Grow Your Own Mushrooms In a 5 Gallon Bucket (EASY)
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Date: 2025-05-31
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Comments and reviews: 20
VSPhotfries
So far I've just broken up the mycelium and re-mixed into a new bucket myself. In fact, my own first DIY bucket wasn't filled totally so I just slapped a wad of new substrate on top for a second harvest. Additionally, mine was was (and still is) grown on waste paper with a dash of oatmeal or other grain. Oysters will grow on almost anything wood-based or wood-adjacent, so it's a great way to recycle newspaper and junk mail. I don't do woodworking, but sawdust (hardwood specifically) is an awesome addition to any substrate as well.
I also tossed some mycelium in the compost and in the past I've had pink oysters sprout from a stack of cardboard - and this was back in Phoenix. They're hardy things!
EDIT: I also use an instant pot to pasteurize the shreds and whatever else I make substrate with. It seems like a weird thing to use it for but you can make several pots full of sterile substrate in a short amount of time, accounting of course for letting it cool down. I just find it takes a little less time and effort than boiling a huge pot or waiting for chemical cold pasteurization overnight.
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So far I've just broken up the mycelium and re-mixed into a new bucket myself. In fact, my own first DIY bucket wasn't filled totally so I just slapped a wad of new substrate on top for a second harvest. Additionally, mine was was (and still is) grown on waste paper with a dash of oatmeal or other grain. Oysters will grow on almost anything wood-based or wood-adjacent, so it's a great way to recycle newspaper and junk mail. I don't do woodworking, but sawdust (hardwood specifically) is an awesome addition to any substrate as well.
I also tossed some mycelium in the compost and in the past I've had pink oysters sprout from a stack of cardboard - and this was back in Phoenix. They're hardy things!
EDIT: I also use an instant pot to pasteurize the shreds and whatever else I make substrate with. It seems like a weird thing to use it for but you can make several pots full of sterile substrate in a short amount of time, accounting of course for letting it cool down. I just find it takes a little less time and effort than boiling a huge pot or waiting for chemical cold pasteurization overnight.
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Ramenkittie
I grow oyster mushrooms from spawn from Northspore. I use a liter bottle and cut the top 3/4 of the way off and poke holes around the bottle with a soldering iron, then add spent (wet) coffee grounds to the top, including the coffee filters, and make a parfait out of spawn and coffee grounds. The oyster mushrooms LOVE it, are super aggressive so they colonize quickly, and they will come up a couple times before I split the mycelium between a couple new bottles and refill with coffee grounds. Oyster mushrooms are amazing but be creful because you shouldn't let them spore because they can live on almost anything lmao.
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I grow oyster mushrooms from spawn from Northspore. I use a liter bottle and cut the top 3/4 of the way off and poke holes around the bottle with a soldering iron, then add spent (wet) coffee grounds to the top, including the coffee filters, and make a parfait out of spawn and coffee grounds. The oyster mushrooms LOVE it, are super aggressive so they colonize quickly, and they will come up a couple times before I split the mycelium between a couple new bottles and refill with coffee grounds. Oyster mushrooms are amazing but be creful because you shouldn't let them spore because they can live on almost anything lmao.
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bublhed
I grew my first blue oyster mushrooms from a kit a few years ago. Afterwards I thought I could just re-inoculate the same block with spawn so I bought some when I saw them on sale. I didn’t actually do that Luckily I did some research and found out this wouldn’t work.
Fast forward to about 3 months ago I successfully colonized grain spawn, mixed it with substrate and saw the biggest flushes growing in my monotub.
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I grew my first blue oyster mushrooms from a kit a few years ago. Afterwards I thought I could just re-inoculate the same block with spawn so I bought some when I saw them on sale. I didn’t actually do that Luckily I did some research and found out this wouldn’t work.
Fast forward to about 3 months ago I successfully colonized grain spawn, mixed it with substrate and saw the biggest flushes growing in my monotub.
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iuchoi
$90 price tag might feel a bit steep at first, but it might be worth it for vegetarian lifestyle. Seaweed and mushroom are the only consistent natural source of otherwise deficient vitamin D and minerals (they're technically not plants, they're just not animals either) and if you eat them every meal they pay for themselves in two or three months for two buckets' harvest.
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$90 price tag might feel a bit steep at first, but it might be worth it for vegetarian lifestyle. Seaweed and mushroom are the only consistent natural source of otherwise deficient vitamin D and minerals (they're technically not plants, they're just not animals either) and if you eat them every meal they pay for themselves in two or three months for two buckets' harvest.
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kirstypollock6811
I had good success with cardboard box kits last year here in Germany. I've avoided using grain spawn/straw/bucket because there are so so many wild molds etc here (old farmhouse and garden) that i have no confidence in any sort of sterilisation of anything, especially for a 2nd or further use when the plastic gets scratched up.
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I had good success with cardboard box kits last year here in Germany. I've avoided using grain spawn/straw/bucket because there are so so many wild molds etc here (old farmhouse and garden) that i have no confidence in any sort of sterilisation of anything, especially for a 2nd or further use when the plastic gets scratched up.
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terrantula7733
Hey! Just purchased a bucket. Thanks for the great info.
