As any mushroom cultivator can attest, there are various substrates out there which can be used for cultivating magic mushrooms – logs, wood chips, enriched sawdust and straw are just a few options out there that can help cultivate magic mushrooms. Some varieties like Reishi and Maitake tend to prefer wood-based substrates over others like Oyster mushrooms which will grow on almost anything.

Coco coir and vermiculite is an extremely popular substrate choice among magic mushroom growers. This combination consists of coconut fiber (the outer shell and husks of coconuts) mixed with vermiculite, an expanding mineral heat treated and expanded for water retention purposes. As this mix doesn’t provide sufficient nutrition to plants, extra nutrients should be added prior to adding mushroom spores.

Tea waste can serve as an inexpensive, organic substrate to cultivate Pleurotus ostreatus oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus). Tea leaves contain cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin as well as some residual nutrients – an ideal food source for these mushrooms; however, their success in fruiting depends on a number of factors including tea type, moisture level and contamination risk.

Studies by the Society of Chemical Industry suggest that waste tea leaves could provide an economical and eco-friendly alternative to expensive organic substrates such as sphagnum peat moss, wood slats and composted manure. Researchers tested various substrate formulations involving different ratios of tea waste, sphagnum peat moss and rice straw (RS). When adding WTL as substrate compared with only using RS in control group experiments, oyster mushroom growth significantly increased with WTL added as well as increased yield and bioefficiency during cultivation efforts.

Mushrooms can also be grown using other organic substrates like hay, straw, sawdust and wood pellets as growing media for mushroom spawn. But it is essential that these materials first undergo pasteurization or sterilization processes so as not to host competing microorganisms that might inhibit proper mushroom spawn development. This step kills off competing microorganisms while assuring that contaminants don’t compromise your substrate in any way.

Note that not all substrates are suitable for all mushroom strains; certain magic mushroom strains such as those containing psilocybin-containing psychedelic mushrooms require one low in nitrogen levels. Other types, like oyster mushrooms, will thrive best with an abundant substrate rich in nitrogen – it is therefore essential that research be conducted into what will make an optimal environment before beginning cultivation of individual strains. As mushroom cultivation can be both time and labour intensive, many opt to buy pre-prepared mushroom substrate. This makes the process faster and simpler – you can find all kinds of mushroom substrate for sale online if this option suits you better than making your own substrate yourself; preparing it yourself can be rewarding – not to mention useful way of recycling unwanted agricultural waste products!