How to grow mushrooms at home - Full process day 1 to 60

[@LeeShand]

I just spent 43 mins and 47 seconds of my life watching a video on growing mushrooms. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!!!

[@AMG63]

What about the 47 seconds ?

[@asrennoc3507]

HEY SAME

[@carljohnson5243]

No 43 mins and 48 secs

[@shawtop]

You'll never get that time back.

[@Vale_2506]

Same here))😂

[@celticlass8573]

If you soak the "spent" substrate to rehydrate for 6-12 hours, you should be able to get at least one more harvest from the bags. THEN you can break it up and add it to new substrate, which it will colonize and start the process again! I really like using bucket tec for that stage. 😊

[@damiandarius160]

Very true I don’t see a lot of people doing this and they think that mushrooms are a one and done bag when they still have a lot of life after the first harvest.😊

[@celticlass8573]

@@damiandarius160 Definitely. Some fruiting block companies won't tell their customers they can do that, which I guess makes sense from their perspective, but it certainly creates the impression that they don't have their customers' best interest at heart. To my mind, since the customer now owns the block, why not tell them how to get the most out of it? Not everyone will do it anyway, and it's great customer relations.

[@sagew1312]

Yup! Even when you think it's done, typically it isn't. When I'm done with them I usually throw them into my garden and they grow even more! It also helps with the garden a lot.

[@sagew1312]

​@@damiandarius160 Its wild. The only time I see this is folks who are growing psychoactive mushrooms. It's almost a must in that scene.

[@celticlass8573]

@@sagew1312 Last summer I had a blue oyster that I'd had 3 regular flushes from, soaked, had another decent flush from, then put it outside in the garden and got another one!

[@ICantPronounceThatName]

Really love that this video is from the point of view of someone who doesn't have the pretensions of expertise. It's very refreshing to see just an average person learning the craft, rather than someone whose all up in your face singing their own praises and tooting their own horn, telling you what to do and what not to do. The lack of ego is refreshing and welcome.

[@Kalokagathiaa]

I'm only 12 minutes in so I don't yet know the end result BUT I saw a pretty critical mistake. You should have washed out the mixing container to avoid cross contamination. By using the same box there are still some of the previous mycelium in the box which might cause both types of fungi spices to start to colonizing the bag. Also you should use 70% isopropyl alcohol to sanitize everything - that is the table, the bags, the box, the knife, your hands (and wear gloves), everything :D Great video so far though. 👍 Edit: The yellow/golden oyster mushrooms might have done worse than the blue-gray ones because of the reason I mentioned above: mycelium competing for the substrate or might have been just not as good genetics. Either way there is 1 more tip I would like to add. You can do some research on how to rehydrate the grow bags but it typically is done by submerging the bag under water for 8-10 hours and then you should be able to get some more flushes out of the block. After that stops producing you can use the spent blocks and mix with fresh straw pellets. The spent blocks will act as the new spawn and will inoculate the new bags you make. That would reduce the cost of growing the next set of mushrooms by a lot. P.S. your bedroom probably isn't the best place to grow but I guess you already understood that yourself :D The spores really might cause irritation in your lungs and make you feel like you got the flu.

[@kennyle3870]

Well informative comment!

[@hatman4818]

Thanks for this comment, I was curious how to get recurring spawns going with this process.

[@clololown]

comments like this belong at the top

[@maidinulster]

You should do your own you tube vid

[@jblack8679]

Same thought but he is learning. I like this guy, give him some time.

[@rameking1]

I've found that hobby gardening is far more about the achievement than it is about saving money. Worth every penny in my opinion. I love watching plants (and my children) grow as a result of my constant love and care. You can't take the same pride in getting the same products at a grocery store. Great video. Loved all 45 minutes of it.

[@hubertnnn]

Its also about quality, since home grown stuff is much better than store stuff. I do miss times when I had a garden. Since I moved to a big city I feel my diet is 90% garbage. You can easily see the quality difference by comparing shelf life. The same vegetable from store will go bad in less than a week, while from a garden can survive 2-3 months, sometimes longer.

[@elissitdesign]

I find it great for mental health too! Touching soil and working outside makes me high.

[@derasklepios9757]

It's also a good way to learn new recipes 😄 I'm not a big fan of mushrooms but very interested in foraging and growing them myself, so I have to learn more mushroom recipes 😄

[@andreasiven2361]

i really like your commend

[@mariokristina]

I completely agree. Worth every penny

[@RussellJuan-q9v]

My recovery journey was greatly enhanced by the therapeutic benefits of mushrooms. Other psychedelics like DMT and LSD have also proven to be remarkable.

[@ArchieSean]

Hey mate, do you know where i can source one?

[@NeilOman-x1s]

doctorcyruss is your guy, got all kinds of psychedelics and the most knowledgeable that i know.

[@ArchieSean]

Is he on telgram?

[@NeilOman-x1s]

Yes and tiktok, highly recommended.

[@OakleyRowan]

It's amazing how they work better than antidepressants and serve as recreational purpose as well.

[@VictorPoulin]

I think the bigger reason some people fear mushrooms in the wild is not knowing which one to eat. Some will kill you, some will get you high but many are safe for everyday consumption "if" you know what you are looking for. I'm just diving into the world of growing them and looking for ideas to building a mushroom grow room. Can't wait to get the ball rolling.

[@VictorPoulin]

@AliceDouglas-it1de Thanks but who?

[@VictorPoulin]

@AliceDouglas-it1de Didn't find anything on this name.

[@alank1220]

To be honest, even if you know what you're looking for, it can be very risky. I think growing them at home is the best way to do it. Plus it's a boatload of fun

[@neilwng]

thought it was the connotation of mushrooms with death and decay, plus spores are actually bad for you.

[@naturallydope247]

These recipes look even better than the grow. Where’d you buy the bags? Is there a link?

[@annetjievz]

Alex, I'm not sure of the channel name now, but it's a german guy growing an urban garden. He mixed the contents of his finished growbags with mulch and spread it in his garden and footpaths... it actually started producing mushrooms in autumn again. Maybe worth a try? Even just as a soil enhancer.

