Level of Difficulty: Medium

Grows in: 4-12 Weeks

Shelf Life: 3 months (if refrigerated properly)

Reishi (Ganoderma Lucidum), is a powerful functional mushroom which supports the proper functioning of the immune system by stimulating the production of white blood cells that in turn destroy pathogens and foreign invaders in the body. Our Reishi Grow Kit makes it easy to grow these immune-boosting mushrooms at home.

Reishi mushrooms are loaded with bioactive compounds, and also promote stress reduction, support better sleep, and help maintain stable blood sugars.* While they have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), further research is necessary to determine the medicinal applications of this species and its ability to offer potential therapeutic benefits.

REISHI GROW KIT DIRECTIONS:

1. Find a warm and brightly-lit spot in your home out of direct sunlight. Reishi are phototrophic and will grow towards the light source. They love humidity and should remain between 55-80 F. Cut a corner of the bag.

2. The Reishi Mushroom grow kit block will begin to form bumps along the top surface; these are called “pins” and they are the first stage of development. The filter patch is there to maintain the proper humidity. Condensation will form naturally inside the bag and often no additional watering is necessary during the pinning stage. If none has appeared inside the bag after one week, use a spray bottle to spritz into the bag through the slit.

3. Continue to monitor the development and spritz as needed. Spray the inside of the plastic bag, not the mushrooms themselves. Increase the humidity if the mushrooms begin to shrivel or look dry or woody. Over the course of the first month, the pins will elongate and grow upward into the “antler” stage.

4. Ganoderma Lucidum is a slow-grower but produces stunning growth patterns that are fascinating to witness. The antlers will continue to grow until they reach the barrier of the bag. At this point they will begin to twirl back on themselves in a sculptural dance. It can be a challenge to get the antlers to “conch” or form the bracket shape but to encourage this process, cut off the top of the bag when antlers reach over 3 inches in height to increase airflow. Poke skewers into the block and drape a plastic grocery bag over it. Increase the overhead lighting and continue to maintain humidity by spritzing as needed.

5. Reishi can be harvested at any growth stage and the antlers contain all the same medicinal benefits at the mature form. To harvest, use a sharp pair of scissors to snip them off at the base. Fresh Reishi can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four weeks in a breathable container or paper bag to reduce condensation. Or they can be dried and stored for many months.

6. If conditions are ideal and well-maintained, it is possible to create second and even third fruitings. The block may eventually however become depleted and succumb to contamination. When this happens, you can open the bag and add the contents to your compost pile, where it will soon become a microbally-rich compost! You may even see it fruit again outside if it is cool and wet in the days that follow.

If you want the benefits of Reishi but don’t have time to grow and extract your own, check out our Reishi Extract - made with double-extracted Reishi mushrooms!