How to Make a Mushroom Garden from a Grow Kit

Many species of mushrooms can be grown successfully in a grow bed. Here I used Wine Cap — Stropharia rugosoannulata.

These mushrooms grow best in summer and fall, and you might even get a decent flush in spring. By putting the bed in now, during the fall, I’m preparing it for a strong harvest next year.

Step-by-step (follow the captions for photos!)

Lay down cardboard or paper bags

• Try to avoid heavily printed material, but use what you have.
• This layer suppresses weeds and other plants from growing up through your bed.

Add your organic materials and spawn

• I layered wood chips, straw, leaves, and the spawn from my kit.
• Water everything thoroughly — I let mine soak for about 30 minutes after constructing the bed.

Protect and conserve moisture

• Add another layer of cardboard on top.
• This helps protect the bed and maintain humidity as the mushrooms start to grow.

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This is a simple, approachable way to get started with a wine cap mushroom garden. With a little patience and care, you’ll have a thriving bed ready for multiple seasons of harvest.