Manual: Lion's Mane Grow Kit

  1. Introduction:

    Lion's mane (Hericium Erinaceus) is a delicious and healthy mushroom with a unique flavour and texture. This manual helps you to grow lion's mane successfully with our grow kit.

  2. Contents of the grow kit:

    The grow kit contains substrate made of Master's Mix, a combination of soy hulls and hardwood. The lion's mane mycelium is already present in the substrate, it just needs a little time to become visible.

  3. What you need:

    Besides the grow kit you need a plant sprayer and/or a damp cloth. Once the cuts have been made, we recommend spraying daily until mushrooms start to grow.

  4. Preparation:

    Take the grow kit out of the box. The lion's mane mycelium often needs a few days to recover from the journey. Fold the bag back up as shown in the image below:
    lion's mane - hericium erinaceus - manual - SamZwam

    This way the mycelium can breathe again and complete the last part of the colonisation.


    As soon as you see small white balls appearing on the substrate (mini lion's manes), it is time to make the cuts. Make two cuts of about 5 cm in the block, preferably at the places of the black lines in the photo below. Then fold the grow kit closed again as it was on arrival. You can use the enclosed elastic band for this. Fold the white filter inwards and/or cover it with a piece of tape. That way you prevent the mushrooms from trying to grow out through the filter.

    Place the grow kit on a clean surface. By putting the grow kit on a damp cloth on a plate, you increase the humidity in the immediate surroundings. Make sure that the place where you put the grow kit is free of draughts.

    Lion's mane manual. Making the cuts

  5. Care and maintenance:

    Lion's mane needs high humidity and enough oxygen to grow well. Ideally the humidity should be around 70-80%, but our strain has been selected to grow well at lower humidity as well. Keep the temperature between 14-22 °C for optimal growth. Usually a wet towel under the grow kit is enough to raise the humidity sufficiently. If you also spray, make sure that you do not spray on the mushrooms.

  6. Harvesting:

    The right moment to harvest lion's mane is when the spores have not been released yet. This is usually when the 'manes', that is the tooth-like structures of the mushroom, have reached their maximum length and before they start to discolour or shrivel. The mushroom then still has a bright white colour. You can carefully pull the lion's mane off the substrate. Try to leave as few remains as possible on the substrate. You can expect two harvests from this grow kit, of which the first is the biggest. With some luck a small third harvest may follow, but by then the grow kit will be almost completely exhausted. Between the harvests, provide enough moisture to stimulate a second growth.

  7. Storing:

    Keep the harvested lion's mane in a paper bag in the fridge. It stays fresh for about a week, but check it regularly for signs of spoilage such as discolouration or an unpleasant smell.

  8. Recipe suggestions:

    Lion's mane is versatile and tasty in a variety of dishes. Try lion's mane crab cakes, for example, a delicious and unique way to enjoy this mushroom.

Good luck growing your lion's mane! If you have questions or problems, send a photo to 0630615633 for help and support.