How to Harvest Mushroom Spores for Growing

Mushrooms grow from tiny spores produced in fruiting bodies.

A mushroom is a type of fungus that reproduces through spore production. The fruiting body of the mushroom is the top segment that contains the pores that produce the spores. The mycelium is the part of the mushroom that acts as its roots and stems, providing the mushroom with moisture and nutrients. Collecting spores from wild or cultivated mushrooms allows you to grow new specimens for a hobby or as an ingredient for culinary dishes.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• White copy paper
• Glass jars
• Refrigerator

Instructions

1. Gather mushrooms on a dry day. Pluck at least six or seven large, mature mushrooms from the soil by grasping the lower portion of the mycelium and pulling up to dislodge them from the substrate or soil. Place the mushrooms in a paper bag as they are gathered.

2. Line the work space with clean newspaper. Set the mushrooms on the newspaper and examine the collection. Toss out moldy or diseased mushrooms to avoid collecting spores of inferior quality.

3. Pull the stems off of the caps. Set the caps on pieces of plain, white copy paper, with their gills facing down. Place clean jars over the tops of the mushrooms, and let them remain there for about 24 hours.

4. Remove the jars and gently lift the mushroom caps straight up, off of the paper. The imprint of the dropped spores, called the spore print, should be visible.

5. Sterilize a small glass jar and sharp kitchen knife by inserting the jar, lid and blade into boiling water for about 10 minutes. Let the hot items air dry and cool to room temperature before continuing.

6. Use the cutting end of the sterilized knife to scrape the dropped spores from the imprint on the paper into the sterilized glass jar. The small spores will resemble powder in the jar.

7. Place the lid on the jar to keep the mushroom spores dry and clean. Store the mushroom spores in a refrigerator until ready for planting.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash your hands before harvesting mushrooms and collecting the spores. Bacteria can reduce spore viability.

• Do not eat mushrooms collected from the wild without knowing their classification. Although many mushrooms resemble culinary mushrooms sold in supermarkets, some are very poisonous.

References

• Made Manual; How to Harvest Mushroom Spores; Kelley Walker Perry
• Cornell University; Growing Gourmet Mushrooms from A to Z!; Bob Beyfuss; June 1999
• "Botanica's Gardening Encyclopedia"; Susan Page; 2001

Resources

• American Mushroom Institute: Growing Mushrooms