The market for magic mushrooms and other psychedelic compounds has never been as prominent as today.
Magic mushrooms are still considered illegal in Canada, but people can buy them discreetly in dispensaries or online. More individuals want to use psychedelics because of their mental health benefits.
As researchers continue to learn the benefits of psychedelics on humans, people will have more hope of solving mental illnesses.
Getting access to magic mushrooms is still not easy, so people shift to growing their own.
Home-grown mushrooms are cheap, and you get plenty of stock yourself. But for first-time growers, cultivating mushrooms is intimidating, particularly since mushrooms require some environment to thrive.
You don’t have to worry because many experienced growers offer help online. In addition, first-time growers can use beginner-friendly mushrooms that grow fast, like King Kong mushrooms, Golden Teacher, etc.
Growing Magic Mushroom
Growing psychedelic mushrooms is easy. All you need are the essential tools such as the equipment, a substrate, spores, and patience. That’s right; even fast-growing mushrooms require time to grow.
People hunted for mushrooms instead of growing them at home in the past. Although it sounds great to go on a grassy field or forest to look for mushrooms, it can also be dangerous. If you find it hard to differentiate mushrooms, you might accidentally pick up deadly strains.
Luckily, growing magic mushrooms is more accessible than before. You can get a whole batch of magic mushrooms by providing the right environment to thrive. In addition, you can use the spores to cultivate more.
You can either do it yourself or get growing kits online when growing your mushroom. Whichever makes you comfortable will work.
What are Friendly and Fast-growing Mushrooms?
Not all Psilocybe cubensis or magic shrooms can grow fast, and some are difficult to grow. For expert growers, complicated strains are no challenge, but they can be intimidating for first-time growers.
If you want to grow your shrooms at home, choosing the most fast-growing strains should be the best start.
Golden Teacher
This mushroom is the most popular strain for regular users and beginners. It is easy to cultivate, hence giving faster results. The Golden Teacher has a light golden cap. They have multiple spores.
B+
B+ is easy to grow, but it takes time to colonize. The mushroom coffee can produce large fruits and multiple flushes. Why is it beginner-friendly? It is resistant to contamination.
King Kong
King Kong mushroom is a fast-growing strain with fast flushes of growth. King Kong strain is not as common as other mushrooms, but they are an excellent choice for regular users with their average to above-average potency.
In addition, they are great options for making King Kong cookies strain. You can also make King Kong weed with this strain by mixing shrooms and weed.
Ecuadorian
Ecuadorian mushrooms have average to high potency, traditionally part of rituals and ceremonies. This strain can quickly grow in any environment, but its original site was at high altitudes. It is a domesticated variety with multiple spores, significant flushes, and impressive spore drops.
Z Strain
It’s an aggressive colonizer with densely patched fruits. This strain has high potency, which is an excellent choice to get mild hallucinations to spiritual experience. But even though this strain is popular with regular users, it is a perfect choice for first-time growers.
Alacabenzi
It’s similar to the Z strain, an aggressive colonizer. However, the mushroom produces large fruits and is heavily domesticated. As a result, it is resistant to contamination, making it easy for first-time users.
How to Grow Mushrooms at Home
Now you know some fast-growing strains you can use for growing your first mushroom.
What you’ll need:
- 10-12 cc spore syringe
- Organic brown rice flour
- Medium to fine vermiculite
- Water
- Jar with lids
- Measuring cups
- Hammer and nails (small)
- Mixing bowl
- Strainer
- Cooking pot with a tight lid
- Paper towels
- ¼ inch drill
- Micropore
- Clear storage box
- Perlite
- Spray bottle
- Rubbing alcohol
- Butane torch
- Disinfectant
- Air sanitizer
- Mask
What to Do
Container Preparation and Sterilization
- Disinfect the jar lids with rubbing alcohol and punch holes using the hammer and small nails.
- Prepare your substrate for each jar. Then, mix ⅔ cup of vermiculite and ¼ cup of water. Mix well and drain the water using the strainers.
- Add ¼ cup of brown rice flour to the bowl with moist vermiculite.
- Transfer the mixture to your jar. Fill the glass jar until half an inch to the rims.
- Sterilize the half-inch using the alcohol.
