If your mushroom block seems dry and hasn't produced any mushrooms yet, try using a humidity tent. Take a trash bag or other large loose bag and cut lots of ½” holes throughout - mushrooms need fresh air to form correctly! Drape the bag over your block and mist the inside of the bag every day. When you start to see baby mushrooms form (pinning), you can remove the bag and keep misting the block.
If your block still seems dry using the humidity tent or if your block has produced once or twice and dried out in between, you can give it a boost by soaking it in some water. Take your bag out of the box and let it soak, cut side down, in a bowl of water for 20 minutes for oysters. Let a lion's mane kit soak for 5-10 minutes and keep an eye on it, the mycelium of these mushrooms tends to be more delicate so soaking for too long can result in your block disintegrating. After soaking, drain off any excess water from the block by leaving it cut side down for another 10 minutes, or tipping it around to pour off any pools. You don't want standing water in your bag. Pat the block dry before putting it back in the box. Mist as you would 2-3 times per day, a little extra if you live in an arid or dry climate.
Is tap water bad for mushrooms? If you live in an area where it is safe to drink tap water, it’s totally fine to use tap water for your mushrooms. Many municipalities add chlorine or chlorine compounds to drinking water to kill microbes and prevent disease. These compounds may inhibit mushroom growth to some degree, but the concentration in drinking water is low enough that we aren't concerned about it.
If you'd like to avoid using chlorinated water, you can leave your water out and exposed to air for 24 hours. This allows the chlorine to evaporate. If you use a filter for your water, you can certainly give your fungi filtered water as well!
How much should I water my kit? You don’t need to empty the bottle each time you spray, but it is important to get the area where you cut open the bag nice and damp! It can take a little trial and error to get the frequency and amount just right. If the surface of the block seems very dry the next time you spray it, you should give it a bit more water or water a bit more often. If you run AC or live in an arid climate, using a humidity tent can be useful to prevent your block from drying out. Find the instructions below.
How do I make a humidity tent? We recommend using a humidity tent in dry conditions, when blocks have been broken up, or if you can’t water your block one day. It creates a moist microclimate that your block should thrive in. Take a trash bag or other loose-fitting plastic bag and put plenty of 1/2 inch holes in it. Your mushrooms need to breathe! Drape the bag over your kit and mist the inside of the tent or the slice on your block at least once per day. When you start to see baby mushrooms form (pinning), you can remove the bag and keep misting the block.