[@hodri7461]

Please remember me when you know the name again :)

[@annetjievz]

@@hodri7461 I got it wrong, he isn't German, he's Italian, but he lives in London. The channel is called Spicy Moustache.

[@sagew1312]

It almost always works! That's what I do. They usually pop back up and it also helps a ton with my gardens.

[@user-tz9jh6pv2j]

@@annetjievz "The channel is called Spicy Moustache." Name checks out.

[@badoem5353]

Does planting mushrooms after any harvest keep the ground plantable by recycling nitrogen? Or is there some other process?

[@SilverSabertooth]

I love that he not only does interesting things and shows himself doing them, but he explains to you _why_ he does what he does, and really teaches you a lot about the subject. Seems like he can make just about anything interesting! Mushrooms, microgreens, beekeeping, cooking! Keep it up, Alex! :D

[@glorysmith6]

MACROPAUL6

[@glorysmith6]

On Instagram

[@glorysmith6]

His the best online drug store I know

[@bethedwards7907]

I agree with this whole heartedly. I microsed this for a year and it has completely changed/saved my life. I feel peace.

[@killa46464]

Agree !!

[@Shin_Lona]

You could try adding a plant or two in the greenhouse to help with the CO2 level. They will uptake the excess carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen. Part of the symbiotic relationship they have in a natural forest environment.

[@chriswatts923]

Increase the humidity too

[@SubFlow22]

Introduces too much potential for contamination.

[@sinnahsaint7869]

@@SubFlow22 once the bags are fruiting, contamination is not a concern. It's just in the pre-bagging you have to be very careful.

[@JoshOntko]

Spider plant.

[@stephenharperisgay]

​@@SubFlow22This could definitely happen in soil with verticillium contamination. Coir would probably fine, but you still run the risk of attracting gnats.

[@bezerker]

Here in the Czech Republic, we are almost obsessed with forest mushroom picking. It is not for nothing that we are nicknamed the nation of mushroom pickers. I was once couchsurfing in Norway and Norwegians don't pick mushrooms because they don't know which ones are edible and which ones aren't. I set out for mushrooms in the forest and could pick them with a pitchfork. The exhibition pieces grew right on the forest paths and no one picked them up :D The gentleman who let me sleep at home at first couldn't believe what I brought from the forest and said that I would definitely get poisoned, but when I made a mushroom fry, he sneaked into the kitchen and left to load a plate :) He waited for a while to see if I would start changing colors after eating and then started eating it himself. And he loved it.

[@147andreluiz]

My czech woman picked herself no less than 6kg of hříb this year. Mushroom hunting is a good fun.

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

Norwegian here, I don’t think your host was well informed. Mushroom picking is well known among all Norwegians. It is not a national obsession, but it is still quiet common to actually go out and do it. In spite of media scare stories about people getting very sick and even dying. We go foraging every autumn and we are seldom alone in the forests close to town. Also, clubs and organizations run courses and volunteers staff many "checking stations" in season. I myself is not an expert at all. I stick to four safe species. But I know where to find these, year after year, and we always return home with a nice catch.

[@adrianalexandrov7730]

@@janhanchenmichelsen2627 I was traveling Norway about 10 years ago and met a local forester. And along the chit chat the guy told me that new generation kinda not know that much about mushrooms. Old folks, sure, go picking. But the young -- not so much.

[@TheLivirus]

Couch surf in Sweden instead. We pick mushrooms, unless someone else catch them first. Probably because Norway has a lot less forest.

[@timbillings6884]

I love shroom hunting all my life I am from Mass. USA It's been 51 years!!! 😁 Grown a lot also!!! ✌️

[@Benpugh78]

I discovered this on my own while microdosing. I added lions mane extract powder to ground cubensis and capped them up. High-quality combo. Helped kick my Alcohol addiction.

[@CharlesTownsend-lh4ro]

The use of magic mushrooms can completely help one get over addiction and depression. but there's a big risk if you eat the wrong type

[@josefonte87]

Does anyone know where I can source them? I put so much on my plate and it really affects my stress and anxiety levels, i'd love to try shrooms.

[@CharlesTownsend-lh4ro]

dr.wheelershrooms

[@CharlesTownsend-lh4ro]

dr.wheelershrooms I fetch from him

[@JaredHeffernan]

dr.wheelershrooms made me discover a lot about myself, the trips I got were mind and eye opening.

[@oliverdelallama]

Hi Alex, the obvious reason people are scared of picking wild mushrooms is because of how easily you can confuse an edible one with a deadly one. Great video btw!

[@Cocoonen]

I wonder is it really that easy? I mean, in my home country there's maybe 5-6 mushrooms which are immidiate danger (and one of them is foraged as a food). In total, thereäs maybe 20 mushrooms causing actual poisoningss. On the other hand, there's _thousands_ of mushrooms you _can_ eat without any risk, and that's not even exaggerantion. And as I see it, because couple of mushrooms are the culprits for most of the deaths, it could be wise to learn to recognize them and stop being afraid of mushroomss in general. That doesn't change the fact you shouldn't pick mushrooms you don't recognize as eatable ones (if not else, but for taste), but it surely makes it easier to make a difference between emotions and reality.

[@SatanicHorse]

@@Cocoonen Depending on where you are it really is that easy, and here in Germany you have the so called 'Death Cap', one of the deadliest mushrooms, and it looks just like common edible ones and sometimes grows inbetween them. That's why you just don't go foraging for mushrooms here, and advice like yours is actually dangerous. Actually quite a few deaths of that one have been people from other countries who go foraging based on the knowledge from their homecountry and not recognizing the danger.

[@sirsanti8408]

@@Cocoonenit can be, it’s also a matter of people not being familiar whatsoever about what species are around

[@Cocoonen]

@@SatanicHorse , death cap grows here too, being one of those 5-6 deadly ones, even though it's very rare. This is why you pick mushrooms one by one, pick the hole mushroom, also the underground parts, and go your shrooms through carefully at home. In Finland, foraging mushrooms is very, very common, and mushrooms based deaths are a real rarity. Most common cause is destroying angel. Be self aware: if you feel you can't differ death cap from brown or green russulas, just don't pick brown or green russulas. Personally I've been careful with seathed foodtuft, because it has a look-alike among those 5-6 deadly ones, but because in here seathed foodstuffs has a longer growing period, it will help recognizing them. Untill now, I'm tasted 29 wild mushrooms I've picked, so I have plenty to go, still.

