Enoki mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes), also known as velvet foot or velvet shank, are a cold-weather, wood-decaying mushroom native to temperate regions of Europe, North America, and Asia. In New Zealand, the species is naturalised and can be found in the wild around much of the country. It typically grows in clusters and has a small, sticky, yellow to orange-brown cap and a distinctive dark, velvety stem, growing on dead or dying hardwood through winter, often fruiting thro

Foraging mushrooms for food has been a popular pursuit in many parts of the world for centuries. While mushroom hunting thoroughly embedded in many regional cultures in Europe and Asia, a widespread interest in mushrooms, and foraging and eating them, is in general a much more modern occurrence here in New Zealand. In recent years, kiwis have become increasingly aware of the flavour, nutrition and fun that can be had from wild and foraged foods, and more people have started k

Cold water lime pasteurisation of sawdust pellets is an easy, affordable and efficient method of preparing bulk substrate for the growing of vigorous mushroom species like oyster mushrooms , using readily available materials. Sawdust pellets are in general a very clean substrate with low levels of mould spores or chemical residues. This method utilises the high alkaline pH of hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) to suppress the germination of mould spores in the substrate while

Many home growers and smaller scale commercial growers choose to purchase pre-made grain spawn from specialist suppliers, because...

While mushroom cultivation can be a fun and rewarding hobby, it doesn't go perfectly all of the time. Mushrooms are unique organisms with...

Answering common questions and sharing tips and advice for having good results from grow your own mushroom kits sold in New Zealand.