Mushroom growing kits. Any good?

[TrickyD]

I came across these via one of the links on here. Has anyone successfully produced a crop?
I thought my vegan DIL might enjoy trying.

My sister got us all mushroom logs one year, all ready done you just left them outside. One ended up with quite a decent crop but the other three never grew anything.

Actually a year or so later ours grew a couple of mushrooms, but by that time we'd lost the info sheet and couldn't decide if they were the right ones so didn't dare eat them.

I did one in lockdown ( in a box, not a log) bit underwhelmed for the price. When I had harvested the mushrooms I emptied out the compost into my veg bed and now get a few popping up but not tempted to eat them, not sure why

A micro greens or sprouting kit might be worth looking at, haven't done it myself so can't recommend any sorry.

Thank you both. The pictures on the advert did look suspiciously optimistic and an expensive way of buying mushrooms.
Back to the drawing board for vegan friendly presents.

We've had ones in the past that glutted so we had mountains of mushrooms for a couple of weeks. The last on we had grew about 2

www.aldi.co.uk/ambiano-led-indoor-garden/p/706709415264900

You could get this for him to grow veg, herbs and micro greens inside over the winter.

That is interesting, mysteryfairy. I will run it past DS1 with a view to getting it for his DP. Thank you.

Ooh I bought one of these kits for DH about 30 years ago , I was just thinking about this the other day .

I cannot remember any mushrooms TBH , but loads of those pesky little bloody flies

I bought a chestnut and an oyster mushroom box in lockdown. I enjoyed growing them (family less impressed) but it would have been significantly cheaper to buy mushrooms from a supermarket. The boxes need to be kept somewhere relatively cool, dark and humid.

I'd buy another one day.

Chilli plants or a herb growing kit might be easier?

I thought this was about magic mushrooms

My Dad loves these. He says the ones in a bag with straw are best (not soil or logs) - he turns over and gets a few crops out of each. He really enjoys doing it and has made some lovely risottos with the results.

I bought one during lockdown for fun. It was the polystyrene box type. It grew loads of mushrooms, except they were all the size of a pinhead so completely useless. It was the third time I've tried. The previous two times they did absolutely nothing.

I have an Aerogarden too, it (and probably other similar products) work well and are fun. I mainly use over winter when fresh herbs etc are not growing well outdoors.

I was sufficiently excited to take a photo of my pink oysters. I think I managed to get 2 or 3 crops from the box.

Those are excellent, Madcats, I am tempted. Where did you get the kit from, please?

I ordered by post from Merryhill Mushrooms (in Sussex). I think they were also on Amazon.

www.merryhill-mushrooms.co.uk

They were really helpful by email when one of mine didn't seem to be growing (too dry and light).

Check carefully when you should order if it is going to be a present.

Thanks Madcats. Yes, I see that delivery time is important. Definitely worth a go.

I've never had any luck with mushroom kits.

If you want a present your DIL can grow, Plant Theatre have good gift sets of unusual seeds that have everything you need to get started, including pots etc. They have 2 sets for cocktail making, edible flowers, funky vegetables, psychedelic salad to name but a few.

www.plant-theatre.co.uk/seed-kits.html

I’ve done them, really enjoyed it, though not a cost effective way to get mushrooms!

It’s only going to work if you actually have somewhere the right temperature. I failed with the first one I did because my house was too cold.