Organic Winter Wheat Spawn Starter Kits by Everything Mushrooms include everything you need to begin the generation of gourmet and medicinal mushroom spawn. Each kit includes your choice of gourmet mushroom culture and a number of pre-sterilized three pound organic winter wheat spawn bags.

Each bag contains three pounds of precooked and pre-sterilized organic winter wheat that can be used for primary spawn generation with culture injection through the self-healing injection site. In some cases the spawn bag can also be used directly as a fruiting block.

Due to the current rye shortage, winter wheat is an extremely suitable substitute. It is nearly identical to rye berry, just a slightly smaller grain. It can be utilized in the same fashion as rye and makes a great spawn and fruiting media.

Note: Panellus stipticus is not an edible mushroom, but a novelty luminescent species.

The Spawn Bags included with this kit are specifically designed for primary spawn generation and are supplied by our good friends at Everything Mushrooms.

Directions for use:

Upon arrival, inspect your Bag for punctures or tears, if any are noticeable, contact us to arrange for a replacement to be shipped. Unfold the Bag, allowing the extra bag material to stand straight up.

Locate the small foam disk sealed and attached in a plastic housing near the base of the Bag. This disc is the self-healing injector site. Note: The disc will be covered by a small plastic shield. Do not attempt to remove the plastic covering the disc, you will inject through it. Sterilize a small section of the outside of the Bag (on the plastic shield) directly over the foam disc with an alcohol soaked wipe. With the same alcohol soaked wipe, sterilize the needle on your culture syringe.

Inoculate the substrate with culture syringe(included) solution by inserting the needle through the plastic shield and foam disc at the previously sterilized spot and squirting 1-3cc of culture solution into the mixture. Mix culture solution thoroughly by shaking the syringe before injection. When injection is finished, slowly remove the needle and the foam disc will seal the injection site (no need to tape). DO NOT insert the needle through the white filter patch.

Return the inoculated bags back to the shipping box and place in a dark, warm location (species specific). Allow the bag to remain extended so gaseous exchange through the filter patch is not blocked.

The bags may be gently shaken to distribute the colonizing grains for faster spawn run. Colonization time will depend on the species used and incubation temperatures.

Once fully colonized the winter wheat spawn may be used to inoculate bulk substrates such as pasteurized straw, sawdust, hardwood blocks, ect. For additional information on the cultivation of edible and gourmet mushrooms see our Links page.

For detailed procedures on spawn generation and mushroom cultivation we recommend the following books from our Mushroom Bookstore: