Agar
A gelatinous medium used for growing fungi cultures.
Essential terms and acronyms used in mushroom growing. Great for beginners and quick reference.
A gelatinous medium used for growing fungi cultures.
The process of mycelium spreading through a substrate.
Unwanted mold or bacteria that disrupts mushroom growth.
A non-nutritious layer added to promote fruiting.
Carbon dioxide; high levels can affect mushroom development.
A controlled environment for mushrooms to grow.
A wave of mushroom growth, typically followed by dormancy.
Ventilation to maintain proper oxygen levels.
Sterilized grains inoculated with mycelium for expansion into bulk substrates.
The process of oxygen intake and CO2 release during mycelial growth.
A nutrient-rich liquid used to grow mycelium.
A common agar medium for fungi cultivation.
The vegetative part of fungi that colonizes substrates.
Heat treatment to reduce contaminants in substrates.
The initial stage of mushroom formation.
A collection of spores from a mature mushroom cap.
A set of practices used to prevent contamination.
An enclosed workspace to reduce contamination.
The material that supports mycelium growth (e.g., grains, sawdust).
Colonized material used to inoculate new substrates.
The process of eliminating contaminants using heat or chemicals.
A method or approach used in mushroom cultivation.
Quick reference for abbreviations used in mushroom cultivation workflows.
Agar to Agar (transfer)
Agar to Grain (inoculation)
Biological Efficiency (yield vs. substrate weight)
Brown Rice Flour (used in substrate)
Carbon dioxide; high levels can affect mushroom development.
Coco Coir + Vermiculite (substrate mix)
Fresh Air Exchange
Fruiting Chamber
Grain to Grain (transfer method)
Gas Exchange
Liquid Culture
Malt Extract Agar
Multi-Spore Inoculation
Popular beginner method using BRF cakes
High Efficiency Particulate Air filter
Hardwood Fuel Pellets
Incubator
Isopropyl Alcohol
Light Malt Extract
Malt-Yeast Agar
Pressure Cooker
Still Air Box
Technique or method used in mushroom cultivation
Common lab-to-lab transfer paths.
You place spores onto a jelly-like food in a small dish so they can wake up and start growing.
You add spores to a food-rich liquid so the tiny threads can grow and swirl through the liquid.
You move a clean, healthy piece from one dish to a fresh dish so it can keep spreading.
You take a clean bit from a dish and drop it into a food-rich liquid so it can grow throughout the liquid.
You place a drop from the liquid onto a dish so you can see single spots and check cleanliness.
You move a small amount of healthy liquid into fresh liquid so it can multiply again.
You take a tiny piece from the inside of a clean fruit body and place it on a dish so it can regrow.
Ways to start or expand spawn for cultivation.
Adding starter material to a larger batch so it can spread and take over.
Moving a clean piece from one dish to a fresh dish to keep it growing.
Dropping a clean piece from a dish into sterilized grain so it can spread.
Mixing colonized grain into fresh grain to multiply the culture.
Pouring a small amount of healthy liquid culture into sterilized grain so it can spread quickly.
Common materials used to grow mushrooms at scale. Each one supports different species and environments.
Compressed hardwood sawdust and soy hull blocks — nutrient-rich and ideal for gourmet mushrooms.
Hardwood sawdust packed into filter patch bags — perfect for wood-loving species like shiitake.
Pasteurized straw in buckets with side holes — simple, low-tech method for oyster mushrooms.
Plastic sleeves filled with straw and spawn — great for vertical growing and high yields.
Moisture-retentive mix for beginner growers — supports species like cubensis in monotubs.