Mushroom Growing How to Spot Mycelium

Click here to see our contamination examples page!

On this page, we will be exploring and learning about mycelium (early-stage mushroom strands) that has remained uncontaminated throughout its growth. The purpose of this page is to show you what you’ll want to look for within 2 weeks of inoculation, the introduction of a mushroom culture onto a media. Some media that are commonly inoculated are all-in-one grow kits, grain bags, mono-tubs, and much more!

Click any of these links to purchase agar plates, all-in-one grow kits, curated kits, or grain!

All-In-One Grow Kits

Both of these photos are shots of the underside of expired and abused all-in-one grow kits. The top photo has burst grain and the bottom photo has mostly dry grain and coco-coir mixed in. These grow kits have been punted, RKO’d, and sat on by a one-year-old, then left to sit for a month after expiration. The kits were then inoculated with our blue oyster liquid culture and these are the findings within two weeks!

The blue arrow points out a good representation of the centralized growth of mycelium. The green arrows represents the outward growth from the centralized point of a later stage than the blue arrow. Can you spot the contamination? Good! You can’t because there is none. All the white strands you see are healthy mycelium growth! Contamination can look something like green mold growth, slimy bacteria like a slug’s slime, or cob-web mold which looks similar to mycelium, but webby and uncentralized.

The way we have explained the growth of mycelium here applies to other media as well. Whether the media is an agar plate, grain bag, or otherwise, the general characteristic of mycelium is white centralized growth.

Thank you for reading! We hope you have enjoyed this page and may have gained some insight.

We will continue to add to this page as time allows.

We appreciate you!

Mush love! ❤️

-Fresh off the Cap

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