The Mushroom Cultivator: A Practical Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home

by Paul Stamets, J. Chilton

The book you are about to read is a milestone in the new awareness of mushrooms. The Mushroom Cultivator by Paul Stamets and J.S. Chilton is easily the best source of information on growing mushrooms at home. The authors demystify the art of mushroom cultivation and put mastery of it within everyone's reach. If you have been searching for information on this topic, you will find it to be all that you have been looking for. Includes detailed growth requirements for 15 mushroom species, sterile culture and mushroom spawn preparation techniques, procedures for strain selection and development, practical preparation methods for compost and bulk substrates, the mushroom life cycle and mushroom genetics, identification of the major competitor molds, pathogens and pests, and guidelines for the construction of mushroom growing rooms.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Nature, Health, Science, Reference, Agriculture

415 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1983

About the author

Stamets is on the editorial board of The International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, and is an advisor to the Program for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Medical School, Tucson, Arizona. He is active in researching the medicinal properties of mushrooms,[2] and is involved in two NIH-funded clinical studies on cancer and HIV treatments using mushrooms as adjunct therapies. Having filed numerous patents on the antiviral, pesticidal, and remediative properties of mushroom mycelia, his work has been called pioneering and visionary.[3] A strong advocate of preserving biodiversity, Stamets supports research into the role of mushrooms for ecological restoration.

The author of numerous books and papers on the subject of mushroom identification and cultivation, Stamets has discovered four new species of mushrooms. He is an advocate of the permaculture system of growing, and considers fungiculture a valuable but underutilized aspect of permaculture. He is also a leading researcher into the use of mushrooms in bioremediation, processes he terms mycoremediation and mycofiltration.

Stamets was the recipient of the "Bioneers Award" from The Collective Heritage Institute in 1998,[4] as well as the "Founder of a New Northwest Award" from the Pacific Rim Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils in 1999. He was also named one of Utne Reader's "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World" in their November–December 2008 issue. In February 2010, Paul received the President's Award from the Society for Ecological Restoration: Northwest Chapter, in recognition of his contributions to Ecological Restoration. His work was featured in the documentary film The 11th Hour.[5] He has also been featured in the eco-documentary films Dirt (film)[6] and 2012, Time for a Change (film).[7]

In 2008, he delivered a TED talk: "Paul Stamets on 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World".

Reviews

[Phillip]

An incredible book. Meticulous, informative, and literally the best book on mushroom cultivation out there. Stamets focuses on commercial mushroom production, but it is clear that one can adapt many of his methods to cultivating edible mushrooms in one's home. Highly recommended. If you take the time to read through and study the book carefully, you're guaranteed to come out with some very impressive knowledge about fungi and how to grow them. Stamets enthusiasm for mushrooms is infectious, and like the mycelia of mushrooms colonizing a substrate, it's sure to colonize your thoughts!

[Terry]

It's unfortunately out of date, in not covering the revolutionary PF Tech method of small-scale mushroom culture. But there's still a wealth of great information. One author is an expert in edible food mushroom growing, and the other in hallucinogenic Psilocybes! This turns out to be a very real and interesting mix of cultures in the mushroom culture community.

[Traci]

way more than i ever wanted to know about the science of cultivating mushrooms. TMI!

[Marianna Monaco]

a quick look shows me that growing mushrooms without a sterile and temp controlled room is complicated
I'll take another look in the future

[Kami]

Holy mushroom guide batman. Sooo technical. Way over my head and interest level.

[Ashanan]

This book was way more technical than I had anticipated, but still an interesting read.

[mono]

α - found out about Stamets from Joe Rogan podcast

Ω - This is aimed at home business level rather than towards a diy-er.

⇝ - The OG Pf Tek that another reviewer mentions. Updated Pf Tek

[Lance]

Technical, comprehensive guide on mushroom cultivation. The only fault I find is the age of the information. Doesn't include newer methods that have been developed for small scale growers in the past 20 years, but all of the info in this book is still viable!

[Sam]

Very heavy on the technical stuff. Great if you're going to grow mushrooms. Obviously being published in 1983 a lot of the information has been improve upon, but things such as the troubleshooting and contaminant identification/treatment sections are still very useful in mushroom cultivation.

[Marc]

Excellent book although some chapters are highly technical and oriented towards expert mycologists.

[Dale]

He’s the authority

I’m to lazy to grow mushrooms

[Akshdeep Sandhu]

reviewNone

[Chandler King]

I wholeheartedly and absolutely agree with Dr. Weil’s assessment.

[Carol Collins]

1983

[Steve]

mycology classic

[Fred]

See above.

[Liz]

Everything you always wanted to know about growing mushrooms but were afraid to ask.

[Preston]

Very cool practical science.

[Clivemichael]

Highly technical, detailed and authoritative handbook. Once I understood the process it becomes quite accessible. Excellent reference

[PRI Cold]

TDF one copy

[Mark]

Good fundamentals, but somewhat outdated.

[Martin Coetsee]

Must have book if you are serious about growing mushrooms.