Try Our Chestnut Mushroom Growing Kit for Fresh Mushrooms!

Our chestnut mushroom growing kit will provide you with pounds of fresh chestnuts to try at home!

Chestnut mushrooms (Pholiota adiposa) are a gourmet, edible mushroom species starting to gain popularity in the US, although they have been used in Asian cuisine for years. These mushrooms look really beautiful when they start growing because they have characteristics like a fractal star or a flower. 

When found in the wild, chestnut mushrooms mainly grow on beech trees, although they have also been found on poplars and oaks. 

The word “pholiota” means scaly in Latin, and “adiposa” comes from the name of lard or grease. The caps of these mushrooms have a scaly texture and the surface of the cap has a greasiness to it. The caps will feel slimy if wet. 

Ideal growing conditions for the chestnut  mushroom growing kit:

The ideal range for fruiting this chestnut mushroom growing kit is 55-70 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 85-90%. 

Light: Chestnut mushrooms need light to grow, but a lot of light is not required. This light should also not be direct sunlight. If you can comfortably read a book in the area where your chestnut mushroom growing kit is located, then it is receiving enough light to grow properly.

Humidity: You need to spray your chestnut mushroom growing kit two or three times each day with water so the humidity level is high enough for the chestnut mushrooms to fruit. As mentioned above, a relative humidity around 85% is ideal. You will see little baby chestnut mushrooms forming within two weeks, and that is what we call the pinning stage. These baby mushrooms will grow to full-sized within about two weeks of starting the kit. 

You can develop a humidity tent if you have a difficult time keeping the humidity level as high as it needs to be for the kit to fruit fresh chestnut mushrooms. You can make a humidity tent by placing another plastic bag over your kit. Spray that plastic bag with water as well and it will help raise the humidity levels. If you choose to use a humidity tent like this, you will need to consider your fresh air flow. The kit requires fresh air to fruit, so you will need to keep the plastic bag from completely shutting out fresh air. Using a fan around the kit and humidity tent can be helpful.

If you do not want to use a plastic bag, you can also use a plastic tote or bin. Begin by placing your chestnut mushroom growing kit into the plastic tote with the top off. Mist the sides of the tote to keep them wet. Make sure to keep the kit out of any standing water that may pool at the bottom of your tote. 

Using a tote with the chestnut mushroom growing kit inside and a small fan blowing over the top of the tote has been a method used by many home growers to increase humidity levels indoors while using their organic mushroom growing kits. 

CO2 and Airflow: As mentioned above, you need to have fresh air flow for the mushrooms or they may end up growing poorly. If you notice the fruited bodies looking abnormal, then you probably need more fresh air exchange where the kit is located. Adjusting the amount of airflow will help the mushrooms normalize during the fruiting stage.

Cutting holes in your kit: You will need to cut holes in the plastic that your chestnut mushroom growing kit comes in before you begin misting it. You can mist the substrate directly through the holes you make. We recommend using the broadside of the kit to cut holes for your first flush. In subsequent flushes you may want to use the top or bottom of the kit. The fresh mushrooms will grow towards these holes, seeking an environment with higher oxygen levels.

How to use your fresh chestnut mushrooms from our chestnut mushroom growing kit 

What does the chestnut mushroom taste like? We think the chestnut mushroom has a similar flavor as a mild shiitake mushroom, but with a more nutty flavor. Depending how you cook them, chestnut mushrooms can retain a slight crispiness, or they can have a mild snap to them like a piece of cooked asparagus. 

If you have an hour to spare, then you can make some creamy chestnut mushroom soup. Cream of mushroom soup is a favorite meal for many mushroom lovers, especially when it’s cold out, and adding chestnut mushrooms to the recipe instead of standard button mushrooms will enhance the flavor a bit. 

The main ingredients beyond the chestnut mushrooms are onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Then there are some other spices you can add for taste, like pepper and salt.