⬇️ Prefer to listen instead? ⬇️
- 🍄 Mycelium does not require complete darkness during incubation. This is what current fungal biology research shows.
- 🌡️ The best temperature for species like oyster mushroom is 75–81°F. Growth stops outside this range.
- 🌬️ Not enough air exchange during incubation makes mycelium grow slowly. It also raises the risk of contamination.
- 💧 The amount of water in the substrate is the main way to keep it hydrated during incubation. The air's humidity does not matter as much.
- 💡 Light during incubation does not affect mycelium much. It might even get mycelium ready to fruit later.
Mushroom Incubation: Is Darkness Really Necessary?
Mushroom incubation is often misunderstood. This is especially true when people talk about light. Many new growers think they need total darkness for mycelium to grow. But this is more myth than fact. This article will give you a full guide on what really matters during incubation. Hint: it's usually not light. You will learn how temperature, air exchange, and substrate moisture levels directly help healthy mycelium grow. You can use a DIY tub or a grow kit from Zombie Mushrooms. Either way, small changes can greatly improve your yield and success.
What Is Mushroom Incubation?
Mushroom incubation is a key stage in growing mushrooms. It happens after you put spores or mycelium into your growth substrate, but before mushrooms start to fruit. During this time, the mycelium—which is like the fungus’s "root system"—grows and takes over the nutrients in its surroundings.
This colonization time is very important. To grow mushrooms well, you need strong, clean mycelial growth. Think of it like getting ready for a show. If the conditions during incubation are not right, the show (fruiting) might not start, or it might not give good results. So, it's vital to be precise with the environment at this stage. This means controlling temperature, air exchange, substrate moisture, and also—though less than people once thought—light.
Busting the Darkness Myth
Many home growers have believed for decades that mushrooms need complete darkness during incubation. This idea probably came from people oversimplifying how fungi react to light. But now, new research and real-world tests by growers have shown this myth is false.
Science shows that mycelium does not care about light during incubation. This means it does not look for light or try to avoid it. Researchers like Moore, Gange, and Gange (2008) pointed out that mycelium reacts more to things like temperature and oxygen than to light. So, a little room light now and then—like when you open a closet door or turn on a room light—will not harm your grow.
In fact, a bit of light might even help mycelium get ready for fruiting. It can do this by giving it clues about its space. This might make moving to the fruiting stage easier and maybe lead to more mushrooms later.
Key Point:
- You do not need full darkness. Regular room light is fine during incubation.
Incubation Temperature Control
Temperature is probably the most important environmental factor for good mushroom incubation. Most types of mushrooms grown today like a certain "sweet spot" for temperature. This is usually around 75–81°F (24–27°C). This is especially true for common oyster mushrooms.
How Temperature Affects Mycelial Growth
- Below 70°F (21°C): Colonization becomes much slower. Mycelium enters a slow state.
- Above 84°F (29°C): Fungal growth stops. And contaminants like Trichoderma and bacteria grow quickly.
It is worth noting that mycelium makes its own heat as it grows. This means the inside of a grain jar can be 2–4°F warmer than the room. So, a grow room set at 81°F might make the jar's inside temperature reach 85°F or more. This is too warm and can be bad.
Good Tools for Temperature Control
- Digital thermometer/hygrometers: Use these to check the conditions right away.
- Heat mats with thermostats: These make sure your setup does not get too hot.
- Tub-in-tub incubators: A water bath with controlled temperature makes a steady environment.
Stamets (2000) states that colonization rates fall a lot below 70°F or above 84°F. This shows how vital a steady temperature is for good incubation.
Light During Incubation
People once thought light was bad during incubation. But now we know that light during this time is neutral, or even a little helpful. Mycelium does not need much light to grow. Instead, light mainly acts as a signal to start pinning and fruiting.
Accidental light from windows or when you work near your grow area will not hurt the colonization. Knowing this can save growers from wasting time wrapping containers in blackout materials or hiding them in hard-to-reach places.
Good Ways to Handle Light
- Safe Light: A bit of daylight or normal room lighting (even for many hours a day) is okay.
- Do Not Use Too Much Light: Strong fluorescent or halide lights pointed right at containers can make the substrate too hot.
Growers should aim for steady light, not total darkness. Do not put containers where light directly changes the temperature or makes pinning happen too early.
Why Air Exchange Is Very Important
Fungi breathe differently from plants. Plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Fungi use oxygen and let out CO₂. If this waste gas stays in the container, CO₂ levels go up. This stops growth and helps bad bacteria grow.
Signs of Bad Air Exchange
- Water drops building up that do not go away.
- Mycelium growing slowly or very little.
- Strange smells that point to bacteria.
Best Ways to Allow Air Exchange
- Micropore tape over jar lids: This lets oxygen in and CO₂ out. It also keeps out contaminants.
