The Ultimate Guide to All-in-One Mushroom Grow Bags: From Spore to Harvest
Embarking on the journey of home mushroom cultivation has been revolutionized by the all-in-one (AIO) mushroom grow bag, making the process accessible and rewarding for beginners and seasoned mycologists alike. This guide provides a step by step tutorial on how to cultivate mushrooms using one.
The All-in-One Advantage
An all-in-one mushroom grow bag is a sterile, self-contained environment that simplifies the cultivation process by combining grain colonization and bulk substrate fruiting into one sealed bag. This significantly cuts down on the work needed to do and the contamination risk, especially for newcomers. The AIO bag provides a pre-sterilized, perfectly formulated environment, allowing the grower to cultivate with ease.
Anatomy of an AIO Grow Bag
To achieve a successful grow, it's essential to understand the components of an AIO bag.
- The Substrate Block: This is the core of the AIO bag, providing the nutrient source for the mushroom mycelium. My AIO features two layers: a bottom layer of sterilized whole oats for initial, high-nutrient growth, and a top layer of bulk substrate consisting of a blend of azomite, gypsum, vermiculite, coco coir. Each bag is hydrated to an optimal "field capacity" to ensure the perfect moisture level.
- The Filter Patch: This is the bag's "lung," this small white square with a 0.2-micron pore size facilitates Fresh Air Exchange (FAE). It allows CO2 to exit and fresh O2 to enter while blocking airborne contaminants like bacteria and mold spores. It is critical that this patch is never damaged or saturated with cleaning agents, which could suffocate the mycelium or compromise sterility.
- The Self-Healing Injection Port: This small circle allows a sterile syringe needle to pass through for inoculation and then reseals itself upon removal. This feature is crucial for maintaining the sterile integrity of the bag's interior, preventing contaminants from entering through the injection site.
Essential Supplies: Your Pre-inoc Checklist
Before you begin, gather and prepare your supplies in a clean, organized workspace to prevent contamination.
Supplies Needed:
- All-in-One Grow Bag: The self-contained sterile substrate. Ensure it is formulated for your chosen mushroom species.
- Spore or Liquid Culture Syringe (not included with AIO): The genetic material for inoculation. Liquid culture is highly recommended for beginners due to faster, more reliable results. Inoculation with spores is more of a gamble because their inherently less clean so make sure you're purchasing spores from a reliable seller
- 70% Isopropyl Alcohol (comes with kit): The main disinfectant for surfaces, tools, and gloves. It is crucial to use a 70% concentration, as higher levels evaporate too quickly to be effective. The 30% water content in a 70% iso solution is necessary for the alcohol to penetrate and denature the proteins inside microbes.
- Scissors or Scalpel: For cleanly opening the bag for fruiting.
Highly Recommended Items:
- Nitrile or Latex Gloves (comes with kit): Prevents hand contamination. Always sanitize gloves with 70% isopropyl.
- Lighter or Alcohol Lamp: For flame-sterilizing the syringe needle. (if injecting multiple bags)
- Face Mask (comes with kit): Prevents contamination from your breath.
- Still Air Box (SAB): A clear tote with armholes that creates a sterile workspace, drastically reducing airborne contamination risk.
- Spray Bottle (comes with kit): For applying alcohol and misting during fruiting. Use separate, labeled bottles.
- Scissors or Scalpel: For cleanly opening the bag for fruiting.
- Paper Towels: For wiping down surfaces with 70% isopropyl.
- Micropore Tape: Can be used to cover the injection site as an extra precaution.
- Rubber Bands (comes with kit): Used during fruiting to prevent "side pins" by keeping the plastic tight against the substrate.
The Five Stages of a Successful Grow
Your cultivation journey unfolds in six distinct stages, from inoculation to drying and storing your harvest.
Stage 1: Inoculation
This is the most critical stage, where the bag is most vulnerable to contamination.
First, prepare your workspace by turning off all fans and air conditioners and closing windows and doors to create still air. Put on gloves and a mask, and thoroughly sanitize your work surface, the AIO bag exterior (avoiding the filter patch), your gloved hands, and the syringe package with 70% isopropyl. If you aren't using gloves then throughly wash your hands and then sanitize them using 70% isopropyl.
When choosing your inoculum, a liquid culture (LC) syringe is highly recommended over a spore syringe for beginners. LC contains live, growing mycelium that colonizes grain almost immediately, accelerating the process and increasing the chance of success. Spores must first germinate and mate, which can add one to three weeks to the timeline.
