Hello I'm Andrew and I will be your guide today. Now for right now I have to wait on photos for my self until then try and get something out of it, I can't have any photos that aren't my own.

I've compiled info from the internet on how to grow mushrooms, and complied it all into some of the best things to do in my opinion. Now just to note you NEED to use rubbing alcohol on everything or else your mushrooms WILL NOT grow. The alcohol sterilizes everything so there is no foreign things harming your mushrooms. From using it to sterilize bowls for coffee grounds, jars, plates knifes anything you use MUST be sterilized. Without further or do, Lets get started!!!

Step 1: Supplies

Alright, so first thing you will need is mushroom spores or mycelium. Now some of you are thinking well now I'm going to have to go online and buy some :(. Have no fear, because you can get spores from STORE BOUGHT MUSHROOMS!! Yes and it is very effective, Take the mushroom of your choice and cut the stem off leaving the cap behind. Now take a piece of paper put it on some cardboard, and set the cap the paper. Then wrap tinfoil over the top of the cap and wrap it around the whole project. Alright now wait for 24-48 hours. Yes I know its a bummer, but if you have fresh edible ones in your yard then you get the spores much faster. Fold the paper in half when 24-48 hour period is done, and put it in a plastic bag. You can also do it by finding mushrooms that are not packaged, and if they have mycelium on and around the mushroom it will be white and puffy. Buy it, and Cut off the mycelium parts and use them later to make Mushroom plugs for later in this tutorial (put them in baggies).

(Side note: I suggest having all of the ingredients before doing this) Next you will need sawdust (wood-chips work too!!), lucky for me my grandfather has been working on the house so there is lots of sawdust for me. Take that sawdust and put 130-160 degrees Celsius (hope I got that right :/) [ CAUTION: very hot!!! ] to get rid of bacteria that might compete with your spores.

Next coffee grounds, easy enough to get that its for FREE!! Just go to a cafe, or Starbucks and ask for their coffee grounds nicely and they are more than happy to get rid of it :). First you need to squeeze all the excess moisture from the coffee grounds. Sterilize this with the sawdust, Note: Mixing both this and then the sawdust, and then pouring water in it until spongy (make sure its not hot) and putting it in the microwave. (Also the next step requires this after incubating, so I suggest not to make the mix until you get the incubating done :/)

[ Also not so recently I found out that using Tin Foil works better than paper :) ]

Step 2: Mushroom Plugs/ Mycelium Jars

Alright, so for these you need dowel pins which you can get at your local home depot, the mycelium (most preferred) or the sores on paper, and a pot. Now with the spores if your using them don't take them out until later. If your using the mycelium then lets get to sterilizing them like the sawdust/wood-chips in a way. First, you take the Dowels and put them in the pot full of water it is okay to use the tap because you are going to boil the water after letting the dowels soak for 5 min. Then you boil the dowels for 15 min, let dry a bit but not to much just so they are damp. Then, take the dowels and put a few on the bottom then some mycelium that you took off the mushroom. Do the steps over and over until you are left with dowels on the top of the jar. For example: d=dowel m=mycelium (dmdmdm)| <--Jar; make sense? wait for the mycelium to grow that should take the whole day. For that put it in a dark place. Now for those who will be using the spores jus do the same but dumb the spores where the mycelium should be. Example: d=dowel s=spores (dsdsds)| <--Jar. After, you get the mycelium/spores done incubating which takes about a week or less on to the dowels then you shake them, and put them in your mix. Mix the Mushroom plugs evenly in the mix with you hands. Notice, the spore thing is just an experimental thing for me so I will be doing both mycelium and spores and see if the spores works too. If you get some results with the spores comment. Thanks :)

The Mycelium Jars are for if you don't want to waste money on wooden dowels. You do not need to sterlize the coffee grounds for this What you do is take the coffee grounds and put them in the jar. Next, you put the "mycelium stem butts" mycelium facing down into the coffee grounds. After 8 days you will get mycelium taking over the coffee grounds. Next ALL of the repeat the steps chronologically until the jar is full. (REMEMBER USE THE ALCOHOL TO STERILIZE EVERYTHING THAT IS NOT MUSHROOMS.) Some mason jars don't come with a top so use a coffee filter to cover that hole you get at the top STERILIZE IT. When unscrewing the cap off the jar sterilize your work place and the entire outside of the jar. When applying some sawdust, wood-chips, or hay to the "Mushroom mix" You take some of the mix in the jar and putt it in the Container and mix it in. (Remember to sterilize the sawdust or what ever you are using before putting it in!!)

Step 3: Containers and Placing

Now, containers wise you should use like a bucket or a milk carton depending on how much "Mushroom mix" you are using. Me personally will be using a bucket so that I can get a bigger harvest. So if your going to use a carton your going to need a humidity tent. How you make a Humidity tent is simple you take some plastic wrap, and some sticks and place it in the mushroom mix. Then cut the top of the carton off evenly. Poke holes in it, and wipe out excess residue if needed. Now if you are using a bucket then you need a Drill with a drill bit that can make a decent sized holes about the size of a nickel and the "Mushroom mix." The great thing about the bucket is it has the Lid, keep that it keeps it humid. Alright, now drill some holes that make a diamond shape on each side of the bucket. Again the Mushroom mix is spongy that makes so it does not fall out of the holes. Continuing with the tutorial Put the "Mushroom mix" in the bucket and close the lid. Now keep it in a dark moist place same goes with the carton and spray it with a bottle that mist sprays open the lid and spray often to keep moist. Spray the holes if using a bucket. (sorry couldn't get pictures of milk carton mushroom gardens)

Step 4: Harvesting!!

After 3 weeks you should get some mushrooms growing. By then you can take it out of the dark moist place, and take it into a place where it is shaded but there is some light. When you are going to harvest is in about 10-15 days after mushrooms started to grow. You harvest them when the caps have straightened out don't wait any longer to pick them

If you would like to visit my home page go to this link. :) - http://growhome.wix.com/sw-utah-mushrooms