Growing Lion’s Mane mushrooms is relatively easy and the finished product is delicious.
These can be baked, breaded, fried, and dipped in garlic butter.
They are also a popular ingredient in gourmet coffee.
So, how do you harvest it, and when is the right time to harvest Lion’s Mane mushrooms?
Lion’s mane mushrooms are harvested one year after they are inoculated. Unlike shiitake mushrooms, which are cultivated and bred for specific traits, lion’s mane mushrooms require artificially forced fruiting.
How to Harvest Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Here are a few tips on how to harvest Lion’s Manes:
The logs should be placed in a shady spot outdoors and exposed to natural rainfall. When the fruit in the fall, harvest them and enjoy!
Grow Lion’s Mane Mushroom in a Moist Area
To cultivate lion’s mane mushrooms, simply plant them in a moist area, such as in a greenhouse. If you have a plastic crate or a mini-greenhouse, you can use the block or crate to create a moisture-controlled micro-climate.
To increase humidity, mist the walls of the greenhouse. If the mushroom starts to turn yellow, move it to a different location or give it a soak.
Young Lion’s Mane mushrooms have few spines. They are smooth when young but become dense and pin-shaped once they are mature.
Method of Harvesting Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Harvesting Lion’s Mane mushroom is easy and rewarding!
Just twist off the fruiting body with a knife or use your fingers. Once the fruiting body is white and the stems are brown, you can safely store them in a plastic bag.
Harvesting lion’s mane mushrooms is a process that requires patience and a little experience. If you’re a new grower, it may take several years to see fruit.
When Does Lion’s Mane Mature?
If you’re an experienced home grower, you should see the fruiting cycle within seven to 10 days of propagation. Then, simply wait until they are fully developed. Once they have reached this stage, the mushrooms will be waterlogged, dull, and less appealing.
To harvest lion’s mane mushrooms, you’ll need a small greenhouse or fruiting chamber for them to grow in.
A mini-greenhouse or a large plastic crate will make a good fruiting chamber. If you’re not a professional grower, you can make your own shotgun fruiting chambers using perlite and a plastic crate.
The plugs can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months. If they are picked prematurely, they will yellow and degrade.
How Big Does Lion’s Mane Get?
The best time to harvest lion’s mane mushrooms is in the spring and early summer. They grow on dead or dying trees and can reach up to 40 feet high.
If you are growing lion’s mane mushrooms, place them in a fruiting chamber with an adequate amount of moisture. If you’re using a large plastic crate for the fruiting chamber, it’s best to start them in the fall.
How to Harvest and Store a Lion’s Mane Mushroom
When you’re growing Lion’s Mane mushrooms, there are a few things you need to do to harvest and store them properly.
Harvest Lion’s Mane When It’s “all” White
First of all, you want to ensure that they’re mostly white. If they’re pink or brown, they haven’t matured enough to be tasty yet. You should also cut off the fruiting body at the base of the mushroom, leaving it behind for the next flush.
When you’re finished, place the harvested plugs in a bag of organic cotton and store them in the fridge. If they’re still green, leave them on the log to ensure that they’re not damaged or bruised.
Get a Jar or Empty Aquarium for Storage
The process to harvest lion’s mane mushrooms is very similar to growing any other type of mushroom.
You’ll need a jar or an empty aquarium, and mist the mane with water from a spray bottle. You should pick them before they start to turn brown, and you’ll need to wait until they’re dense enough to see the teeth clearly.
You can harvest the blocks by hand, or you can use a knife.
Once you’ve harvested the mushroom, you’ll need to store it properly. You can either place it in a bucket or an empty aquarium and then mist it with water with a spray bottle. It’s best to harvest lion’s mane blocks as soon as they become clear and have their teeth an X-shape.
After you’ve harvested them, you’ll want to remove the blocks. Make sure not to cut the stems, or you’ll risk damaging the spine.
Once you’ve harvested the blocks, place them in a bucket or empty aquarium. The log should be dry and the blocks will remain fresh for several weeks.
Also, to store them, place them in a zip-top bag and store in the refrigerator. They can be kept for up to two weeks. You should not eat them for at least a month, but don’t let the manes dry out.
Once the blocks have dried, mist the entire area with water from a spray bottle. If you’re harvesting the blocks, they need to be kept in a humid environment for a long period of time. If the soil is too dry, the mushrooms will turn yellow and fall apart.
You can harvest the blocks of a lion’s mane by cutting it in an X-shape. Unlike other mushrooms, the mane grows in straight lines. Then, you need to store it in a container. You should keep it in a cold place in order to keep it fresh.
Afterward, you should carefully place it back in its favorite growing area.
You should use a spray bottle to mist the mane with water to keep the blocks fresh. To store the blocks, you should avoid soaking them in water for long periods. The mane’s block should be placed in a cold place and kept away from sunlight. It should stay fresh for at least 2 weeks.
Storing Harvested Mushroom in Refrigerator
You can also store the mushrooms in the refrigerator. You can also store the mushrooms on logs as well.
Once you’ve collected a lion’s mane, you can prepare the rest of the mushroom. The fungus will grow on a log and will not spoil.
However, you can’t store it in the freezer.
Conclusion
Growing, tending, and harvesting lion’s mane mushrooms can be fun. Once harvested, you should keep it in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. You can store lion’s mane in a bag in a refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Place the dried blocks in a plastic bag or an empty aquarium.
Once the lion’s mane has developed clear teeth, you can harvest it. You can store it in any way you want.