How to Care for Your Lion’s Mane Grow Box

The Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) is a unique and fascinating fungus that resembles the mane of a lion, with its white, fluffy appearance. This mushroom is not just a visual treat but also holds various medicinal properties, making it a popular choice for home cultivation. If you’ve decided to grow your own Lion’s Mane, here’s a guide to help you care for your grow box and ensure a successful harvest.

Getting to Know Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

Lion’s Mane mushrooms are native to Asia, Europe, and North America, typically found growing on decaying hardwood trees and logs. These mushrooms can grow to an impressive size, sometimes weighing up to half a kilogram. Their spines, or “teeth,” start off short and become longer as they age. The texture of the mushroom is spongy, and it can sometimes be semi-hollow.

Aside from their striking appearance, Lion’s Mane mushrooms are known for their potential health benefits. These include protecting against dementia, reducing the risk of heart disease, managing diabetes symptoms, and even helping to prevent stomach ulcers.

Is Lion’s Mane Mushroom Easy to Grow?

Lion’s Mane is relatively easy to grow, but it can be challenging for beginners. One of the main challenges is that the mycelium—the fungal network that supports mushroom growth—takes longer to develop compared to other mushrooms. This slower growth increases the risk of contamination.

Pinning and Fruiting Your Mushrooms

Once your grow box arrives, it’s time to encourage your Lion’s Mane mushrooms to grow. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started:

1. Create a Humid Environment: A humidifier is highly recommended for maintaining the ideal environment for your Lion’s Mane mushrooms. Unlike misting with a spray bottle, which can lead to overwatering and potential damage, a humidifier ensures consistent moisture without the risk of waterlogging. Lion’s Mane mushrooms thrive in a humid environment, so using a humidifier is your best bet. If your mushrooms start to turn brown, it's likely due to insufficient humidity, causing them to dry out, or from too much water being applied directly to the mushrooms. 

1. Keep It Cool: For the best results, aim to keep the temperature around 16°C for the early growth stage when small mushrooms start to appear. When the mushrooms are ready to grow larger, raise the temperature slightly to around 18°C.

2. Provide Indirect Light: Place your grow box in a location where it can get about 12 hours of indirect light each day. This can be near a window with filtered sunlight or under a grow light. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can dry out the mushrooms.