magic mushrooms are quite sensitive to these and their growth can completely stall. Make sure their environment is as stable as possible!
Temperature: how to achieve it at any time of year
To reach the temperature needed to grow hallucinogenic mushrooms, different temperature control methods can be used, depending on the space and the time of year:
- If you grow in summer, you’ll need a cool, well-ventilated space where the temperature never exceeds 27 ºC.
- For winter cultivation, we offer ideal products to increase the heat in your grow space. If you’re working with small mini-greenhouses or bags, a heating mat is the ideal product. It keeps the temperature between 22 and 26 ºC. If you grow in larger mini-greenhouses or propagation tents, a tubular heater can be your best friend. There’s also the option of heated mini-greenhouses, which already include a built-in heating element.
Humidity in the grow space: tips and advice
Psilocybe Cubensis mushrooms require high humidity; as mentioned above, all brands recommend at least 80%. Each grow will need a different method depending on the space.
For Mushbag bags
- Add a finger’s depth of water to the bottom of the bag, making sure the substrate doesn’t come into contact with it.
- Spray water on the inner walls of the bag. It’s important not to spray directly on the kit once the primordia have appeared, as they could rot.
- If the walls of the bag dry quickly, you need to spray more often. You can add more water to the bottom of the bag or close the zipper opening a bit more.
For mini-greenhouses or propagators:
- Pour water into the bottom tray until it’s 3–4 cm deep. The heat from the heating mat will help evaporate this water and raise the relative humidity inside.
- If the mini-greenhouse has ventilation windows, you can adjust their opening to achieve a stable humidity level, ideally around 80%.
- To grow in propagation tents, either place a tray of water inside on which you can put the kit, or add a humidifier.
Finally, as mentioned earlier, keep in mind that sudden changes in temperature or humidity can slow down the development process.
Ventilation: how to keep your space well aired
Good air circulation helps remove accumulated carbon dioxide (CO2). Mushrooms, like other organisms, consume oxygen and produce CO2, and high concentrations of this gas can inhibit their growth. Ensuring proper ventilation is essential to keep a healthy growing environment.
Mushbag grow bags
It’s recommended to leave the bag partially open, about 1/3 of its length, to allow a continuous air exchange.
When you open it to spray water, take the opportunity to renew the air. You can squeeze the bag slightly to expel the “stale” air and let fresh air in before closing it again.
Keep in mind that you’re walking a fine line here: if the bag is too open, the kit can dry out or get contaminated.
Mini-greenhouses or propagators
In this case, the simplest way is to leave the vents open to achieve the desired humidity and ventilation level. As it’s a larger space, the air takes longer to become saturated with CO2, but it’s still recommended to open the mini-greenhouse periodically.
Hallucinogenic mushroom grow bags
This is a special case. Unlike traditional cakes, grow bags such as Mycobag are designed so that the bag itself acts as a controlled environment.
There’s no need to air or open the bag at any time during the grow, only to harvest. These hybrids can grow with high CO2 and barely any O2, which makes cultivation easier and reduces the chances of contamination since you don’t have to open the bag.
Hygiene in hallucinogenic mushroom cultivation
Hygiene in mycological cultivation is a key factor for success, from the very start of the grow to post-harvest handling and preparation for consumption.
A clean, controlled environment significantly reduces the risk of contamination in mushroom kits, as contamination is usually caused by other fungi and bacteria. It can compromise the quality and safety of the mushrooms produced; it’s not advisable to consume them if they are contaminated.
Contaminating microorganisms compete with the mycelium for nutrients and, in most cases, are more aggressive and colonise the substrate more quickly, resulting in the loss of the grow.
Preventive hygiene practices
Personal hygiene
- Wash your hands thoroughly or use disposable gloves before handling the mushrooms or their grow. If you use gloves, disinfect them once they’re on.
- Wear a mask while handling the kit to reduce the chances of contamination.
- Try not to touch the kit or breathe over it.
Work space hygiene
- Keep your grow environment clean and tidy.
- Regularly disinfect the work area and grow facilities with isopropyl alcohol.
- Keep the kits away from drafts.
- Disinfect all tools and equipment used.
During the grow
- It’s important to use gloves and masks every time you open the mini-greenhouse or Mushbag, as this is the riskiest moment in terms of contamination.
- Mushroom grow bags significantly reduce the risk of contamination because you don’t need to open the bag at any time during the grow, only to harvest.
Post grow (harvest, drying and storage)
- During harvest, wash your hands thoroughly or use gloves.
- Handle the mushrooms carefully when picking them so as not to damage the substrate or mycelium, which could impair the following flushes.
- Avoid harvesting too late, as the release of spores could contaminate the kit and make new fruitings more difficult.
- Drying the mushrooms completely is essential to preserve their potency and prevent mould and problems during storage.
Dangers and most common mistakes during magic mushroom cultivation
The most common and significant problems that can arise during magic mushroom cultivation revolve mainly around contamination and control of environmental conditions. These can seriously affect the mushroom cake and reduce production, or in the worst cases kill the mycelium. Below are the most frequent issues and their triggers:
Contamination of the grow
This is the most important and frustrating problem for growers. Contamination is caused by other fungi that compete with the mycelium. These unwanted microorganisms are often more aggressive and colonise the substrate faster than the mushroom mycelium, resulting in the loss of the grow.
Contaminations usually appear as patches of strange colours and textures on the surface of the kit that are not the pure white of healthy mycelium. The patches can be dark, pink, orange, green, etc., and may be accompanied by an unpleasant smell.
It’s important to distinguish these contaminations from the bluish bruising that mycelium or the mushrooms themselves can show due to psilocybin oxidation.
The main cause of contamination in mushroom kits is the lack of hygiene in the space or from the grower: it’s crucial to consider factors such as the grower’s hygiene, the grow space (air and lack of a clean, controlled environment) and the tools used.