[@aurorafauna4195]

Every mushroom is edible. Some are only edible once

[@masterofone2076]

Awesome video! Just a quick word of advice, CO² is heavier than air so putting the exhaust fan in the bottom and filtered inlets at the top will help get better fruiting. Loved watching your video man

[@richardtunningley4975]

I might be inclined to push from the top rather than pulling from the bottom or possibly both with smaller fans would be ideal. I’m thinking of having a go myself, I’m now researching the possibility of connecting a co2 sensor and a thermostat to automate the fans.

[@superbarnie]

Not true, CO2 diffuses into the surrounding air

[@RichWoods23]

Yeah, if you've got a closed volume of still air then CO2 will settle out, but even then something as simple as a daytime/nighttime temperature gradient will mess it up.

[@suprajabalasubramani8933]

I hate watching long videos unless it is a movie. But I might watch this video multiple times. The way you speak, the ambience you have set and the radio voice in the end, it is all so simple, just beautiful everyday-life-things! 😊

[@celticlass8573]

The base of the mushrooms, which you said you put in the compost, are edible as well. All you need to do for woody stems is make them into smaller pieces to cook them. the stems you can pull apart into shreds and cook, and the base it's easiest to slice them thinly. Don't want to waste the mushroomy goodness! Also, to get the most out of your mushrooms, both for nutrients and for flavour, is to start with cooking them in a bit of water, in a pan, with some sort of fat. Simmer on medium or medium-low heat until the water is gone, then continue until they're a bit brown. The water is absorbed by the mushrooms, which cooks them through. 😊 It also makes the mushroom flavour more intense, which is a win in my book!

[@siggitiggi]

Not only that, but the stems can be used for making stock, and if dried in thin slices, powder.

[@heavystricker]

Glad someone else already mentioned it. I scrape off the tiny bit of substrate at the bottom and cook the entire clump.

[@celticlass8573]

@@heavystricker Yep same. Don't want to eat the wood or whatever, but the rest is mushroom. 😊

[@julianokleby1448]

Or, for a different taste, you could use some kind of broth, stock or wine to cook them in. They would still have a mushroomy flavor, but it would also taste like what you cooked them in (beefy mushrooms, red wine mushrooms, etc.). Mushrooms are 90% water to begin with, so you don't want to add more water unless you like the taste of water. To improve the flavor of them, just saute in butter or olive oil until they release their own water. Once the mushroom water has evaporated, then add them to whatever you're cooking like a stew or soup. You will be surprised by the taste and texture. It completely changes. Can't wait to grow my own now. Thanks for the video!

[@celticlass8573]

@@julianokleby1448 I simmer them with a bit of water first, because I want them to be completely cooked inside, which is the way to get all the nutrients out of them, and also make sure they're totally edible. They don't taste like water, because the water comes back out of them as they cook. 😊

[@StonerSmurfin]

you can take one of the bags of "spent" mushrooms that you grew and start the process all over again using one of those bags as your spawn, giving them more food and put it in a new bag so that it starts to colonize all over again. Since you are planning to give the extra supplies away you should give away a "spent" bag along with the gift so they don't have to order and wait to start their project of growing some yummy mushrooms.

[@JackONeill497]

From what I understand this doesn’t work. Same way you can’t feed 80 year olds great food and expect them to rejuvenate to 20 year old condition. After so many flushes you have to start with new genetics.

[@ZenAndPsychedelicHealingCenter]

This doesn't work. Though you can bury spent substrate outside and it gives the mycelium a chance to recolonize material outdoors.

[@JBChristian2]

@@JackONeill497apples and oranges.

[@CaitlinJBall]

This was such a satisfying video. To see his face light up when he got his first yield. That was priceless. Thank you for the video, I learned a lot.

[@estoylaroca]

This is such a good journey. I mean, it documents a beginner going to be an "intermediate" mushroom grower. It is quite fitting, really, that it shows what a person would have to face when they're growing their own mushroom, and they aren't as experienced as the pros. Like, buying the wrong greenhouse, growing it in a non-ideal place (like your room), getting the correct temp / humidity device etc. etc. Lastly of course, that priceless joy that you would have when you've finally done your first harvest that you've made on your own. Pretty cool. Cheers Alex.

[@just_alex]

Thanks! :)

[@princeuduma2021]

👆👆🍄🍄🍫💊💊💊

[@DI.ANGEL4YA]

​@@just_alexARE YOU MARRIED?

[@sean7221]

He's married to his mushroom craft, BEGONE THOT!

[@bethcollier3789]

I was recently given a mushroom bag for Mothers Day from my daughter. I've had 2 meals from it so far and on instruction from the box it came in I can turn the bag around, cut another hole and watch a whole new growth appear to harvest and eat. It is an exciting process, a wonderful gift and a fun watch. I enjoyed this video and know the fun you talk about Alex, growing and harvesting your own food. 🍄

[@Debonairvik]

Alex I have no idea how I ended up on your channel but I love it. You're truly a genuine dude. Keep up the good work!

[@glorysmith6]

MACROPAUL6'''''''

[@glorysmith6]

On Instagram

[@glorysmith6]

His the best online drug store I know

[@ashleydawn2229]

The way you explain things is so calming and alluring. I've never taken into account the life process of mushrooms, but you've captivated my curiosity. Thank you for your in depth videos. I've really enjoy them. ❤

[@roxy_quokkacake]

Apart from me thoroughly enjoying this entire video, I absolutely love how your family is just going about their day while you're running a nearly 300k KZbin channel! "Mum! I'm filming a video here!" "Toss off Alex, need me milk for me tea" Crying laughing.

