This is normal. Once the mycelium has covered the entirety of the fruiting block the mushrooms want to fruit. Cutting the plastic gives them an influx of oxygen to fruit toward but some of the pins are just a bit too eager! You can cut the plastic above the baby mushroom for it to flourish.

Mushrooms should be harvested before the caps flatten out and release their spores! Mushrooms grow very quickly so it is important to keep an eye on them every day looking for the ideal time to harvest. If you wait too long and the caps do flatten out (see photos below for reference). Do not worry! The caps are still edible, but they may just not stay fresh for as long. If they look mouldy or dry, they were probably left too long. Lion’s Mane should be harvested before it turns yellow and mushy. Since they do not have caps, you can gauge when to harvest them by the length of their teeth. When the teeth are about 1/4 inch long or it starts to brown, it is time to harvest.

No! The kit is ready for growth once you remove the cut-out and slice an X in the bag. However, You may want to remove the bag from the box to do the soaking method mentioned under Step 4 on the grow kit page for best results.

Typically, a grow kit will fruit mushrooms two to three times (less amount every harvest). To ensure another harvest, remove the mushrooms and any left-over pieces from the hole so the substrate is exposed again. Make sure to soak the substrate in a bowl of cold water for 3-6 hours after harvesting. This ensures the substrate has enough water to support more mushroom growth. Once soaked, drain excess water and start your misting schedule again.

Be patient sometimes the mycelium takes time to fruit. However, there are a few factors that may prevent your mushrooms from fruiting. It may be too warm in your house, so placing the box in the fridge for a day can help initiate pins or just find a cooler area of the house. It may be too dry, if you have not done the soaking method mentioned in Step 4 on the grow kit page then try that first. You can also try increasing your misting.If after 4 weeks and still no sign of growth, message us and we will send you another kit for free. If using a Chestnut kit, wait up to 2 months before contacting us.