Magic Mushroom Grow Kit Manual

Instructions for Zamnesia’s Cubensis Grow Kits

This manual can be used for all our Magic Mushroom Grow Kits.

Grow your own shrooms at home? With our magic mushroom grow kits for the Psilocybe cubensis (also well known as ‘the Mexican') we can’t make it any easier for you. All the tricky work has already been done; the kit is essentially 'ready-to-grow'. Within a couple of weeks you’ll be able to harvest a good 400-600 grams of fresh shrooms with no trouble at all.

Each magic mushroom grow kit consists of:

• Tub filled with substrate that has been colonized by mycelium of the Psilocybe cubensis mushroom
• Bag with air filter
• 2 Paperclips

The only other things you need are:

• Water
• Some patience

Before we clarify what steps you need to take for a successful harvest of your own shrooms, we just want to explain what exactly is in each grow kit (volume 1200 ml.).

- The bottom layer is made up of perlite. Perlite is a sort of volcanic glass whose most important property is that it can hold water really well. This is the reason why it’s in the grow kit; to serve as a water reservoir and to keep the air moisture level up.

- In the middle there’s a generous layer of substrate that has been inoculated with the mycelium of the Psilocybe cubensis. This is actually the bit that the whole kit is about. This mycelium is a network of fungal threads that penetrate the whole substrate and which will eventually be responsible for the growth of the mushrooms.

- The top is a thin layer of vermiculite. Vermiculite is a mineral and its function in the grow kit is as a 'casing layer'. The casing layer has 3 functions:

• It protects the substrate and its mycelium from drying out
• It creates a micro-climate for the formation and development of primordia (tiny proto-mushrooms)
• It serves as a water reservoir for the growing shrooms

But enough theory, let’s make a start...

Step 1

Break off the tab that’s on one of the four corners of the lid. Carefully prise open one corner of the lid only and hold the tub under a running tap. Allow the tray to gently fill with lukewarm water until the mycelium is completely covered with water. Close the grow kit again by lightly pressing the lid shut. Put the kit to one side and let it stand for 12 hours. A period of 12 hours gives the perlite and mycelium enough time to absorb as much water as they can.

Step 2

Once the 12 hours are up, it’s time to pour off the excess water. Open a corner of the lid again and hold the grow kit carefully at an angle. Allow the excess water to gently flow away until the last drops stop dripping.

Step 3

After the draining, the actual grow cycle can begin. Remove the lid (and keep it safe), open the filter bag that was included and place the grow kit inside the bag. Fold the top edge of the bag over twice and close the bag with the two paperclips. Place the bag with the mushroom grow kit in a warm, light spot. Also make sure that no direct sunlight shines directly on it. The optimal temperature for the grow kit is 20 - 25 °C. Do not place the magic mushroom grow kit directly next to or on top of a heat source (such as, for example, a radiator).

Step 4

Now the period begins when your patience will be tested. For the first week very little will happen, at least to the naked eye. Depending on the strain of Psilocybe cubensis that you have in your grow kit and the conditions in the spot where you’re doing your growing, the first mushrooms will pop their heads up within 1 to 3 weeks. Once the first heads are visible, things will start to happen very quickly. Within a week you will have your first successful 'flush' of adult shrooms.

By far most mushrooms will grow simultaneously into mature mushrooms. The best time to harvest is when the caps of the shrooms are about to open. This can be recognized by the breaking of the veil underneath the hat. When you see this happening to one or more magic mushrooms, the time is right. So time to harvest. Are you a little too early or too late to pick? No problem. The best way to pick them is by grasping them gently between two fingers and twist them softly upwards until they're loose. Grasp the stem of the mushroom between your fingers as low as possible, but try not to touch the vermiculite and mycelium too much.

And repeat!

It’s not over after the first flush of shrooms by any means. The mycelium of Psilocybe cubensis is capable of producing many more flushes; which means you can harvest several times too!

Once you’ve plucked your first batch of shrooms, make sure that you have in fact plucked every last scrap of them. So also pluck the tiny shroomlets that never managed to mature into fully developed mushrooms.

Then immediately go through the whole process again, from step 1: fill the tray with water (have you still got the lid?) > let stand for 12 hours > carefully pour off excess water > into the bag > wait > harvest.

Our magic mushroom grow kits are sturdy enough for a minimum of 3 harvests. Under the right conditions it is even possible to get 5 flushes of fresh shrooms out of them.

It is very important in each of the above stages to work cleanly. It is wise at each step to first wash your hands thoroughly. Try to disturb the mycelium and the vermiculite casing as little as possible with your fingers (including during the harvesting).