[@tommcgill1671]

hahaha ROTFLMAoff

[@mothmos]

hey it's their house, alex is the one who needs to adjust or get his own place

[@ChinStrapOfFat]

@@mothmosgo away

[@citizenkane2349]

@@ChinStrapOfFat That's exactly what he was saying.

[@killa46464]

😂😂😂

[@martinlevison5325]

This kid is a champion. His presentation style has a magnetism all its own. Whatever you do in life, your like-ability will pull you through.

[@adamm3265]

Alex, I don't usually comment on youtube videos but I think you deserve one. Your channel is purely amazing and is visible that a lot of effort and care is put into each video. I wish for you to have so much success in the future. Keep up this incredible work my friend.

[@Clickverse1]

That’s great

[@MosesJSaldanha]

I’m probably never gonna grow any but I watched this full video. You’re great at explaining everything. Enjoyed it thoroughly.

[@just_alex]

Thanks for watching. 😊😊😊

[@KristySchulze]

Hey Alex, my husband and I just watched this episode and want you to know how much we appreciated and enjoyed it. What a big effort you made to record the entire process! We love your straightforward, informative presentation. Thank you.

[@Lord_Shmesh_The_Squishy]

I was/am honestly scared of mushrooms. Mostly because I'm not sure which ones are toxic/safe to eat, and.. I jsut don't know much about them. You teaching about the entire process, hell even going foraging made me a lil' less scared. So.. Thanks Alex! I can't wait to see whatcha do next ♥ You're an inspiration :]

[@platannapipidae9621]

the ones with the sponge bottom are mostly edible and ones with disks are mostly toxic. i won't tell you anything else, mostly because i forage in siberia and know only russian names of edible mushrooms.

[@just_alex]

Thanks. Happy to hear that!

[@hp4415]

They don’t sell toxic mushroom in store so any one that you buy from the store will be safe to eat

[@craftingcat536]

I’m just getting into home grown mushrooms. Reputable suppliers have videos on how to identify the mushrooms you’re trying to grow.

[@hamburgaler_hames5520]

​@@just_alex have you considered taking a grow kit adding it to a food safe bucket with a lid. I'm sure youd grow more for much cheaper. There are tons of tutorials on how. You could also then keep it out of your room.Spores are quite bad for the lungs

[@mckkkroxsox0]

i’ve recently come across your channel, and you’re literally living my dream. van life, bee keeping, mushroom growing….. you go!!!!

[@aprylcasey3783]

All of your videos are expertly edited, in a streamlined concise manner. I enjoy how your videos show every step of the process, from mushrooms, bees to gardens and travel. I like the fact that you don't split up the topic into dozens of short videos, but show the entire process in one video. To add: I notice when you cook, that you eat a lot of eggs with your meals. Do you have chickens? I bet you would make some great chicken farming videos too. Keep posting!

[@rallen8625]

I just watched this with my daughter as we're wanting to get into growing mushrooms. I want to thank you oh so much for taking us on the journey. You were enlightening, intriguing and captivating. I love your spirit. Thank you for being you.

[@danilanazarov6965]

so hows the progress of growing your own?

[@rallen8625]

We were able to grow some lions mane mushrooms. We cheated and grew them from one of those boxes but it was a good experiment. Gave us some confidence to try other kinds.

[@TheTmoney357]

I just found this video and I must say, amazing journey. I've been on the same journey myself, growing mushrooms but for a bit of side income. If this is something you wanted to continue or anyone that stumbles across this video like I did, there were only two things that I'd change. With your mixing box, as a precaution I'd cover it while you're waiting for the pellets to rehydrate. I also didn't catch if you had a light on the Martha Tent. While mushrooms are not photosynthetic, they are phototropic so the light is another fruiting trigger. Without a light source (even a weaker light for reading books with) they will grow in a very similar fashion as if there are high co2 levels. I use a 12 hour cycle for my setup and that seems to work well. All-in-all excellent video!

[@nilskasten]

Hey Alex, first of all: great video! Really enjoyed your journey from spore to shroom! :) But while researching the gold oyster mushroom, or "pleuroteus citrinopileatus", I stumbled across the fact, that these mushrooms produce hydrocyanic acid to protect against slugs. The amount produced is not really a problem if you are dealing with them in small amounts (and cook them well) but I wouldn't be sure about this, if you're growing them besides your bed! And when you mentioned your cough, the hydrocyanic acid immediately came to my mind. It probably wont do any harm, but I couldn't find any further information on this or the exact amount produced, so JUST TO BE SAFE, I wouldn't recommend growing them in your bedroom! :D All the best to you and thanks again for your video, really enjoyed it!

[@turnerturner3281]

I really hope he sees this. Love the video but I was also pretty alarmed when I saw him growing mushrooms in his bedroom. Mate, those trillions of spores can cause permanent damage to your lungs! Even worse that it is a small confined space with little ventilation in which he spends much of his time.

[@craig5445]

Honestly bro, this was a fab video, I enjoyed every moment, the humor and carefree nature, mingled with the satisfying yield = thorough enjoyment. Thanks for the content

[@robertkitchen3069]

Started watching you when you first started beekeeping. You are basically doing everything I wish I had time for. One day I will make this common practice and your videos are my first go to guide. Keep it up!

[@deyjaa2957]

hey alex, I did almost the same thing like you last year and looked a lot into growing mushrooms at home. You asked for tips, so I thought i share some thoughts: definitely not a good idea to grow mushrooms next to where you sleep, I bet the cough was from spores :S I also struggled with finding a place to grow them and ended up on the balcony, blowing air from my tent away form the building. I always use boiling water to hydrate my strawpellets (have to let it cool down before adding grain spawn), just adds another layer of pasteurizing, but then you had no issues with contamination even with cold water, so that's great! also putting the filter on the other side of the fan will protect your fan from getting clogged up with spores. overall great result though, well done!

[@christopherkarr1872]

Thank you. I was looking for a comment on bulk substrate pasteurization.

