How to bulk up your 1kg of Wine Cap spawn at home.
(Pictures to follow soon)
What You’ll Need:
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Cardboard (corrugated, clean, and unprinted)
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Wood chip or sawdust (preferably wood chip)
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Plastic woven shopping bag (e.g. “bag for life” from a supermarket)
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Wine cap mushroom spawn
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Large plastic bag (e.g. bin bag)
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Water and a container for soaking cardboard
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Plastic spacer (to elevate the bag during incubation)
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Cardboard
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Soak your cardboard in water until it’s fully saturated.
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Allow the cardboard to drain so it’s no longer dripping.
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Peel apart the layers to expose the softer, corrugated section inside.
Step 2: Start Layering in the Woven Bag
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Place a 2 cm layer of wood chip at the bottom of the plastic woven bag.
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Add a the mushroom spawn or strips of cardboard spawn, evenly distribute.
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Lay down strips of the damp corrugated cardboard.
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Add more spawn.
Step 3: Repeat the Layering
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Add another 2 cm layer of wood chip.
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Lay down more strips of corrugated cardboard (enough to mostly cover but not completely smother the wood chip layer).
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Add more spawn.
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Repeat this layering process until the bag is nearly full.
Step 4: Seal and Incubate
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Top the final layer with wood chip.
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Fold over the top of the woven bag loosely. Tape with gaffa tape if necessary.
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Cover the entire bag with the larger plastic bag and tuck the plastic under the bottom of the woven bag, creating a semi-sealed environment.
Step 5: Incubation
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Place the bag on a plastic spacer to allow airflow underneath. Plastic egg trays are ideal but anything that ensures the bottom of the bag isn’t sat flat on a surface
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Store it in a warm, stable environment like an airing cupboard.
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Let it incubate for 3–4 weeks.
Step 6: Repeat the Process
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After the incubation period, you can repeat the process to further expand your spawn if needed.