Injection Protocol:
- Prepare the Syringe: Shake the syringe vigorously for 5-10 seconds to distribute the spores or mycelium evenly. (Very important especially when using spores)
- Attach the Needle: Remove the leur lock and then securely twist the sterile needle onto the syringe.
- Sanitize the Port: Wipe the injection port with 70% alcohol.
- Inject the Culture: Insert the needle through the port and inject 3-5cc of culture/spores keeping the needle in the same spot during the whole time. (Very important especially when using spores)
- Withdraw and Secure: Smoothly remove the needle and reattach the leur lock. Safety dispose of the needle. Optionally you can place a small piece of micropore tape over the injection port for extra security.
- Repeat: If inoculating multiple bags, flame sterilize the needle before each injection. Wait for the needle to cool before injecting. If you melt the injection port quickly cover it with tape.
Stage 2: Colonization
After inoculation, the mycelium will begin to spread through the grain as white, web-like growth.
Incubation Environment:
- Temperature: temperature shouldn't fall below 55f or exceed 75f. Cooler temperatures will slow growth, while higher temps lead to faster growth. I don't recommend using a heat mat but if you need to use one keep the bag elevated above it.
- The temps during colonization shouldn't fall below 55f or exceed 75f. Lower temps will lead to slower colonization while higher temps lead to faster colonization
- Light: No light is needed during colonization. Store the bag in a dark place like a closet. However indirect light wont hurt it.
- Location: Choose a clean, elevated spot like a shelf where the bag will be undisturbed.
Patience is key during this phase, which can take two to eight weeks. Avoid excessive handling, as it can damage the fragile mycelial network and delay growth. Adopt a "set it and forget it" mentality and do not touch the bag for at least two weeks.
Stage 3: Break and Shake
Once the grain layer is significantly white with mycelium, the "break and shake" will dramatically speed up the final colonization phase. This process involves breaking up the colonized grain and mixing it throughout the uncolonized bulk substrate. This distributes hundreds of inoculation points, drastically reducing the time needed for the entire block to colonize.
It is recommended to perform this step when the grain layer is at least 50%-70% colonized. Breaking it up too early can cause the mycelium to stall. Gently massage the bag from the outside to break the colonized grain into individual pieces, then shake to distribute them evenly. The block should become fully white in another one to two weeks.
Stage 4: Fruiting
When the entire substrate block is dense, firm, and completely white, it is ready for fruiting.
Environmental Triggers:
- Increased Fresh Air Exchange (FAE): A drop in CO2 signals the mycelium has reached the surface.
- Increased Humidity: Maintain a relative humidity of 85-95% to prevent baby mushrooms from drying out.
- Introduction to Light: An indirect light source for 8-12 hours daily signals where the mushrooms should grow and helps mimic their natural growing environment.
Before cutting the bag, sanitize your cutting tool. The cutting method depends on the species.
- Top-Fruiting: Common for many dung-loving species. Cut the top of the bag off at the impulse seal. Hold the bag open to let in fresh air for a few seconds. Next, make a fold near the top of the cut and secure it with a paper clip (included in the kit) or tape. This fold should not be air-tight; its purpose is to help maintain humidity. This method is especially recommended for those living in drier climates. If you do not see water droplets forming on the inner walls of the bag, gently mist the sides. You want to see fine droplets on the inside of the bag and on the substrate's surface. Never allow water to pool. If you see this occurring, stop misting immediately.
- Side-Fruiting: Preferred for wood-loving species like Oyster and Lion's Mane. Cut a 2- to 6-inch "X" or a single slit on the side of the bag. Fold the rest of the bag under itself. This focuses the block's energy into producing a few large clusters. Mist the X cut daily
- Fruit sealed in the bag: This is a very simple method for fruiting your mushrooms. Once the block is fully colonized, gently pull the top of the bag apart, right above the filter patch. This will draw fresh air in and inflate the bag. Once the bag is full of air, leave it alone until mushrooms begin to grow. Please note: This technique can cause the mushrooms to grow longer stems ("leggier"), but they are perfectly fine to eat.
