Using a mycelium block to grow mushrooms at home or commercially makes the process easier. Learn all about why that’s true in this article now
A mycelium block can have many different names to mushroom farmers: mushroom growing kits, ready-to-fruit mushroom blocks, or any similar name.
Mycelium blocks are one of the methods used for the cultivation of mushrooms, and using mycelium blocks has a number of benefits over other types of mushroom cultivation, which we discuss below.
Getting to know the mycelium blocks we sell for mushroom growing
Mycelium blocks make the mushroom cultivation process easier. So what exactly are mycelium blocks?
The mycelium blocks we sell are made of red oak supplemented sawdust. The supplements used are a variety of organic grains, like millet. These blocks come in plastic bags with filter patches. Under proper conditions the mycelium will colonize the substrate, and the block of sawdust will become solid with white mycelium growing throughout. The blocks we sell are fully colonized, so mushroom farmers can begin growing fresh mushrooms from the blocks as soon as they arrive in the mail.
Using fully-colonized blocks helps the process of mushroom farming go much quicker than having to create your own blocks. Making your own blocks requires time, space, and equipment. Some mushroom farmers prefer to focus on fruiting and selling fresh mushrooms, which our blocks are perfect for doing. Commercial mushroom farmers can buy in bulk from us so they save on the price and have a better opportunity to make a profit on selling their fresh mushrooms.
Each one of our mushroom blocks is 10 pounds of colonized substrate and is roughly 8”x6”x9”. We provide an array of mushroom species, including all of the most popular gourmet edibles like lion’s mane and king trumpet.
Many mushroom farmers will fill up metal racks with mushroom blocks for fruiting. This allows the farmers to maximize space while fruiting mushrooms. You can fill the metal racks with the blocks, as long as there is about a fist’s worth of space between each block. Having the metal racks on wheels makes it easy to move around, allowing for a simpler process of cleaning your mushroom fruiting area.
Understanding mycelium better
Mycelium is a powerful organism. It is how fungi spend most of its life.
When wondering about mycelium one must learn about the important role mycelium plays in mycology, plant pathology, and mushroom cultivation. Only by studying and understanding the physiology of mycelium has mushroom cultivation been able to occur. However, in recent decades scientists have begun to realize that the mycelium plays an increasingly more important role in ecosystems than ever considered before. Mycelium is not only growing and consuming for the survival of its own species but also for the benefit of the entire ecosystem.
Mycelium has the innate ability to recycle nutrients which allows the nutrients to become available to other organisms in the environment. Fungi close the energy cycle in ecosystems with decomposition and by breaking down molecules to allow nutrients to be accessible that were previously locked away.
Fungi can be parasitic, saprophytic, or mycorrhizal. Parasitic fungi require a living host to consume and can lead to the eventual death of the host, usually plants. Saprophytic fungi live on dead organic matter and are key to allowing nutrients from the dead become accessible to those of the living. Some fungi can be both parasitic or saprophytic. Most cultivated mushrooms are saprophytic species. However, the form of fungi that really characterizes the incredible abilities of mycelium are those that belong under the term mycorrhizal. When people ask what mycelium is, they are always amazed at the abilities of mycorrhizal fungi.
Going deeper with mushroom blocks
We refer to our mycelium blocks, or mushroom blocks, as mushroom growing kits frequently because they are a complete product that is ready to use upon arrival. All the equipment necessary for growing mushrooms is within the kit, as the block is already fully colonized by the mushroom mycelium of your choice. Using mycelial blocks means you don’t have to do the entirety of the mushroom cultivation process on your own, and commercial farmers can get to market quicker and easier. Home growers can get fresh food much quicker for their families and communities as well.
For those interested in buying mycelium blocks in bulk, here is a look at our rates:
20-50 kits: $20 per block.
51-100 kits: $17 per block.
101-150 kits: $15 per block.
150+ kits: $13 per block.
We can fit 160 mycelium blocks on a full pallet. Species need to be ordered in increments of 20. Shipping cost varies significantly based on time of year and the distance the mycelium blocks are traveling. If you are interested in getting bulk mycelium blocks email us directly sales@fungially.com for an invoice with the appropriate discount.