Grow Turkey Tail Mushrooms: A Beginner’s Guide

• Informal
• Enthusiastic

Hey there, fellow fungi fanatics! Ever been mesmerized by the vibrant, fan-like beauty of Turkey Tail mushrooms and thought, “I NEED to grow that!”? Well, guess what? You totally can! Medicinal use of Turkey Tail mushrooms is well-documented, and you can cultivate your own supply. The Stamets family knows a thing or two about the magical world of mushrooms! Many choose to grow turkey tail mushrooms on hardwood logs, a traditional and effective method. So, are you ready to learn how to grow turkey tail mushrooms and start your very own fungi adventure at home? Let’s get growing!

Let’s Grow Some Turkey Tail Mushrooms!

So, you’re ready to dive into the wonderful world of growing turkey tail mushrooms? Awesome! This guide is designed just for you, a complete beginner, to learn how to grow turkey tail mushrooms. We’ll break down everything step-by-step, making it super easy and fun. Trust me, even if you’ve never grown anything before, you can totally do this!

• First things first: What *is* Turkey Tail? A quick intro for the uninitiated. Briefly explain what turkey tail is (a medicinal mushroom, its appearance, its benefits). This sets the stage for why someone would *want* to grow them in the first place.

Step 1: Gathering Your Supplies – The Turkey Tail Toolkit

Okay, before we get our hands dirty, let’s make sure we have all the right tools. Think of it as preparing for a fun science experiment! Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Turkey Tail Spawn: This is the “seed” of your mushroom! You can buy it online from reputable mushroom suppliers. Make sure you choose a reliable source to guarantee healthy spawn.
2. Substrate: The food for your mushrooms! A hardwood substrate like hardwood sawdust pellets (HWFP) is ideal.
3. Sterile Bags or Jars: You’ll need something to grow your mushrooms in. Special mushroom grow bags with filter patches are great because they allow air exchange while keeping contaminants out. Jars work too!
4. Sterilization Equipment: A pressure cooker is key. This eliminates competing molds and bacteria, giving your turkey tail a clean start. You *really* need this for successful growing.
5. Clean Work Environment: A clean space, like a still-air box (SAB) or even a thoroughly cleaned room, is crucial for preventing contamination. Think “hospital clean” when prepping!
6. Optional but Helpful: Isopropyl alcohol (70%), gloves, a face mask, and a spray bottle.

Step 2: Preparing the Substrate – Turkey Tail Chow Time!

Now, let’s get that substrate ready! Think of it as cooking dinner for your future mushrooms.

• Hydrating the Substrate: Follow the instructions that come with your HWFP. Usually, this involves adding water until the pellets are fully expanded and the substrate has the correct moisture content (squeeze a handful – it should feel damp, not soaking wet).
• Bagging/Jarring the Substrate: Fill your sterile bags or jars with the hydrated substrate. Don’t pack it too tightly; leave some room for air circulation.

Step 3: Sterilization – Killing the Bad Guys

This is the most important part! Sterilization gets rid of any unwanted bacteria or mold that might compete with your turkey tail. It’s like hitting the “reset” button for a clean growing environment.

1. Pressure Cooking: Place your filled bags or jars in the pressure cooker. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your pressure cooker, but typically, you’ll want to sterilize for 90 minutes at 15 PSI.
2. Cooling Down: Let the pressure cooker cool completely before opening it. Patience is key!

Step 4: Inoculation – Planting the Seeds

Time to introduce the turkey tail spawn to the sterilized substrate! This is where the magic begins. This needs to be done in a very clean environment to prevent contamination.

• Cleanliness is Key: Work in your SAB or thoroughly cleaned space. Sanitize your hands and any tools you’ll be using with isopropyl alcohol.
• Adding the Spawn: Carefully introduce the turkey tail spawn to the substrate. The amount you add will depend on the instructions provided by your spawn supplier. A good rule of thumb is around 5-10% spawn by weight of the substrate.
• Sealing the Bag/Jar: Seal your bag with a heat sealer (if using bags) or secure the lid on your jar with a filter patch.

Step 5: Incubation – Letting the Magic Happen

Now we play the waiting game! The spawn needs time to colonize the substrate. This means the mycelium (the “roots” of the mushroom) will spread throughout the substrate, feeding and growing.

Incubation Environment:

Factor	Ideal Conditions
Temperature	70-75°F (21-24°C)
Light	Darkness is best!
Airflow	Minimal; avoid direct drafts

• Patience, Grasshopper: It can take several weeks for the mycelium to fully colonize the substrate. You’ll see a white, fuzzy growth spreading throughout the bag or jar.
• Keep an Eye Out: Check regularly for any signs of contamination (green, black, or other colors that aren’t white). If you see contamination, it’s best to discard the bag/jar to prevent it from spreading.

Step 6: Fruiting – Time for Turkey Tails!

Once the substrate is fully colonized, it’s time to introduce fruiting conditions! This is when your turkey tails will start to form.

• Fruiting Environment: Turkey tails need specific conditions to fruit. They need fresh air exchange, high humidity, and a bit of light.

Fruiting Parameters:

Factor	Ideal Conditions
Temperature	65-75°F (18-24°C)
Humidity	85-95%
Light	Indirect light (like a shaded windowsill)
Airflow	Fresh air exchange is crucial! A small fan on a timer can help.

• Creating a Fruiting Chamber: You can create a simple fruiting chamber using a plastic tub with holes drilled in it, lined with perlite. Misting regularly helps maintain high humidity.
• Initiating Pinning: To trigger pinning (the formation of baby mushrooms), you can sometimes “cold shock” the substrate by placing it in the refrigerator for 24 hours before moving it to the fruiting chamber.
• Watch Them Grow! Turkey tails will start as small “pins” and gradually grow into their characteristic fan-like shape.

Step 7: Harvesting – Time to Enjoy!

When the turkey tails have reached a good size (usually a few inches across) and the edges are still slightly curled, it’s time to harvest! Woohoo!

• Harvesting Technique: Simply twist and pull the mushrooms off the substrate. Be gentle to avoid damaging the remaining mycelium.
• Multiple Flushes: You can often get multiple “flushes” of mushrooms from a single substrate block. After harvesting, soak the block in water for a few hours to rehydrate it, and then put it back in the fruiting chamber.

And there you have it! You’ve successfully grown your own turkey tail mushrooms! Enjoy the fruits (or rather, the fungi) of your labor!

So, there you have it! Growing turkey tail mushrooms might seem a little daunting at first, but with a bit of patience and these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to harvesting your own medicinal mushrooms. Now get out there and give growing turkey tail mushrooms a try – your health (and your curiosity!) will thank you.