Customer Reviews

The Shiitake Mushroom Kit - Indoor Mushroom Growing Kit - Grow Edible Mushrooms & Fungi. Easy & Fun Mush Room Garden Patch Grow Kits

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've purchased a similar mushroom log in the past. This one is much larger, producing a bounty of mushrooms very quickly. One recommendation: After the first step of submerging the log in water for about 10 hours, you may want to put it in the basement for a few days. There is a ripe, musty odor in the first few days. The mushrooms grew much faster than the instructions predicted. No odors after the first few days. For me, it was a good way to "garden" during a cold New England winter.

I've had a ton of fun with this mushroom log. I was intimidated by the negative reviews on Amazon, but these mushrooms honestly have been growing really for me. I've never gardened before, and I've had potted bamboo plants die on me, so I'm amazed that this patch is doing really well. Two weeks after receiving the package, I have eight 4-5 inch sprouts all over the log, and some more smaller ones.

This really surprises me, because due to my work schedule I'm not able to water the mushrooms "several times a day," as the detailed instruction booklet advises. I usually end up watering them only at night. And yet, here I am with fantastic results!

My one complaint is that I wish the instruction booklet had more pictures of different stages in the growing process. The booklet has a picture of the "beginning stage" of growing, and a picture of the fully matured shrooms, but I think it should have some better pictures of how the log should look before you dunk it in cold water, before you remove it from cold temperatures, etc.

Either way, this has been really fun! I'm looking into growing more shrooms later, and I'll probably upload a picture when I'm ready to pick them.

EDIT: Also, a comment about fridges. If you have a dorm size fridge, you might not be able to grow this item. You have to refrigerate the log for a couple of days. I could do this EASILY in my regular, kitchen-size fridge, but I don't think I would have had room to do this in a dorm-size fridge that was also holding sandwiches, drinks, etc.

Followed the directions but only got 1 mushroom to sprout. to the company's credit, it was indeed a really fantastic mushroom, certainly the best i have ever eaten, with texture and nuance of flavour that really beat any other. how i wish i could have more of them! Alas, i only got one. On the second flush i was plagued with mold. It seems to be very difficult to get the humidity just right -- too dry and no mushrooms, too wet and you get mold, and there isn't much room between those two states -- if there is any room at all.

My log developed mold spots on it (due to excess humidity?). I wrote to the seller to ask for advice and to see if I could salvage it(at the email address that came with the log) and never heard back. I ended up tossing out the whole thing. A waste of money. :-(

The log did grow a large amount of mushrooms (though, again, inedible because contaminated by mold.)

I had a problem with lack of mushroom production when using this kit. I e-mailed the vendor several times, asking for advice. I have not gotten any help.
VERY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE!!

A mysterious white block about the size of a toaster arrives wet in a bag. After you mist it and cover it for a few weeks it changes colors then sprouts mushrooms over a period of a few days. You can eat these mushrooms knowing they actually lower your cholesterol and have other health benefits.

The project is sure to stimulate the curious to learn about a new kingdom that is neither animal or vegetable.

I am so puzzled by other reviews that are negative.
I have grown Shitakes from their kits for many years and have always been pleased.
Numerous times I have called them, at times for guidance, general questions or occasionally a problem.
Their customer service has always been responsive, helpful and fair.
The instructions enclosed thoroughly cover any of the issues mentioned, otherwise give them a call.
Last kit produced 3 incredible flushes.

We followed the directions to a T, but we certainly didn't get the production they suggest...a few mushrooms, and that was it. The directions were incomplete...didn't suggest things like washing well before handling the medium block... We ended up with mold that weren't mushrooms.

This mushroom kit was, what I thought, a unique gift idea for my son and his girlfriend. After reading mixed reviews, some warning of mold, smells, and no mushroom production, I worried. Confident that my son would enjoy the process however, I sent it anyway (the price was right). Yesterday I recieved, from them, a picture of what I thought looked like a birthday cake COVERED in shitake mushrooms. He laughed at how they will grow two inches overnight! They are now busy looking up recipies so as to enjoy their mushrooms. I am thrilled that this inexpensive,just for fun, Christmas gift was such a hit! I don't know what my son did right, or what other people may have done wrong, but I couldn't be happier with this purchase!

This kit actually worked just like they said it would and it worked well. I just harvested my first flush and I am letting the block rest before I get it going again. lots of fun!