Growing your own Lions Mane mushrooms at home is both fun and rewarding. Not only do you get access to fresh and delicious mushrooms, but you also get to benefit from their many health benefits, such as supporting the brain and strengthening the immune system. In this guide, I show you two ways to grow Lions Mane: first using coffee grounds, which is my preferred method so far, and then sawdust, which I have recently started experimenting with.
Both methods are relatively easy and require only a few materials. I also share some tips from my own experiences to make sure your mushrooms thrive at their best.
In short, because it is actually a wildly exciting process and so great to harvest your own food at all times of the year. Lions Mane is popular not only for its delicate taste reminiscent of crab meat, but also for its many health benefits. The mushroom is rich in antioxidants and compounds that can help support brain health and improve memory. If you want to find inspiration for cooking with Lions Mane, check out the recipes here.
To make the cultivation process easier, I have also developed a mushroom growth calendar, which can guide you step by step. It helps you keep track of when to inoculate, fertilize and harvest so you can ensure the best results.
Coffee grounds are a popular substrate for growing mushrooms, especially because it is easy to obtain and sustainable. I have had great success with this method and it only takes very little to get started.
Get about 2 kg of coffee grounds. Make sure its fresh and cooled down. If you do not use it immediately, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a few days. I've had pasteurized my coffee grounds, turn your oven on at about 60 degrees and spread the coffee grounds out on a few baking sheets, into the oven 45 minutes and then let it cool slightly.
Mix the 2 kg of coffee grounds with about 200 g of Lions Mane mycelium. The typical mixing ratio is 10% mycelium to 90% substrate, which is a perfect fit for a 2.2 kg grow bag. Make sure that the mycelium is evenly distributed.
Place the mixture in your grow bag. Make small holes in the bag with scissors to ensure ventilation - you can also buy grow-bags that already have a breathing hole. Store the bag in a dark, cool area for 2-3 weeks. Spray daily to keep the humidity up — but be careful not to create puddles. The goal is a humidity of about 80-90%.
Once the mycelium has colonized the entire coffee grounds (it will be completely white), move the bag to an area with indirect light and a temperature of 16-21°C. Continue spraying daily. Within a week, you will start to see small Lions Mane mushrooms emerging. The mushrooms grow quickly and will be ready for harvest within a few days.
Sawdust, especially from hardwoods, is another excellent substrate for growing Lions Mane. I have started experimenting with this method as it allows for greater harvests. Although sawdust requires a little more preparation, it is still an effective and cost-effective way to grow mushrooms.
Mix 1.8 kg of sawdust with 200 g of wood flour or wheat bran for extra nourishment. This mixture gives the mycelium a good base for growing.
Instead of a pressure cooker, which I don't have, you can pasteurize by covering the sawdust mixture with boiling water. Put it in a large container and pour over enough boiling water so that it is completely covered. Leave it for 1-2 hours, then drain the excess water. Allow the substrate to cool to room temperature.
When the sawdust has cooled, add 200 g of Lions Mane mycelium and mix it well throughout the substrate. Place the mixture in a 2.2 kg grow bag and make sure the mycelium is evenly distributed.
Keep the bag in a dark place for 3-4 weeks, while the mycelium colonizes the substrate. Make small holes in the bag for ventilation and spray daily to keep the humidity at around 80-90%.
Once the substrate is fully colonized, move the bag to an area with indirect light and a temperature of 16-21°C. Cut larger holes in the bag to allow the fungi to start growing out. Spray daily to maintain the proper humidity and after a week you will see the first mushrooms grow.
To keep track of the entire growing process from inoculation to harvest, you can use my free mushroom growth calendar. With the calendar, you get reminders of important times in the process, so you're always on the cutting edge. The calendar helps you achieve the best mushroom harvest every time and is continuously updated to give you the best experience.
I have also built my own Martha tent, which makes it easy to control humidity and ventilation in larger grow setups. It is ideal if you want to grow several bags of mushrooms at a time and want a more controlled growing environment. If you're interested in learning more about how you can build your own Martha tent, let me know — I'll be happy to share a guide!
