Our Gardening Expert Tried the Back-to-the-Roots Mushroom Grow Kits; Here's Her Honest Opinion

Tested by Lynn Coulter

I'm always looking for something new to grow. Years ago, I tried oyster mushrooms, but they didn’t quite work and I don't know why. Maybe the substrate wasn't prepared quite right, perhaps the air in my house was too dry, or the temperature was wrong, or perhaps there was some other fungus-growing secret I didn't know. Then I had an opportunity to try mushroom grow kits that promised I’d experience “the magic of gardening.” How can anyone pass that up?

Back-to-the-Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kits come in single, double and triple packs. I tested the double pack, which included pearl oysters and pink oyster mushrooms. This two-pack often sells out, but you can buy these types of mushrooms individually or in a three-pack combination. My kit came neatly packaged in sturdy cardboard boxes that were labeled 100% USDA-certified organic and non-GMO.

Set Up and Instructions

Setting up the kits was a snap. Each one had all the supplies I needed for the gourmet mushrooms: a block of substrate sealed in a plastic bag, a small spray bottle to fill with water and an instruction booklet. A substrate is what the mushrooms grow on — the growing medium — and it provides them with support, nutrients and moisture. The organic substrate in my kits was made from upcycled agricultural materials like wheat bran, corn cobs and sawdust, and it was pre-inoculated with dormant mushroom spawn. (Don't worry. You don't need to know all this technical stuff; it's just what comes in the kits.)

The instructions were clear and easy to follow. First, I removed the perforated flap on the front of each box. A plastic bag in each box held a block of substrate, and I left the bags in the boxes, as directed. I used a pocketknife to cut an X into each bag. I could’ve used scissors, which might have been better if I'd been doing this with a child.

Each substrate block was covered with a layer of something that looked like white mold; this was the mycelium. Next, I lightly scraped the white layer with a plastic fork. Then I took the bags out of the boxes and pulled the flaps back — the flaps are not supposed to be removed — and put each bag face down in a bowl of water. The directions said to leave them there for six to 10 hours or overnight. I made sure the flaps were pulled back so the substrate could soak up plenty of water.

How the Grow Kit Works

Scraping the white layer and soaking the substrate “wakes up” the dormant spawn so the mushrooms can start to grow. It’s okay, the instructions said, if the box floats or some of the substrate falls off in the bowl. After the bags soaked overnight, I took them out of the water and shook off the excess. I put them back in the boxes and placed them in a spot near, but facing away from a window. Per the instructions, that's ideal. Oyster mushrooms need indirect light to grow.

The mushrooms were supposed to start growing within a week. First, I watched for "pinning." That's when tiny structures shaped like bowling pins pop up on the scraped part of the substrate. They’re basically baby mushrooms. While I waited for the pinning to commence, I followed the directions and lifted the plastic flaps on each box twice a day. Then I used the spray bottle to mist the substrate with seven or eight sprays each time. The pink oyster mushrooms appeared within a week, as the booklet indicated. The pearl oysters took almost two weeks to develop pins, but in just two more days, they grew into big caps.

When and How to Harvest the Mushrooms

After about seven days, the directions say you can experiment with your mushrooms by leaving your box where it is or moving it around to see how different conditions affect their growth. Warmer temperatures should make them grow faster and become lighter in color; cooler temperatures should slow their growth and make them darker. I didn't move my kits. I grew them with my windows open, while my furnace and air conditioner weren't running, so the temperature in my home was pretty stable.

If I’d grown my mushrooms in a cabinet or closet with no air flow, the instructions said they’d become thin and lanky, while normal air flow would produce big caps. My kits were on a kitchen counter, where the air flow could be considered normal.

The colors of the mushrooms are supposed to become more vibrant in a spot with more light and duller in less light. I did observe color changes. When I put one kit closer to a window (but still facing away from it), the pink oysters turned bright pink. I gave the green kit less light and the mushrooms in that box started out light gray and got darker.

Again, the pink kit started producing small to medium-sized mushrooms within 7 days of soaking the substrate. The green kit with the pearl oysters took almost two weeks to start pinning. The Back-to-the-Roots (BTR) website says it's nearly impossible to overwater the substrate, so, in case it had gotten too dry, I took the bag of pearl oysters out of the box on the eighth day after I started it. I soaked it face down again in a bowl of water for several hours. The pearl oyster pins finally popped up on the ninth day. I was amazed to see how big they were when they first changed from pins to caps and the caps nearly doubled in size on the day after that.

I harvested the pink oysters on day 8 because they didn't seem to be getting any bigger and seemed to be drying out. The pearl oyster caps quickly flattened out. BTR recommends harvesting them when the caps become flat and turn light brown, when they no longer double in size every day or when a brown ring forms around the edges of the caps.

