From button to portobello to shiitake, your home-cooking menus are about to get a serious (and affordable) upgrade with these expert-recommended mushroom grow kits. With a mushroom kit, you also won’t have to worry about the animals and pests wreaking havoc on your outdoor garden. These kits make it simple to grow mushrooms right in your own kitchen (or even inside a closet!). Mushroom kits often include everything you’ll need to get growing. To get them started, you’ll need just a little water and a small amount of space. “Most mushrooms grow with dappled sunlight, so a small 12-inch-by-6-inch spot on your kitchen counter works perfectly,” says Alex Dorr, mycology expert and founder of Mushroom Revival Inc. “Most grow kits include a ‘myceliated block,’ which is the mycelium (roots of the mushroom) growing over a substrate (most likely a hardwood sawdust), which creates a hardened ‘block,’ which mushrooms grow from,” Dorr adds. When conditions are right, “pins,” or baby mushrooms, will begin to grow and the mushrooms can double in size each day. “We fell in love with the magic of growing our own mushrooms—it was so fast, easy, and sustainable,” Arora tells mbg. “After a few years of farming them and selling them to restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets, we realized we could shrink down what we were doing into a tabletop experience to help anyone, anywhere discover that same wonder of growing their own gourmet mushrooms.” Back to the Roots provides everything you need during the incubation process, and Arora guarantees there’s absolutely no green thumb required to successfully grow mushrooms using this organic kit. Back to the Root Organic Mushroom Grow Kit ($28.96) This kit, which comes on a “log,” has to be watered frequently, particularly as the growth picks up, but once they’re ready to harvest, get ready for a delicious mushroom that tastes a bit like seafood according to some spore connoisseurs. Forest Origins, Pink Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit ($29.99) Shiitakes are a favorite of home cooks, and they’re used in a variety of cuisines. An added bonus: These meaty mushrooms are known for supporting immunity and heart health. Root Mushroom Farm Store, Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit ($36.99) Willow Mountain custom-makes each kit and ships fresh, fully colonized substrates. If you go with their kit, you will need to follow the instructions to create a humidity tent around your ‘shrooms shortly after receiving the package. You can pick the mushrooms at any point, depending on the size you want, and reviewers note that their entire substrate was covered in firm mushrooms within weeks. Willow Mountain, Baby Bella Mushroom Growing Kit, ($29.95) All you need to add is water to the substrate, and with this one kit, you should get several flushes, totaling around three pounds, over the course of three months. It sounds like it’s time for a pizza party! Mushroom Adventures, White Button Mushroom Growing Kit ($39.95) These earthy mushrooms are best when cooked, so break out your favorite grilled or sauteed mushroom recipes! North Spore, Wine Cap Sawdust Spawn ($25) These mushrooms are easily harvested with a simple twist and pull. Blue oysters are often best cooked and have a meaty texture and a taste that, again, is reminiscent of seafood (hence the name!). Smallhold, Blue Oyster Grow Kit ($34) This kit produces up to 1.75 pounds of the striking (and furry!) Lion’s mane mushroom, which grows well between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit at high humidity. Lion’s mane thrives in a basement setting—ideal if you prefer to keep your mushrooms out of the kitchen. Once it starts to fruit, get ready for a decadent treat. Some people describe Lion’s mane as tasting like lobster. Field & Forest Lion’s Mane Table Top Farm ($24)