[@SSODP]

I did wonder throughout the entire process if all the water additives weren't hurtin these shroom-ies, like "chlorine" ? If I were a shroom-y being sprayed with chlorine-water... yeah that does sound nasty... so in all seriousness Me-thinks tap-water may not be perfect, food for thought ;) Cheers

[@deyjaa2957]

@@SSODP never thought of that actually. I guess it depends where you are in the world and how your tap water is, yea. Where I am the tap water is very good and no added anything to it so I drink it and so do my mushrooms :)

[@SarahPutnam-q1h]

​@@deyjaa2957where do you live that you have good tap water ? 😮

[@deyjaa2957]

@@SarahPutnam-q1h finland 🙃

[@atleastmothmancares1263]

I absolutely love your videos and your approach to new things/subject. You treat everything you do with such respect. Thank you so much for making these kinds of videos! It makes me fall in love with life just that tiny bit more.

[@just_alex]

Great to hear. Thanks for watching!

[@MaceValor]

I’ve been binging this channel like crazy and never once have I heard Alex ask for money - if any channel was worthy of having a Patreon it’s this one

[@emzrking]

You uploading = day 100x better

[@loudoret353]

Hey Alex, love how you presented your mushroom experiment - there's real care in your filming, and simple but thorough sharing of information - you have a gift for explaining quite complex things simply (and edit this carefully also). It's also evident you haven't lost your sense of wonder at the natural world. I have enjoyed your adventures with mushrooms - seeing you translate what you've learnt from harvesting fungi in woodlands in autumn, to growing your own mushrooms at home, was fun. I share your fascination for fungi - I get quite weirded out by slime moulds.... they MOVE! Your parents seem pretty cool with whatever you get up to - it seemed perfectly normal for your folks to find mushrooms growing in their airing cupboard. Random thought, but I have an idea that you would really enjoy rearing your own hens from fertilised eggs...

[@IreneCao-oz1vm]

Have you thought about getting into teaching/education? You explain things so well, a natural teacher at heart!

[@MarinaPereira_X]

Hi Alex! Cheers from Brazil here! 🇧🇷 I've been watching your videos, and they've been a relief to my anxiety. Thanks for such great videos and curiosities!

[@timothydisalvo759]

The blue oyster mushrooms came out better than the gold ones because you didn't wash the bin in between the mixes. Because of this video I want to get back into growing my own mushrooms. P.S A little tip for you. At the endlife of your grow bags you can break them up into a flower bed full of damp straw to grow even more mushrooms.

[@abbylary9242]

Love seeing them grow! Another thing you can do to help CO2 levels is to have some plants in the room that will consume the CO2 and produce oxygen. Some easy beginner plants would be pothos (Epipremnum aureum) and spider (Chlorophyrum comosum)plants and will also help with cleaner air (hopefully to prevent colds and lung spores lol). I am more of a plant grower but would love to try growing mushrooms soon

[@Erika-gm2tf]

Amazing to see such a passionate young man so wisely experimenting with everything good AND doing so well on KZbin. Brilliant! Thank you for your calm, intelligent delivery and fascinating and helpful information. I love that you fed your family a mushroom taco meal! They must be so proud of you.

[@mcwiebel]

The fact that alex had so much fun doing this is so awesome and let let me smile the hole video 😊😊

[@jimcole4151]

It's called a Martha tent to reference the fact that the original plastic greenhouse/closet organizer with a floor was a Martha Stewart brand product. Someone else used it to make a mushroom grow tent back when you would suggest a specific product and not just say "get one of these plastic greenhouses from amazon" I remember back in the day looking online for a store that said they carried that specific tent. Awesome video! Thanks!

[@nikovallenius3871]

This was a really pleasant and relaxing watch! I have never thought of growing mushrooms, but now the idea is really tempting. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@just_alex]

Thanks Niko.

[@celticlass8573]

You should totally do it! I started last summer (it never occurred to me before that, that people growing themselves was a thing either), and it's fascinating! Not to mention delicious. And there's lots of varieties you may not be able to buy in stores.

[@danniyelaaa]

Yes you probably got your respiratory infection from the spores! You need to grow them in a separate room and wear a mask whenever u go inside.

[@bjorninlalaland5782]

Thanks for the effort making this video, I finally got to watch it, and it was worth my time. Thank you, all the best!

[@MattMajcan]

this was such an honest and genuine detailed look into the whole process. this is great. i saw some pics of someone growing pink oyster mushrooms in a terrarium recently and it looked incredible, i really want to try it now.

[@jameskim3915]

I can recommend you to where I get my stuff from an online store his got his got Shrooms, psychedelics, alongside other products well Refined ships to anywhere discreetly.

[@jameskim3915]

He's on Instagrams also on Telegram with the below handle as...

[@jameskim3915]

Mycopete..

[@curtmuhlenberg9363]

Alex, that was incredible. Thank You. This is something I am definitely going to try. I have nothing but time, love mushrooms, and cannot wait to start harvesting my own mushrooms. Being in a wheelchair will give me some joy in growing edibles indoors. My outdoor vegetables are difficult at the best of times, but great if, and when, they grow, Thanks for sharing this adventure. Subscribed and cannot wait to watch, and try your experiences myself. Sunny regards from South Africa Ciao Curt

[@daniellapain1576]

CO2 Fix would be to grow plants with your mushrooms. It's like the mouse in the jar experiment. The mouse dies if alone in a closed jar and the plant dies if in a closed jar. However if both are in the closed jar they thrive. Use a pond fogger for humidity using the tray for a water source and your blower will help the humidity rise up. Taping any loose edges on the bottom should help keep the humidity in. Another hole with a fitting near the bottom should allow the air in but enable you to place a another filter on it. Keeping it a separate environment from within your house is important. I have seen when it goes wrong, a bit of an extreme example because they weren't as careful but they ended up with mushrooms growing out of their bathroom walls. They thought that they could grow it like houseplants and use the humidity from the shower to wet them. They had to renovate the whole room. Don't composte the leftovers you can stick them in a blender and use it to create another spawn bag. Mushrooms are capable of spawning from any part of themselves when prepared properly.