I was also wondering if you could do a tutorial with Northspore on growing mushrooms in a greenstalk. I saw a post on fb of a gardner who grew some with a greenstalk with a mix of growing medium. I believe it was mainly oyster strains but I think this would be so cool!
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Hey! Just purchased a bucket. Thanks for the great info.
I was also wondering if you could do a tutorial with Northspore on growing mushrooms in a greenstalk. I saw a post on fb of a gardner who grew some with a greenstalk with a mix of growing medium. I believe it was mainly oyster strains but I think this would be so cool!
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Mark_Nadams
I always wanted to try and grow the lobster mushroom but it is actually a parasitic fungus H. Lactiflorium that infects other mushrooms like milkcaps and russulas. That makes the lobster mushrooms more difficult to grow. If they come up with a kit to grow them I would definitely be interested.
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I always wanted to try and grow the lobster mushroom but it is actually a parasitic fungus H. Lactiflorium that infects other mushrooms like milkcaps and russulas. That makes the lobster mushrooms more difficult to grow. If they come up with a kit to grow them I would definitely be interested.
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anekarice
People from the US doing measurements:
We want a 5 gallon bucket, so we need a 16 quart stock pot, which is enough to boil two cinder blocks, sanitised later on with a cup of ipa, which is guaranteed to produce at least 3 blimquats of mushrooms
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People from the US doing measurements:
We want a 5 gallon bucket, so we need a 16 quart stock pot, which is enough to boil two cinder blocks, sanitised later on with a cup of ipa, which is guaranteed to produce at least 3 blimquats of mushrooms
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randyo6019
That’s just amazing! I buy organic mushrooms from misfits market food box every week and it’s getting really $$$. My boys and are are interested on growing our own. This company looks so intriguing and looks easy to grow. TFS
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That’s just amazing! I buy organic mushrooms from misfits market food box every week and it’s getting really $$$. My boys and are are interested on growing our own. This company looks so intriguing and looks easy to grow. TFS
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pjz7088
It's worth noting that a little breeze is a good thing during fruiting. If the air is too stagnant, the caps will be somewhat shriveled and demure. Not too much breeze, as you don't want them to dry out!
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It's worth noting that a little breeze is a good thing during fruiting. If the air is too stagnant, the caps will be somewhat shriveled and demure. Not too much breeze, as you don't want them to dry out!
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Shart-santha
You knowC I was just looking at maybeeee buying some NS mushrooms from the epic garden store I think yall might’ve convinced me with this bucket grow.
I don’t need it, but I want itttttt
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You knowC I was just looking at maybeeee buying some NS mushrooms from the epic garden store I think yall might’ve convinced me with this bucket grow.
I don’t need it, but I want itttttt
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jeannamcgregor9967
My attempt at Wine Caps failed this winter. I tried to grow them in straw-covered pathways but none came up. I think the dampness just wasn't consistent enough.
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My attempt at Wine Caps failed this winter. I tried to grow them in straw-covered pathways but none came up. I think the dampness just wasn't consistent enough.
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eklectiktoni
I love that you guys are talking about mushroom growing! Mushrooms are so healthy and tasty. And there's so many kinds beyond the typical white button mushroom.
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I love that you guys are talking about mushroom growing! Mushrooms are so healthy and tasty. And there's so many kinds beyond the typical white button mushroom.
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jennyjohnson5428
I'm going to grow mushrooms in holey-sided file boxes. Hopefully not setting myself up for failure with a container that can't keep up with evaporation.
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I'm going to grow mushrooms in holey-sided file boxes. Hopefully not setting myself up for failure with a container that can't keep up with evaporation.
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ashleys637
We have a surplus of those 5 gallon Lowes buckets bc my husband will periodically buy one there, forgetting how many we have. I'm hijacking a couple for this.
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We have a surplus of those 5 gallon Lowes buckets bc my husband will periodically buy one there, forgetting how many we have. I'm hijacking a couple for this.
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epic_gardening
Love these mushroom videos! Everybody has that shady spot that no edible plant seems able to grow in. I think mushrooms might just be the answer to that.
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Love these mushroom videos! Everybody has that shady spot that no edible plant seems able to grow in. I think mushrooms might just be the answer to that.
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epic_gardening
Great! I am actually going to teach my community garden how to do this. If you are using your own bucket, how big should the holes be 1/2 inch
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Great! I am actually going to teach my community garden how to do this. If you are using your own bucket, how big should the holes be 1/2 inch
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msmith1509
That was awesome. Thank you. But what kind of other kinds of mushrooms can you grow Some basic dimentions for the bucket would be appreciated.
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That was awesome. Thank you. But what kind of other kinds of mushrooms can you grow Some basic dimentions for the bucket would be appreciated.
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edwardhegemann5951
I just started using 5 gallon grow bags this year for the first time. I look forward to watching this video and expanding my knowledge.
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I just started using 5 gallon grow bags this year for the first time. I look forward to watching this video and expanding my knowledge.
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AnneTrent
If you told me today that you sold hats that jacquesinthegarden wears in the Epic Gardening store, I would buy them in heartbeat.
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If you told me today that you sold hats that jacquesinthegarden wears in the Epic Gardening store, I would buy them in heartbeat.
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