Growing your own mushrooms is one of the most satisfying things you can do in a kitchen. There’s no soil, no garden and no green fingers needed, and a single box on the worktop can give you a kilo or more of oysters that taste nothing like the tired ones in the supermarket. This guide covers the two ways to get started, the conditions that really matter, and which species to pick first.
Two ways to start: kits or spawn
Starting with a grow kit
A grow kit, or grow box, is a block of substrate that’s already been fully colonised by mycelium. All the slow, fiddly work is done for you. You cut the front, mist it and watch it grow, and most kits fruit within 7 to 14 days of opening. If you’ve never grown a mushroom before, this is the place to start. Our mushroom grow boxes come in oyster, lion’s mane and chestnut, and our grow box guide walks you through it day by day.
Starting with spawn or culture
Once you’ve had a taste of it, the next step is growing from grain spawn or liquid culture. Here you’re inoculating your own substrate, which means more control, bigger harvests and a much lower cost per kilo. The easiest route in is an all in one grow bag, which holds sterilised grain and substrate in one sealed bag. You inject the culture, wait for it to colonise and then fruit it. Our all in one grow bag guide covers every step, and if you want to go further still, see how to make grain spawn.
The three things mushrooms care about
Temperature
Most popular gourmet species fruit happily between 15 and 24°C, which is a normal UK kitchen for most of the year. Pink oysters like it warm, while blue oysters, pearl oysters and lion’s mane are fine a little cooler. If your house drops right down in winter, have a look at our list of the best mushrooms to grow in winter.
Humidity and fresh air
This is where most first grows go wrong. Mushrooms are mostly water and they need humid air to form, ideally 80 to 90%. A light mist once or twice a day is usually enough. At the same time they need fresh air. Without it you’ll get long, skinny stems and small caps as the mushrooms stretch looking for oxygen. Humid but not stuffy is the goal.
Light
Mushrooms don’t photosynthesise, but they do use light as a signal for which way to grow and when to fruit. A bright spot out of direct sunlight is perfect. Direct sun will dry the surface out and can cook young pins.
Easiest and hardest mushrooms to grow at home
- Easiest: blue, grey and pink oysters. They’re fast, forgiving and hard to kill.
- Easy with a little care: golden oyster, pearl oyster and lion’s mane.
- A step up: chestnut, king oyster, shiitake and reishi, which are slower or need more exact conditions.
- For the patient: cordyceps and turkey tail, which reward experience more than enthusiasm.
Still not sure? Try our which mushroom should I grow tool, or read oyster vs lion’s mane.
The UK’s favourite mushrooms to grow at home
Lion’s mane is the one everyone wants right now, with its shaggy white spines and a texture a lot like crab or lobster when it’s fried in butter. Oysters are the reliable workhorses, and the pink and golden varieties look so good you’ll want to photograph them before they hit the pan. Chestnut mushrooms are a favourite with cooks for their nutty flavour, and shiitake is a classic for anyone into Asian cooking. See our guide on how to grow lion’s mane at home if that’s where you’re heading.
Harvesting and storing
Harvest oysters as the cap edges start to flatten out, and lion’s mane before the spines get long and yellow. Twist or cut the whole cluster off at the base. Fresh mushrooms keep for about a week in a paper bag in the fridge. Avoid plastic, as it traps moisture and turns them slimy.
Is it legal to grow mushrooms in the UK?
Yes. Growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms such as oysters, lion’s mane, shiitake and reishi is completely legal, and lots of people sell what they grow at farmers’ markets. The one exception is any mushroom that contains psilocybin. Magic mushroom spores are legal to buy and own for microscopy, but germinating or growing them is illegal in the UK. You can read more in our guide to magic mushrooms in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest mushroom to grow at home?
Oyster mushrooms, especially blue and pink oysters. They're fast, forgiving and fruit in normal room conditions.
How long does it take to grow mushrooms at home?
With a ready to fruit grow kit, 1 to 2 weeks. Starting from spawn or liquid culture, allow 4 to 8 weeks from inoculation to harvest.
Do mushrooms need sunlight to grow?
No. They need a little indirect light as a signal to fruit, but direct sun dries them out and can damage young pins.
Can I grow mushrooms in winter?
Yes. Many species are happy at 15 to 18°C, and cooler weather often gives denser, better tasting mushrooms.