[@platynowa]

You can cut the big ones instead of removing a whole cluster, you will get more, or you can make new holes after collecting the whole cluster. And you shouldn't really keep them in the place where are people - spores are very light, and will travel anyway, try the basement maybe? They are great when put in a scrambled egg with some salt, pepper, and marjoram and them in the mixture of 2 parts of bread crumbs and 1 part of flour. Then you can use these bags to make more bags. You can also freeze them or preserve in vinegar.

[@Mikachu_12]

Alex every time you post a video I get excited. Everything you do is so educational and rewarding. I feel like I’m on the journey with you, especially since you explain things so well. It’s like a Vsauce video, but about real life experiences. All in all, I love your content and channel. Thank you for the good work. Keep it up!

[@scorpiowitchty22]

Alex you have such a wonderful way of making educational and fun videos. It’s so nice to see someone with so much curiosity actually trying things they’re interested in. Plus you make everything you try actually fun and interesting. Very high quality videos. So happy for you to be able to do what you love!

[@SwahiliSpicE]

The reason your blue/grey mushrooms were much quicker to colonise the grow bags- could it be because the tub you were using to soak the pellets for the gold ones already had the blue/grey mushroom spawn in there? This created competition for the golden mushrooms and so it’s growth rate was slower.

[@margoburns9085]

I never believed I would be interested in someone growing mushrooms in their bedroom. Alex I just love your enthusiasm and pure fascination for trying something new. Love your channel. Btw, did you move back in with your parents?

[@just_alex]

Thanks for watching. Yeah I live with my parents now.

[@iSilleNcN]

I think something to think about as well is that the initial costs to get things going will always be more expensive than going to the shop to buy an item. You could now, hypothetically, pick wild mushrooms and use those to grow new crop at home. I think once the initial costs are paid the pros outweigh the cons.

[@sfurules]

Or he had a ton of spores and could have pretty easily made his own shroom slushy in the fridge...

[@CitizenMio]

@@sfurules Didn't even need to do that, just rehydrate the spent blocks, break them up and divide over new substrate. With fresh new food the whole process starts all over again.

[@1DreadedAngel]

did anyone else just smile most of the way through this video? great video Alex, been thinking of doing this for a while now and thanks to you I've now gained some invaluable knowledge so thank you so much

[@just_alex]

Thanks! 😊

[@HendrixTwo-rr9te]

You should check out (Anthony_mycology), he delivers psychedelics and mushrooms

[@HendrixTwo-rr9te]

He is on Instagram

[@arwen7121]

Daughter of a mushroom farmer here, I can say you did really well! I was worried when you put the greenhouse in your room, but you did realize & address it. You did a great job growing them 😊✨

[@TeeFoles]

Hey Alex, Would be cool to see another video on how to repeat the cycle e.g. use the spores to grow more mushrooms

[@celticlass8573]

Growing from spores is very advanced and a lot of work. It would be much better for him to move further downstream, and use liquid culture. 😊 There's still quite a lot of choice of varieties, when purchasing liquid culture, and can save quite a bit of money.

[@ZodiacPlayzGames]

I'm always exited for when you upload a new video! you always do things that I thought would be too hard to do just for fun but then triumph and show it in a simple and exiting way that makes me want to do whatever crazy things you do! I love you and you channel and you honestly should have over 1M over this point.

[@demetrajohnson2245]

Agreed

[@Nickgowans]

Love your videos. You not only know what you know, but more importantly you know what you don't and you make it clear what you're learning. The biggest signs of an intelligent person is knowing what you don't know Edit: also, bless your ever patient and tolerant parents, without some of their help and willing, we wouldn't be blessed with such interesting and fascinating videos

[@just_alex]

Very kind of you to say :)

[@curtmuhlenberg9363]

and admitting it. amen!!!

[@JohnSmith-fq7hj]

If I tried growing mushrooms in my parents house they would never have it lol even tho I do now as an adult at my own they would have thought I was growing a different kind (which I actually do) lol

[@andreaandrews6713]

I've just started researching how to grow mushrooms in my woodland garden, and I stumbled across this video quite by accident. I must say, watching this young man on his "mushroom adventures" was very entertaining. I truly enjoyed this video. I subscribed to his channel and I look forward to watching (and learning) more. Good job!

[@sturoe7361]

Great to see a full video on this subject. Enjoyed the original you posted, but this clears the fogs of confusion I had after it. Thank you for the explanations.

[@CrazyMonkays16]

You really like to try new things, even in the kitchen. Earned a sub and a lot of respect. Keep making great videos like these.

[@eveegrun6693]

I am Czech, we love mushrooms, like a lot. I would say it's national sport here. Everyone picks wild mushrooms and everyone loves them. Try them with scrambled eggs, pepper, salt and Czech cumin seeds (known from Polish bread). Or make schnitzel from them. You will love it! My husband and I, send you sincerel regards! We enjoyed your video a lot. You are so nice and lovely person. Oh! And definitely, 1 point we realised, mushrooms need lots of water. And definitely a cellar for growing. Some winter mushrooms like Oyster mushrooms will be happy for that. (We are harvesting them in winter...) Hopefully, your health is better. Keep 'mushrooming' ❤. Ahoj from Praha!

[@coconutfleetsleeper5717]

You need to invest in a ultrazonic humidifier and connect it to a hygrostat so you got automated controll over humidity, it will make a huge difference;) And yes, fresh air exchange will sort the deformed mushrooms out. I've been growing mushrooms for ~10 years, just ask if you have any questions:)♡

[@coconutfleetsleeper5717]

@trash_kid0161 it's a pice of equipment that could easily double the harvest he got from his grow ;)

[@omrdnb]

I understood 😂👊🏽🙏🏽✌🏽💜

[@nantarg]

One thing I've always wondered. Can you now take these "spend" bags and do a new batch of pelletmix? Or would the mycelium be...i don't know...exhausted?

[@coconutfleetsleeper5717]

@@nantarg you could, but the risk of contamination rises. Its super easy to clone mushrooms and keep them in culture, thats what i do. I would put spent grow blocks in an outdoor grow on sawdust/straw or use them to inoculate logs;)

[@_uchiha]

woah, your pretty smart

[@luckygun2140]

Alex I really loved the bee keeping episode I hope your bees are heathy🐝👍

[@just_alex]

Yeah the bees are good!

