Congratulations on successfully colonizing your grow bags and achieving solid white blocks with mushroom pins sprouting on top!
It's time to move on to the fruiting stage and get ready to harvest some mushrooms. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you fruit your grow bags:
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Confirm readiness: Before proceeding to fruiting, make sure your block or bag is fully colonized and solid like a brick when you give it a gentle squeeze. You should also see little mushroom heads sprouting (pinning) on the top of the substrate. Only proceed if all these requirements are met.
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Hydrate the block: Gently open the top plastic above the filter patch using a sterilized tool and pour in a cup of distilled water. Let it soak for 5 minutes, then dump the water out. This will help hydrate the substrate and prepare it for fruiting.
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Follow the grow guide: Now you're ready to follow the steps outlined in our "The Simplest Way to Grow Medicinal Mushrooms V3" Grow Guide. This includes mist spraying the sides of the bags and giving them a little air with a fan. Close the cutout part with a hairpin, paperclip, or tape and alternate exposing them to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.
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Monitor the environment: During fruiting, it's important to keep the grow bags in a warm, humid environment with good air circulation. Ideal temperatures are between 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, with humidity levels around 90%. You can use a humidifier, a spray bottle, or a wet towel to maintain the humidity.
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Harvest your mushrooms: Within 1-2 weeks, you should start to see your mushrooms growing and maturing. They will be ready to harvest when the caps fully expand and start to turn upwards. Gently twist and pull the stem to harvest your mushrooms.
By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to growing your own medicinal mushrooms. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team. Happy growing!