- Top with dry vermiculite
- Tightly screw the lids and cover the jar with tin foil. Make sure no water or moisture will enter the glass jar.
- Place towels inside the pot and lay the jars on top of it.
- Add water and steam for 75 to 90 minutes.
This first process or preparation creates a sterilized environment for the mushrooms to grow.
After steaming, let the jars cool overnight. Do not remove the foil cover as you leave the jars to cool at room temperature.
Now, it’s time to inoculate the spores.
Spore Inoculation
Contamination from mould spores is one of the most frequent competitors when growing mushrooms. It exists everywhere, no matter if your house is clean. But following some precautions when inoculating your spores can minimize contaminations.
- Select a room where you will inject spores.
- Clean the area thoroughly by using rubbing alcohol and disinfectants.
- Add a needle tip to your spore syringe of choice (King Kong, Golden Teacher, Ecuadorian, etc.).
- Be careful not to touch the tip. Apply heat to the metal tip of the syringe to disinfect it.
- Partially open the jar’s lid and inject 2 CCs of the liquid. Ensure the needle’s tip is inserted 2 to 3 cm down the dry vermiculite.
- Seal the jar and cover it with tin foil.
- Repeat the process on all jars.
Waiting for Growth
After inoculating the spores, it’s time to wait for mycelium growth. Place the jar in a clear area, away from sunlight and room temperature.
After 7 to 14 days, a white, fluffy mycelium will appear regardless of mushroom strain (Golden Teacher, Alacabenzi, King Kong, etc.).
Check for contaminants such as strange smells and colours. If present, discard the jar immediately. It is essential to check your jars because some contaminations are deadly.
Leave the uncontaminated jar for another seven days to strengthen the growth of the mycelium.
Prepare the Ideal Environment
Now, it’s time to prepare the ideal environment for your mushroom spores to grow.
King Kong spores and all Psilocybe cubensis have similar requirements for their growth.
- More than 80% humid
- A temperature of 20 to 28 ºC or 68 to 82 ºF
- No light source
- Low to no airflow
You can either buy or build your incubator. It’s easy to create an incubator. Use an opaque container, place the inoculated jar, and keep them in a warm spot in your house.
You’ll have to wait for 1-2 weeks for mycelium growth. After that, you can check your jars every third or fourth day. There should be thread forming. But also look for signs of contamination like fuzzy growth, oily texture, or a bluish-green growth.
Discard contaminated jars immediately.
Fruiting
After complete colonization of your mycelium, the next step is fruiting. This process requires creating another ideal environment for the growth of mushrooms.
- Humidity: more than 80%
- Temperature: 10–20 ºC (50–68ºF)
- Light: low
- Airflow moderate
Here’s how to make a fruiting chamber:
- Use a clear plastic container.
- Drill holes on the side and top for airflow
- Disinfect the container
- Add perlite 1 inch and distilled water. Make sure to create a moist environment. Don’t allow the perlite to soak in water; make it sticky.
- Put the jar with open lids on the container or transfer the mycelium cake into the jar lid and place it on top of the moist perlite.
- Check your mycelium from time to time and moisturize the perlite with a spray bottle. Ensure not to create water pools on your mycelium because it can lead to bacterial growth.
- Small mushrooms will start growing on the sides of the mycelium. Let them continue to grow until the gill cap breaks. While the mushrooms are immature, avoid touching them, or they will stop growing.
Harvest Time
Your mushrooms are ready. When harvesting, make sure to gather them at the right time. Avoid waiting too long because the older the mushroom, the lower the potency.
You’ll know that it’s time for harvest if there are tiny while bumps before the pins sprout or before the veil breaks. Go and cut your mushroom close to your cake.
This method of growing mushrooms may seem complicated, but when you get used to these steps, you can quickly increase your mushrooms.
You can opt for grow kits if you have some extra cash instead of following these processes. However, you still have to wait for the mushroom to grow for a few weeks.
Cultivating your mushroom will give you the freedom to have unlimited amounts of magic mushrooms. You can make anything out of it. You can dry your mushrooms, add them to your food, microdose, etc.
Conclusion
Magic mushrooms like King Kong, Golden Teacher, etc., are the best choice to start your growing journey. You can cultivate them quickly when you follow the steps in this article.