[@ldeaI1]

@@just_alex keep doing what your doing, hope everything works out!!

[@cory4928]

grate video my man I took my first crack at mushroom growing a few years back and noticed I was getting head aches. Turns out mushroom spores can be a bit toxic. Now I didn't have a Martha tent so yours will help. You can vent out the window and use insulation foam board to seal your window and run the duct out a hole in the board. I grew blue oyster mushrooms fried them up and they were wonderful until 5min later when i got sick. I loved the whole process and am undeterred it is still a lot of fun and am currently trying re she mushroom's. My wife wont eat the mushrooms until I survive a sufficient time afterwards.

[@ndwolfwood09]

The initial cost may have been expensive, but in the long run, you may save more money vs the supermarket! Also, once all the food inside the bags are consumed, couldn't you make more grain pellets and mix with the old bag of mushroom substrates and refill a new bag to keep the unlimited-mushroom-growing cycle going forever?! lol Anyways, I do enjoy your grow and cook videos, Alex! Keep them going and can't wait for more and your learning to knowledge to editing skills to improve too!

[@bordonwork]

Thanks for making these videos Alex! I realized that they're not only educational and fun but they're also calm my mind when anxiety and stress are high.

[@German_Rock_Tumbler]

I realy love to watch your videos thanks for share your work 😇🙏! Much much greetings to you Alex 👋😉

[@cpatrick8168]

Informative, thank you. I’ve also heard that breathing in spores aren’t good for you so when I saw you set in up in your room that raised my eyebrow. And the lower CO2 for better growth came as a surprise but It’s good to know that! ❤

[@T_xicc]

I do love the drawing ngl, and I find it so amazing how you could think of so many recipes that includes mushrooms. I may not have the resources and taste for mushrooms but this video really motivates me to maybe try it out as well for fun:) Great video, and i cant wait for more random yet educational stuff like this.

[@mariesook9141]

Interesting production. Engaging young gentleman. I enjoyed learning from him. I did learn i don't want to grow mushrooms😂 but it was fun to watch!

[@celinhuu]

I've been enjoying quite a lot watching your videos. Even the ones more than an hour long. It's very relaxing, productive, instructive and inspiring. As a christian, it makes me look at life and Creation in a more beautiful way and see how God is good to us, as well as question the ways we're taking in this world. Thanks a lot for your good work, mate. I hope you can keep doing it and making a living out of it. God bless u indeed 🙏🏻🙌🏻 cheers from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@debradykstra8703]

I love your avocations, Alex. They really teach you to tune in to your environment. Given a few decades, I think you will be very wise. 🌞

[@asdf1324]

You can take all those fruiting bocks that you have now, you can take them and add them into a new block and keep growing. You would just need the food source for the new bags and keep growing. They are the best thing when it comes to agriculture because they actually don't cost a lot to maintain the mushrooms constantly. Just the initial costs of the greenhouse and things EDIT* I learned you can have mites growing on the substrate if left untreated, and the substrate with the mushrooms cannot be pasteurized or kill off the mushrooms. Also, they age( I didn't know that) so it would be best to go all the way to have agar plates and grow them out with it. The point still stands that they don't use a lot of economic upkeep, just the initial costs.

[@GIGS_SPORES_sells_on_Instagra0]

.👆👆👆💊🍫🍄✅

[@PandoraChaser2]

The GRO CYCLE team in UK (Eric and Alex), experimented in 2 videos, with extending substrates in detail and did indeed find the mite and contamination issue kicks in after a couple more fresh grow bags, made from the original one, plus that yield is lowered. For a commercial grower that risks not worth it but for a home hobbyist, growing purely for their own dinner table, it's worth a go. However Tom Brain of Oak & Spore Mushrooms in NZ, found that you can smash up the original fruiting blocks, re-bag them and steam sterilise them, or some other sterilisation method (some hobbyists may have a PC etc) and then freshly inoculate them, with a DIFFERENT mushroom strain and they will happily act as a decent yielding substrate for the new strain. Just as they make great fertiliser for the yard, with possibility of bonus mushrooms, if you just break the original block in the garden, or add it to a potential shroom bed, as folks were discussing above. I also would recommend anyone that gets a grow kit, or fruiting block, to STEM BUD to hot water or lyme water pasteurised cardboard, a decent 1st Flush shroom that's showing good genetics. I've managed to keep two USA shroom kits I was sent to UK, growing nicely as master cardboard spawn, and am getting clean perfect circle mycelium growth, just like decent agar plates from non sterile conditions so far. I'm now using that, to extend to further boxes of cardboard as future grain spawn, as I build fruiting chambers and choose a more nutritious substrate for my own attempted fruiting blocks soon. Worth a shot. In Alex' video here, the cut off clumps of stalks for his compost, could have been stem budded in such fashion, to carry on his purchased grain spawn bags and lower costs of his next grows if it works. GRO CYCLE have a stem bud video somewhere.

[@erklarkoala1004]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Alex. It was a pleasure as always! From spore to plate a fun adventure. And thanks for the economic analysis in the end. A fascinating little breakdown.

[@africanmarty]

Alex I bought 4x bags of mushroom growing kits after watching this video… they will help grow my plants too 🪴 👍 Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺 Ps: Your videos really help with my Mental Health, Thankyou for that.

[@dumitruserban9600]

Just beautiful...the project, the video, the passion and patiemce...great job.

[@WilliamPope-vs4gw]

I suffered the borderline disorder for over 23 years. With so much anxiety not until I came across psilocybin mushrooms treatment psilocybin treatment actually saved my life honestly. 6 years totally clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms

[@JanOlivier-ny1lr]

Micro dosing helped me get out of the pit of my worst depressive episode, a three year long episode enough to start working on my mental health

[@JohnWiseman-ko7zp]

Can you help with the reliable source I really appreciate it Many people talk about mushrooms and psychedelics but nobody talks about where to get them. Very hard to get a reliable source here in Spain. Really need

[@MorrisKetchum]

dr.laryshroom is your guy. Best shrooms and psychedelics guy I know.

