Psilocybin mushroom grow kits: everything you need to know about grow kits

Not many people expect it, but growing magic mushrooms at home is super easy to do. It's also cheap. Even if you have no experience with growing, you can succeed with a handy magic mushroom grow kit! Follow the instructions and get started, right from home with your own grow kit.

Can you grow magic mushrooms at home?

With a ready-made mushroom grow kit from Smartific, you'll be able to harvest your first mushrooms within a few weeks. Everything you need to grow these magical mushrooms is included in the box. All you need to provide is a little water and patience!

To get started with your grow kit, you just need to follow a few simple steps. These steps are explained one by one on the enclosed leaflet. You can also consult our blog., Everything about growing magic mushrooms can be found here.

What is a mushroom growing kit?

A mushroom grow kit (or growkit/grow kit) is a product that allows you to grow psilocybin mushrooms at home in the easiest way. Inside the box, you'll find a substrate that is inoculated with live mycelium (active mushroom spores). In addition to the box, you will also receive a plastic bag, an air filter, and a few paperclips with which you can seal the bag. That's all you need to start growing! The package is also shipped completely discreetly. No one will unwantedly find out that you have a new hobby.

The grow kit therefore already contains a growing medium into which mushroom spores have been injected. This medium is also called substrate and is enriched with nutrients that easily help the mushrooms grow. Everything is carried out in a sterile laboratory. This means you can count on a reliable grow kit that is easy to use, without much prior knowledge or hard work!

How long does it take for magic mushrooms to grow?

How long it takes for you to harvest your cultivated psilocybin mushrooms depends on various factors, including climate, time of year, and humidity. Generally, it takes about 10-20 days before you see the first mushrooms. The first batch can then be harvested approximately 14-21 days after “activation.”.

What does the “activation” of a magic mushroom grow kit entail?

When you order a magic mushroom grow kit from Smartific, you will receive a box containing live mycelium. This is the “white fluffy stuff” you can see. The live mycelium wants to produce mushrooms as quickly as possible, but it needs your help to do so. Place the box in the bag and add some water. Put the bag away in a spot where there is no direct sunlight. These steps together are called activation; nothing more is needed before growth can begin.

Detailed explanations and specific instructions on growing magic mushrooms can be found in multiple places. For example, check them out under all our products. Paddo Mushroom Shop or check out the blog.

Are mushroom grow kits expensive?

No, mushroom grow kits are not expensive. Depending on the size you choose, you can get a grow kit for under 20 euros. The kits are often reusable, so you can enjoy them multiple times. Not bad, right?

What types of mushroom grow kits are there?

There are 9 different types of magic mushrooms that you can grow at home with a grow kit. We've sorted them by popularity:

Gold Teacher mushroom grow kit

• Even if you've never used magic mushrooms before, there's a high chance you've heard of Golden Teacher mushrooms. This is because they are one of the most well-known types of magic mushrooms. They are loved for their fast growth, solid potency, and substantial size. And although they might not be the best choice for beginner psychonauts, they are still the most popular magic mushrooms to cultivate.

B+ mushroom grow kit

• These mushrooms are especially popular due to the gigantic size they reach. In terms of potency, you can describe this magic mushroom as “average,” and this, combined with the large harvest (flush), makes it a top choice.

McKennaii mushroom grow kit

• This mushroom is named after Terence McKenna, the most famous psychonaut ever. The McKennaii will give you a strong spiritual kick with all the bells and whistles. This is only natural, of course; a mushroom named after the godfather of tripping has to be worthy of its name!

Mazatepec mushroom grow kit

• The Mazatepec mushroom is the most balanced species there is. The effects are quite strong, yet you become less foggy than with some other species. They are loved by everyone who wants strong visuals but wants to keep their head sharp (as much as possible).

Mexican mushroom grow kit

• The Mexican mushroom can be described with words like relaxed, cozy, and warm. This also makes it very popular. This mushroom is relatively mild, making it a perfect starter option for beginners.

Thai mushroom growing kit

• These mushrooms do well in a social setting. During the trip, it's actually a bit easier to stay social and mingle with people. Anyone with experience with psychedelics knows that it can sometimes be quite difficult to hold a conversation or party. Do you want this? Then the Thai mushroom is for you.

