Project Ideas

Garden Toolkit and curriculum provided by Back to the Roots® . Visit backtotheroots.com/curriculum to download all unit materials and view source listings.
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In nature this happens under the soil where the mycelium searches for woody food to eat. In your class-
room Mushroom Grow Kit the same thing is happening, but we went ahead and gave the mycelium all the
food it needs in a substrate, or growing substance. The bag inside your Mushroom Grow Kit is made
from different plant waste from organic farms - oat bran, rice hulls, corn cobs, sawdust, and wheat
bran all make great food for your mycelium to eat.
When it rains, the mycelium springs into action! Using the water, hyphal threads to grow towards the
light to make a mushroom tower to fire off spores so it can reproduce. To mimic the rain in nature, the
Mushroom Grow Kit needs to be soaked overnight to trigger the mycelium.
In nature, mushrooms grow in the humid environment after a rain. By spraying the Mushroom Grow Kit
every day, you will create a similar environment in your classroom for the mushrooms to grow. After a
few days, tiny mushroom caps called pinheads begin to form, this stage is called pinning.
Once mushrooms start pinning, they grow very quickly. When you see this happening in your
Mushroom
Grow Kit, start to record what you see in your Daily Growth Log. In a matter of days, you
will have fully formed mushrooms that are releasing their spores. In nature, these spores re-enter the
soil and the cycle begins again. With your Mushroom Grow Kit, this means it’s time to harvest!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Our oyster mushrooms are safe to cook and eat, but never do this in nature as not all
mushrooms are safe to eat.
Understanding Mushroom Growth
Chapter 3: How do mushrooms grow?
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NEVER EAT WILD MUSHROOMS
Okay
MUSHROOM
GROW KIT