I harvested my pearls when I saw the brown rings on the 10th day, but mine looked more gray than brown. If you wait too long to harvest, the directions say the mushrooms will dry out, turn concave and start dropping spores. I harvested both types of my mushrooms by gently twisting and pulling them away from the substrate. The instructions said not to leave any pieces on it.

While the website says each kit is different, my kits produced one cup of small to medium-sized pink oysters and 2 cups of big pearl oysters. BTR says you'll get one or two servings from each kit. If you don't, you can send them a picture and they'll try to diagnose what's happening. If your kit doesn't grow as described, the BTR website says they'll replace it free of charge.

How The Mushrooms Tasted

The instructions are to wash and cook the mushrooms before you eat them, or store them in a dry, airtight container in the refrigerator and use them within a week.

The pearl oysters had a mild flavor and velvety texture. I liked them, but found the pink ones a little bland. I sauteed my pinks and cooked the pearls in a stir-fry recipe, but you can also roast them or cook them in soups, stews and other dishes. They're delicate, so handle them carefully to avoid breaking them.

What I Liked About the Mushroom Grow Kit

I really enjoyed using these kits, but the BTR website strongly recommends washing the mushrooms and cooking them before eating them. I was disappointed there was no mention of eating them raw, because I like them in salads, but I cooked mine to be on the safe side.

I appreciate how BTR helps schools by donating a kit and STEM curriculum to an elementary school classroom — you can choose which one — as long as you share a picture of growing your mushrooms on social media.

I also like that you can compost the grow kit after harvesting. Break the substrate block into small pieces and add it to your compost pile or garden soil. It contains nutrients, so it can improve the soil's fertility. As an alternative, bury the block in a shady spot in your yard and wait to see if more mushrooms grow. After you remove the substrate block, you can even compost the cardboard box it came in.

What I Didn't Like About the Mushroom Grow Kit

I wish I'd gotten a second harvest, but the kit says different growing conditions — for example, a dry climate — can affect your results. However, I'd definitely grow another kit for fun, or to encourage kids' enthusiasm for trying new foods and gardening in general.

BTR says you can usually get a second harvest if you keep your kit in a cool, dark, dry place until you’re ready to try growing again. Then, as before, take the plastic bag of substrate out of the box. Turn it over and cut an X on the other side. Scrape away some of the white layer, put the bag back in the box with the new X facing the opening (where you removed the perforated panel) and soak it as before, using more water this time. Mist the substrate twice a day with 7 or 8 sprays each time. You may need to keep watering for 2 to 3 weeks before you see any additional growth, and subsequent crops are usually smaller than the first, according to BTR. The company says some users have gotten up to five harvests from their kits. Neither of my kits produced any mushrooms after the first harvest.

Who Should Buy an Organic Mushroom Grow Kit

Anyone can use and enjoy these kits. You don't need a green thumb or gardening experience. They'd be great for teachers and homeschooling parents who could use them to help kids learn about fungi and see how different light and moisture levels affect growth. Photographing the daily size and color changes is also fun. BTR offers a free, downloadable curriculum so kids can learn about the science behind these fungi.

These relatively inexpensive kits would make nice gifts. Longtime gardeners could enjoy the novelty of growing them, or someone who is shut-in or just wants to do some kind of gardening in winter.

Other Mushroom Kits to Try

There are many different kinds of mushroom growing kits with a variety of species, including lion's mane, Shitake, Nameko, Pioppini, cinnamon cap, backyard morel and blue, pink or golden oysters. They're available in all-in-one grow bags and kits, as well as in outdoor log kits and other forms. Different kinds of mushrooms require different growing conditions and care, and some are more challenging than others, so read about them before you buy.

Why You Should Trust Our Tester

Lynn Coulter has been testing products and writing reviews for over a decade. She’s reviewed everything from garden tools and accessories to apparel, travel gear, “green” consumer products, lawn fertilizers, pet gear, packaged foods and camping equipment. Her reviews have appeared in print and digital publications such as US Airways Magazine, Fodor’s, HGTV, Food Network and The Home Depot. She also writes about homes and gardens, travel, lifestyles and more.

Why You Should Trust HGTV Shopping Experts

HGTV Shopping Experts believe the best method for testing products is based on how our fans will use them in the real world. In each of our Tested and Reviewed stories, products are not tested in sterile laboratory settings that don't mimic real life. Instead, we test products in real homes that reflect our readers' real lives, which may also include pets, kids, partners and more. We follow rigorous testing rubrics designed by our expert editors and take copious notes during the testing process. When choosing our top picks, we evaluate all of our testing data and take into consideration many factors, including ease of use, price, product availability and practicality. Our goal is to choose the best products for our fans.