Colombian mushroom growing kit

• This is a medium-strength mushroom that brings substantial spiritual effects, especially with a large dose. The Colombian mushroom is therefore often chosen by psychonauts who want to journey deep into their own souls.

Cambodian Paddo Grow Kit

• Cambodian magic mushrooms provide a medium-strength trip with all the expected psychedelic effects. They are well-balanced and known for not being the fastest growers. This makes them a good choice for patient psychonauts with a lower psilocybin tolerance.

Ecuadorian mushroom grow kit

• Ecuadorian mushrooms may be less popular than other varieties, but they might just be the perfect choice for you. If you're looking for a spiritual trip without too many visuals, this is the species you need.

Do magic mushrooms vary in potency?

Yes, certainly. Every mushroom has its own characteristics and properties. They also differ in psychedelic potency. Therefore, the favorite mushroom varies per user. We have sorted the magic mushrooms by strength below.

Strongest mushroom types:

• McKennaii
• Golden Teacher
• Mazatepec

Medium-strength mushrooms:

• Ecuadorian
• Colombian
• Cambodian

Paddles for beginners:

• B+
• Thai
• Mexican

How do you use a magic mushroom grow kit?

How to store fresh magic mushrooms?

The active substance psilocybin loses most of its potency due to oxidation. In other words: the more air/oxygen your magic mushrooms are exposed to, the more they lose their psychedelic power. If you plan to consume fresh mushrooms, try to take them about a week after harvesting. In the meantime, store them in the refrigerator, preferably in an airtight container such as a Tupperware box. They often start to rapidly lose their potency about 2 weeks after harvest.

To preserve mushrooms for longer, they are often dried. There are various theories about the best way to dry and store mushrooms, all of which aim for the same result: preserving mushrooms so they can be stored longer. And of course, without losing their potency.

How do you dry magic mushrooms?

There are several ways to dry magic mushrooms; we will explain the most common (and simplest) method. Dry your freshly harvested, home-grown mushrooms in the following way:

• Take a large tray or a good-sized bowl that you can place in a spot that doesn't get direct sunlight.
• Take some sheets of paper towel and lay them down in layers.
• Lay out all your mushrooms without them touching each other.
• Wait until your magic mushrooms are dry.

This process is sometimes also called “pre-drying” or pre-drying. This is because there are also more complex follow-up steps that can make the psilocybin mushrooms even drier. However, these are more complicated to perform and are therefore often skipped. Some psychonauts even believe that these steps add little to the final effect.

How do you know when psilocybin mushrooms are dry?

Dried mushrooms are much smaller than right after harvest. It is important that they are no longer flexible. They should therefore break or tear when you bend them. If this is the case, your mushrooms are nicely dried and can be stored for longer.

How do you store dried magic mushrooms?

Mushrooms can be preserved in a vast number of ways, so in this case, too, there are multiple paths to Rome. Once you've determined your strategy, it's important to pay attention to a few points. This will ensure your mushrooms stay fresh for a very long time.

Take care of:

• Minimal (preferably no) contact with air
• Minimal (preferably no) contact with light
• Minimal (preferably no) contact with moisture

In short: make sure that your magic mushrooms are stored in an airtight, non-transparent package. A zip-lock bag can be the perfect solution for this. Magic mushrooms are also sometimes stored in airtight containers like a lunchbox. We do not recommend the refrigerator because it can be quite humid, although it is also a regularly used place as long as the packaging is properly watertight/airtight.

The best tips for growing magic mushrooms with a grow kit

To help you as much as possible, we've gathered some handy tips for you. These will help you get the most out of your mushroom growing kit. Do you have a golden tip of your own? Please let us know via email, we'd appreciate it!

• Replace the paper towel you are drying the mushrooms on when they are large. This will make them dry faster.
• Heating mats can be very useful, but only in certain weather conditions. Misuse can ruin your mycelium. So know what you're doing before you use one of these mats.
• Try to harvest your mushrooms before the first cap opens. This prevents the black spores from being released and falling onto the substrate. This allows you to harvest mushrooms more often and maintain quality.
• It is wise to touch the inside of your grow kit as little as possible. Nevertheless, it can be smart to harvest psilocybin mushrooms that grow faster than the rest prematurely. Then, only pick the largest ones and leave the small ones until they are also fully grown.
• More tips? Let us know and we'll add them!

What is a mushroom grow kit flush?