[@GorkemHernandez]

They saved you from death bud, lets be honest here. and mushrooms are one of the most amazing things on this planet i wish people would all realize. they could solve a lot of problems, more than just mental treatments, environmental clean up; the possibilities are endless with fungus

[@DanielK.Brindle]

How do I reach out to him? Is he on insta.

[@laradecarlo6277]

I watched this whole video. Your excitement about mushrooms is contagious! Loved every second! Beautifully done!

[@reneenolan8163]

I don’t normally enjoy long videos, but love yours. Feels like learning with a friend 😊

[@BeeUndercover]

I only have grown 2 different kind of mushroom kits before, one oyster and one magic and I had both kits in my small living room and they both grown perfectly well in their moist little grow bag and grow container. I want to try growing them from scratch sometime as they are fascinating organisms! and I love your recipes🙂

[@RootsMyceliumandDrumsticks]

@just_alex 33:01 You can propagate them (Make more of them) by taking those white bits from the stems that you are left with and put them in a Chinese food container with sterilised cardboard (just put boiled water from the kettle inside). It actually eats away at the cardboard and self propagates.

[@carolday3381]

Before the bag is totally spent open it up, mix with fresh medium bag and grow. You don’t have to buy new spawn each time, you can keep your originals alive long term. Just feed them.

[@ASHURA.M]

I really wanna see this guy getting huge, it'll would be a very interesting thing to see him working out and documenting the process

[@zeztro]

I think there are enough youtubers already making those kind of videos haha

[@celticlass8573]

@@zeztro Then why are you watching?

[@magdalenaholl5179]

You could keep spreading your mycelium to new grain instead of fruiting can also take spore prints and you can grow for very cheap if not free over time mushrooms can grow on waste products like poo, grass and wood which you can collect for free expand your spawn and keep growing more mycelium once you have them 8 bags like you had you make another 8 bags from each bag now you have lots and can grow at a commercial level so it's very much worth the cost because it's only a initial investment then you can grow your mushrooms forever I have lots of cultures I keep liquid cultures and agar plates in storage and always have new grain spawn starting .. I started like you took lots of research and practice and now I'm looking into breeding my own strains. Your video showed how easy growing mushrooms can be and showed you do not have to wear a mask or gloves just be sanitary and you will grow good mushrooms good work man

[@dubcindub15]

Great content as always Alex. The greenhouse will be ideal for starting off seeds if you're gardening again this year, but they can be very unstable outdoors so put a heavy weight on the bottom tray or find a way to fix it to a wall first. If you do this again you should segregate your mushrooms and use the spores of your favourite or most plentiful to make your own spawn and see if you could do it perpetually. Looking forward to your next video:)

[@thti3070]

Thank you Alex for sharing your process. My mum loves foraging wild mushrooms 🍄. I can’t wait to grow mushrooms for her and surprise her with a mushroom bouquet 😂😊

[@VeritasOmniaVinculaVincit]

I do a lot of wild mushroom foraging, but I spent a lot of time researching from books and proper identification. I tried to grow button mushrooms from a kit I bought on Amazon, and they did very well, but didn't last long. After a while it stopped producing. Wild mushroom foraging, I GPS tag the spot and revisit year after year, I just don't pick ALL of them, and leave some to re-spore. I like your videos, very interesting stuff to try new things. Inspiring.

[@dalwinwilliams1449]

Well done very comical and educational 🎉 Thanks Alex

[@WDnation9]

I have never been so ravenous to eat mushroom dishes in my life upon watching this. The hand made potstickers 🤤

[@KawaunaSmith-n4d]

I love how committed diligent and patient you are in the process. Very informative because I love science I will definitely try and grow some myself . Not very sure I’ll actually eat them

[@DreadKyller]

1) You can use the spent cylinders of substrate to inoculate new substrate, so you can knock that initial cost off, initial costs have to be averaged out over the number of times you'll be growing them, for example you wouldn't include the price of the greenhouse and temperature/humidity/co2 probes because you wouldn't be buying them every time. 2) There's likely still plenty of nutrients left in the bags for another harvest or even two, but you likely didn't keep the environment humid enough and thus the substrate is a bit dry, you could rehydrate it and likely get another good sized harvest out of it. 3) The growth of the mushrooms were stunted in the beginning due to the lack of oxygen. If next time you were to setup the greenhouse somewhere less occupied in the house you'd probably have better yields. Also, the reason most people use the venting to another room or outside is to get rid of the CO2 that the mushrooms create. You were effectively pumping the CO2 into your room where it was being almost immediately introduced back into the grow environment, so the fan literally wasn't helping much more than later on when you just kept the door open more. 4) The pellets are nice, but you could likely get cheaper substrate that is just as good if you're willing to need to go through the pasteurization process some. At the end of the day the only real cost will be the cost of the substrate (and water used for humidifying, electricity used for the fan for ventilation) Add those together and factor into your cost calculations and I think you'd find it's not as bad as your calculations. Commercial mushrooms are grown as massive scale which comes with efficiency, but you're also usually paying for lower quality mushrooms that have been sitting around for a while. Even if the cost doesn't run all the way down into profits/savings, the quality/freshness/nutrition of the product tends to be higher and so even a slightly higher cost would be worth it.

[@robinhegemann6112]

Hey Alex, you can injekt sugarwater in the Bags after your second harvest. Nomaly they can take the sugar as substrate to build new mushrooms

[@DestinyDonald-vc3cm]

Psilocybin, LSD, shrooms and ketamine are absolutely life changing substances that have so much potential to help people with mental health issues.

[@JohnChristopher-jq1ef]

​@Claudia canins sure. dr.johnsonshroom

[@JamesMichael-kh6fk]

Yes he does. He delivers anywhere and also discreet .. if you're scared about that

[@maxiql9565]

Yeah they can go from alive to dead

[@horsemanofwar86wawahwoowah36]

I used to live laying down watching my favorite movies on ket or shrooms 😂

[@John-69420]

​@Claudia canins find a hydroponics supply shop or vape shop. I'm sure they'll "know a guy" that can help