How to Grow Psilocybin Mushrooms: An overview

Growing psilocybin mushrooms can be a rewarding journey for personal exploration and education. While the process requires attention to detail and sterility, it is approachable for beginners with the right guidance. Here’s a comprehensive overview to help you get started.

Legal Disclaimer

Before embarking on this process, ensure that you are fully informed about the legal status of psilocybin mushrooms in your location. Cultivating psilocybin mushrooms is illegal in many US jurisdictions, and this guide is intended for informational purposes only. Seriously. Or this can happen: Young man gets charged with drug warehousing a charge created for and intended to prosecute drug cartels.

Supplies Needed

To grow psilocybin mushrooms, you’ll need:

Substrate Preparation

• Sterilized Grain: Having tried many grains, I recommend popcorn.  Rye, millet, sorghum,  and wheat are commonly used as well. Pre-sterilized grain bags are available for convenience.
• Prepared Substrate: Options include CVG (coco coir, vermiculite, and gypsum) or manure-based substrates. Substrates are usually pasteurized instead of being sterilized like grain bags.  This is to retain some of the naturally occurring bacteria in the substrate which are beneficial to the mushroom. Pre-pasteurized substrate bags are available for convenience.

Inoculation and Cultivation

• Psilocybin Mushroom Spores or Liquid Culture: Available through spore vendors in regions where legal. We do not sell genetics on mycelium.run. Please do not ask . If you are looking for research spores try looking on Reddit or doing a Google search.
• Sterile Tools: 70% isopropyl alcohol, nitrile gloves, syringes, and flame sterilizers.
• Growing Chamber: A monotub, grow bag, or specialized terrarium.
• Humidity Control: Misting bottles, hygrometers, and fans for proper airflow and moisture.

Additional Tools

• Pressure Cooker: For sterilizing grains and substrates (if preparing your own).
• Infrared Thermometer: For monitoring temperature during colonization and fruiting stages.

Step 1: Prepare the Grain Spawn

1. Hydrate and Sterilize: Hydrate grains and sterilize them in a pressure cooker to kill contaminants.
2. Inoculate: Using a sterile syringe, inject psilocybin spore solution or liquid culture into the sterilized grain bag or jar. Seal and incubate in a dark area at 75–80°F.
3. Wait for Colonization: Over 2–4 weeks, the mycelium (white fungal network) will colonize the grains. Shake the container at around 30% colonization for even distribution.

Step 2: Prepare the Fruiting Substrate

1. Hydrate the Substrate: Mix your substrate (e.g., CVG or manure-based) with water until it reaches field capacity—moist but not dripping.
2. Sterilize or Pasteurize: Use a pressure cooker for sterilization or a hot water bath for pasteurization.

Step 3: Combine Grain Spawn and Substrate

1. Layer or Mix: In your growing chamber, layer or mix the colonized grain spawn with the prepared substrate.
2. Cover and Wait: Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and poke small holes for gas exchange. Incubate at 75–80°F until the substrate is fully colonized (1–2 weeks).

Step 4: Fruiting Stage

1. Introduce Light and Airflow: Place the colonized substrate in a fruiting chamber with indirect light and proper ventilation. Maintain high humidity (85–95%) and temperatures around 70–75°F.
2. Mist and Fan: Mist the chamber lightly and fan it several times a day to maintain ideal growing conditions.
3. Wait for Pins: Small mushroom caps (“pins”) will begin to appear in 7–10 days.

Step 5: Harvest and Dry

1. Harvesting: Pick the mushrooms when the veil under the cap begins to tear away from the stem but before the caps flatten out.
2. Drying: Use a food dehydrator set to a low temperature (around 95–105°F) or place mushrooms in front of a fan for initial drying followed by desiccant storage.

Tips for Success

• Sterility is Key: Always sterilize tools and work in a clean environment to prevent contamination.
• Be Patient: The entire process can take 4–6 weeks or longer, depending on conditions and strain.
• Document Your Process: Keep notes and photos to track your progress and learn from each grow.

Closing Thoughts

Growing psilocybin mushrooms is both a science and an art, offering a window into the fascinating world of mycology. By respecting the process and maintaining a focus on sterility, you can cultivate mushrooms successfully and safely.

Happy growing, and may your mycological journey be fruitful!