When you harvest a full batch of magic mushrooms, it's called a flush. Every magic mushroom grow kit has multiple batches/harvests/flushes of magic mushrooms. Make sure you follow all instructions carefully so you can get the maximum number of flushes from your grow kit.

What are the most common problems with mushroom grow kits?

We've put together a short list of the most common problems growers experience. Please review them carefully before you get started with your own grow kit.

The grow kit is blue or green

This means he is infected with microbacteria. It's a shame, but you really have to throw away the grow kit and stop eating the magic mushrooms. In the future, try to work in a cleaner environment so the grow kit doesn't get infected.

The grow kit is orange or yellow

In this case, the grow kit has dried out and died. This can happen when it's exposed to too much direct sunlight. The grow kit can also dry out and die if there isn't enough moisture in the growing bag or if the temperature is too high. In some cases, it's caused by a heating mat. Skip that next time.

The mushrooms are growing sideways

Even though psilocybin mushrooms don't photosynthesize, they still grow towards the light. If the mushrooms start growing sideways, you'd do well to place a light source directly above the grow kit. It can also help to cover the sides with dark tape. Do this before you activate the mushroom grow kit, and always sterilize, of course!

The mushrooms are not growing

Have you been waiting for two weeks and still see nothing? Don't panic! Be more patient and give your baby some more time. If the culture kit is still nice and white and doesn't show any strange other colors, everything is still fine. If you still don't see anything after 3 weeks, it's time to take action. Possible causes are:

• No or too little sunlight – Mushrooms need a bit of sunlight to grow (not direct sunlight). Therefore, place your grow kit in a suitable location. A good rule of thumb is: if you can see well during the day, the mushroom has enough light. A dark closet or room is therefore not recommended.
• The temperature is too high or too low – The best temperature is between 18-28 °C. Many homes are around 20 degrees, which shouldn't cause any problems. Nevertheless, you can experiment a bit by slightly increasing or decreasing the temperature.
• Humidity/oxygen ratio – if you want to be a great mycologist, you need to know the perfect humidity/oxygen ratios for each growth phase of your magic mushrooms. Of course, this is impossible for a beginner. Therefore, follow our step-by-step plan and consider making the environment inside the grow bag slightly more humid if you don't see any “pins” after 3 weeks.

Finally, we have one last resort. Your grow kit contains a living organism. If you haven't seen any results after a month, consider giving the grow kit a wake-up call. Place it in the refrigerator overnight. Take it out of the refrigerator the next morning and act as if nothing happened. Put your grow kit back in its proper place and wait. If this shock therapy has worked, you will see the first pins (small mushroom caps) after a week.

How long does it take to grow magic mushrooms?

How fast your mushrooms grow depends on various factors and conditions. You can expect to harvest your first flush/batch within 3-6 weeks. After you've done this, you can rehydrate the grow kit for a second flush/batch. You won't have to wait as long for the second harvest. After a second harvest, you can certainly try again. You can sometimes expect more than two flushes from our grow kits!

When are the mushrooms ready to harvest?

In short, the magic mushrooms are ready to harvest when they try to open. Ideally, you'll notice this in time so you can pick all the mushrooms before they actually open. Recognizing this requires some experience. You might not succeed with your first grow kit, but as you become more skilled, you'll recognize all the growth phases. It's very enjoyable to get better at this!

If this is your first time, you should keep a close eye on the magic mushrooms. Pick the magic mushrooms when you see the first mushroom trying to open its cap.

This is important for two reasons. The first is that you can often harvest more flushes/batches if no black spores have been released yet. These black spores look like black dust that you see lying around, by the way. The second reason is that medium-sized mushrooms often contain more psilocybin per gram than very large mushrooms. And that's ultimately what it's all about.

How should magic mushrooms be harvested?

Start by washing your hands, then it's time. Grasp the mushroom with two fingers and then gently twist it back and forth. Be sure not to pull it. This way, you ensure you have the entire mushroom and subsequent flushes/batches will have a better chance of healthy growth.

If turning a few times isn't enough to loosen the mushroom, gently pull while continuing to turn. Be very careful to do this gently. Most mushrooms will come loose without you having to pull hard.

Another important thing: often, different mushrooms are connected to each other. Therefore, start by picking the largest mushrooms. The smaller mushrooms connected to them will then come along automatically. So, the fact that they are attached to each other is also normal.