Grow on supplemented sawdust fruiting blocks

Supplemented hardwood sawdust blocks are the standard commercial method for lion's mane and produce the largest, densest fruiting bodies. The substrate is sterilized (not just pasteurized) because the added nutrition attracts contaminants.

Steps

1. Prepare substrate: Mix hardwood sawdust (or hardwood fuel pellets soaked in water) with wheat bran at a 5:1 ratio by weight. Hydrate to 60-65% moisture — a squeezed handful should release a few drops of water.
2. Bag and sterilize: Pack 5 lbs of substrate into autoclavable grow bags with filter patches. Sterilize at 15 PSI for 2.5 hours in a pressure cooker or pressure canner.
3. Cool and inoculate: Let bags cool to room temperature (12-24 hours) in a clean space. Open each bag and mix in 1/2-1 lb of lion's mane grain spawn. Seal the bag.
4. Incubate 14-21 days at 65-75°F in the dark. The mycelium is white and wispy, slower than oyster but steady.
5. Fruit: When fully colonized, cut a 3-inch X in the bag. Place in a humid spot (85-95% humidity) with indirect light and fresh air. A single large fruiting body forms at the opening in 7-10 days.
6. Harvest: Cut when the spines (teeth) are 1/4-1/2 inch long and before they yellow. Each block produces 1-2 lbs across 2-3 flushes.

Tips

• Lion's mane is more sensitive to CO2 than oysters — good fresh air exchange is critical or you get coral-like growth instead of a solid pom-pom
• A simple shotgun fruiting chamber (plastic tub with holes) works well for 1-4 blocks
• Sterilization is non-negotiable for supplemented substrates — pasteurization will result in contamination