- Monotub: Once fully colonized open the bag and break up the substrate using it to fill a monotub of your choosing. (read about monotubs here)
To prevent "side pins" from growing between the substrate and the bag, you can place rubber bands 1-2 inches below the top of the substrate and then gently massage out any pockets of air. This will keep the plastic tight against the substrate helping to prevent side pins.
Stage 5: Harvest & Subsequent Flushes
Baby mushrooms, or "pins," should appear within one to two weeks of initiating fruiting.
Harvest Timing:
- Gilled Mushrooms (e.g., Oysters): Harvest just as the veil under the cap tears, but before the cap flattens out completely. Waiting too long results in a heavy spore drop that can inhibit future flushes.
- Lion's Mane: Harvest when the "spines" are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long and the mushroom feels firm.
- Manure loving: Harvest right as the veil breaks. Failing to do so will cause the mushrooms to release spores which isn't inherently a bad thing its just not preferred.
To harvest, grasp the cluster at its base and gently twist and pull it away from the block.
Your bag can produce multiple "flushes" or harvests. After the first harvest, Spray water on the sides of the bag and close the top bag up with a paper clip or tape. Open the bag and let fresh air once pins appear. A second flush typically appears in one to three weeks, though it will be smaller than the first. When the block stops producing or gets contaminated, it can be added to a compost pile or simply lightly buried outside or even just broken up and thrown in the woods or yard. It'll continue producing mushrooms for awhile, check for mushroom especially 2-3 days after rain.
Stage 6: Drying and Storing Your Crop.
Dry your mushrooms using a food dehydrator on its highest setting, which is usually around 160°F. Let it run overnight (8 hours, more or less as needed). You want the mushrooms to be "cracker dry," meaning they snap easily like a cracker with no bending.
There's a myth that the high heat from a dehydrator will degrade the mushroom's potency. This is false; you can read about it (here).
Store the dried mushrooms in an airtight container in a dark place. If you don't have a food dehydrator, you can fan-dry or sun-dry them. This method will take longer and may lead to a potential drop in potency. However, I believe this drop is not very significant. If needed, you can adjust by simply increasing the dosage, but this won't be necessary for most people.
Troubleshooting Your Grow
Contamination (click here for more info):
- Green Mold (Trichoderma): The most common contaminant, it starts as bright white fluff before turning emerald green. It is very aggressive.
- Cobweb Mold (Hypomyces): A fine, wispy, grayish layer that spreads extremely fast.
- Bacterial Contamination ("Wet Spot"): Appears as dark, slimy patches with a foul, sour smell.
- Orange/Pink Bread Mold (Neurospora): A vibrant, fast-growing, and highly contagious mold.
If you identify Trichoderma, Neurospora, or significant bacterial growth, dispose of the bag immediately. If the block was decently colonized prior to contamination then it most likely will still produce mushrooms so follow the disposal tips talked about in step 5.
Diagnosing a Stalled Bag:
If growth stops, check the following:
- Temperature: Is the incubation area too cold? Low temperature is the most common cause of stalled growth.
- Moisture: Does the substrate look too dry, or is there a pool of water at the bottom? Both extremes can halt growth.
- Inoculation Source: Spore syringes can take longer. If weeks pass with no growth, the culture may have been nonviable. If you didn't shake the syringe prior to inoculation then you could've injected no spores as they often like to clump together in the syringe.
- Contamination: Sniff the filter patch. A sour, or musty odor indicates contamination, even if it's not visible.
- Patience: This is most often the correct solution for most people. Mushroom growing is slow and different species and varieties have different growth times. For example penis envy is usually a much slower grow than golden teachers.
If the issue is environmental, correcting it may restart growth. A "break and shake" can also sometimes stimulate a stalled but healthy bag.
Fruiting and Yield Issues
- No Pins Forming: A lack of pinning can be caused by many variables. Make sure the block is not dried out, is receiving proper lighting, and that more fresh air has been introduced. The most likely answer, however, is to simply be patient.
- Pins Form, Then Abort: The most common cause is insufficient humidity. Increase misting frequency.
- Long, Skinny Stems with Small Caps: This indicates high CO2 levels. The mushrooms are stretching for oxygen. Increase fresh air exchange by fanning the bag more often.
- Mushrooms are Dry or Cracking: Caused by low ambient humidity. Increase misting and avoid drafts.
- Low Yield: This can be caused by suboptimal conditions, weak genetics, or hidden bacterial contamination. Double-check all parameters and ensure you use high-quality cultures from a reputable source.
