Photo: Olga Lioncat
Over the past few years, more people have crafted their own kombucha, nurtured sourdough starters like infants, and gone bananas for banana bread. They've also begun growing their own mushrooms; at-home grow kit purveyor North Spore reported a 400 percent increase in sales during the first year of the pandemic alone.
Many of these hobbies have since fallen by the wayside as lives have returned to their default too-busy pace, but mushroom growing is a trend with staying power since it requires minimal time investments to yield heaps of table-ready 'shrooms.
These edibles are easygoing little guys, especially when compared to some of the other plants you may have tried growing. While some may prefer a lifetime of sunshine, mushrooms have decidedly darker tastes. They grow best in warm, damp nooks, away from sunshine, so if you have access to a basement, a closet, or a creepy windowless room congrats, you’re ready to become a fungi parent.
Ready to begin foraging from home? Here are some easy-to-use grow kits that’ll get you going.
UNCOMMON GOODS OYSTER MUSHROOM LOG KIT
Photo: Uncommon Goods
Oyster mushrooms are ostensibly the easiest edible mushroom to grow, making them the succulent of the fungi world and a great addition to your indoor garden if you’re not exactly a pro. These mushroom spores are planted on the inside of aspen and poplar trees and delivered to your doorstep ready to flourish. Just place them in a damp, cool, and dark setting and wait for the magic to happen.
Buy here.
NORTH SPORE PINK OYSTER MUSHROOM GROW KIT
Photo: Shop Terrain
Decorative flowers are so last decade, especially since they’re not exactly great for the environment. Replace your vase with this pink mushroom kit to add a pop of color to your space that’ll end up nourishing your body rather than languishing in a landfill. Like run-of-the-mill oyster mushrooms, these harder-to-find 'shrooms have a meaty texture that offers a little extra “oomph” to a range of dishes—they can even be used to make crispy faux bacon. They grow fast, too, so you can count on enjoying vibrantly-hued pasta mere weeks after purchase.
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NORTH SPORE GOLDEN OYSTER MUSHROOM GROW KIT
Photo: Shop Terrain
Introducing the crème de la crème of oysters: the golden (or yellow) variety. Some consider these bright blooms to be the tastiest of all the oysters. They’re often described as being less earthy than other mushrooms and have a nutty flavor when cooked.
This particular golden oyster grow box is good for two or more flushes, so if you’re looking for can’t-miss flavor and enough 'shrooms for a summer’s worth of fare, it might just be your best bet.
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SMALLHOLD LION’S MANE MUSHROOM GROW KIT
Photo: Small Hold
This grow kit comes from Smallhold, the cutest and most conscientious 'shroom purveyor around. It cultivates lion’s mane mushrooms, which are a superb sub for seafood like lobster and shrimp. Chin recommends tossing them into crab cakes or lobster rolls, but you can also simply sauté them with a little oil, salt, and pepper. They’re not just easy on the appetite, either; lion’s mane mushrooms are renowned for their brain-health-boosting benefits.
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UNCOMMON GOODS SHIITAKE MUSHROOM LOG KIT
Photo: Uncommon Goods
Here, another log for your at-home mushroom forest! Shiitakes are bursting with rich, earthy flavors that elevate pastas, risottos, soups, and salads. This log is an investment in many mushroom adventures to come, too, as it’s purported to produce one flush every two months for more than three years.
Buy here.