- Lids not fully sealed, with foil protection: This gives a controlled, partly open system.
- Grow bags with filters: These have 0.2-micron filters built in. They keep the environment clean but breathable.
Harris (2008) said, "Mycelium is much more sensitive to poor air exchange than to light during early colonization."
So, planning for good airflow is a main goal for any incubation setup.
Understanding Moisture in Incubation
During incubation, the air's humidity is not as important as it is during fruiting. Instead, good results come from the water inside your chosen substrate.
Substrates with too much water slow down colonization. They also create areas without oxygen and attract bacteria. Materials with too little water dry out the mycelium before it can spread well. The aim is to keep "field capacity." This means the substrate holds enough water for colonization but does not drip when squeezed.
Advice for Substrate Moisture
- Before inoculation test: Squeeze your substrate. It should hold its shape and not drip.
- Do not mist: Usually, you do not need extra water in the incubation chamber. This is unless you are in a very dry area.
- Normal condensation: Fog inside a bag or jar often means the mycelium is active. This is not a problem unless you see a bad smell or a change in color.
As you get more experience, you will naturally learn the right moisture levels. You can then change your recipes as needed.
Common Incubation Mistakes to Avoid
New growers often make their incubation setup too complex or do not watch it enough. Here are some common problems you can easily avoid with a little knowledge:
Main Problems and How to Fix Them
- 🚫 Worrying too much about light: Mycelium handles room light well.
- 🚫 Heater touching directly: Do not put jars right on heating mats. Use something in between, like a raised grid or a towel.
- 🚫 Blocked airflow: Setups that are too crowded stop air from moving. Give jars space for good air flow.
- 🚫 Not checking for contamination: Always check weekly for strange colors or smells.
- 🚫 Touching too much: Opening containers all the time risks contamination. Look at them, but only open them if you need to change something.
Growers who make simple, steady environments often get better results than those trying for perfection.
How Long Does Colonization Take?
The time it takes depends on the mushroom type, substrate, and surroundings. But most species follow a clear colonization pattern if incubation items are kept in ideal conditions:
| Mushroom Species | Colonization Time |
|---|---|
| Oyster Mushrooms | 10–14 days |
| Lion’s Mane | 14–25 days |
| Shiitake | 30–45 days |
How to Know When It's Fully Colonized
- The whole substrate looks covered in bright white mycelium.
- No spots are left uncolonized or bare.
- There are no signs of mold, bad color, or foul smells.
If growth stops, check the temperature, moisture, or air exchange. It does not happen often, but sometimes containers reach a "dead zone" because of bad inoculation. In this case, starting over might be quicker than trying to fix it.
Tools & Supplies That Make It Easier
You do not need lab-level equipment to set up an easy incubation system. Being steady and clean is more important than fancy gear.
Tools We Suggest:
- ✅ Grow kits: Zombie Mushrooms’ kits come with everything. This includes sterile bags and instruction guides.
- ✅ Pre-sterilized grain bags: These are great for new growers. They have tight seals, the right moisture, and air exchange filters.
- ✅ Liquid cultures: These speed up colonization compared to spore syringes.
- ✅ Thermometer-hygrometers in one: Know your chamber’s small environment right away.
Filtering air without opening containers, keeping temperature steady with automated mats, and touching less with sealed systems really help.
Light: Save it for Fruiting
You do not need light during incubation. But light becomes very important when you want to start fruiting. Light tells grown mycelium it is time to make mushrooms. This is like how sunlight makes plants flower.
Rules for Fruiting Light
- 💡 On/Off Time: 12 hours on / 12 hours off
- 💡 Kind: Gentle LED lights that mimic daylight, or indirect sunlight.
- 💡 Strength: Bright enough to read by. Do not use direct beams.
If you ignore light signals during fruiting, you might see delays in pinning, uneven growth, or no fruiting at all. So, while false ideas about light during incubation still exist, light will be very helpful after colonization.
How to Spot Mold During Incubation
Finding contamination early is very important to save the rest of your crop. Mold often spreads fast, so you must deal with it quickly and firmly.
Look For:
🚫 Colors other than white: Green (Trichoderma), black (Aspergillus), blue (bruising or bacteria), or pink/purple (yeasts).
🚫 Soft textures: A slimy look means a bacterial infection.
🚫 Bad smells: Earthy, like wine = good; sour, fishy, or sweet candy = bad.
✅ Healthy Mycelium:
White, cottony or rope-like. Sometimes it has water drops or fuzzy parts near air holes.
Always separate contaminated containers right away. And clean your tools before using them on other containers.
Advice from Experienced Growers
Old hands agree: do not overthink it. Focus on steady conditions and keeping things simple.
"I used to worry too much about light. But it turned out my airflow needed fixing. After I switched to filtered bags and a steady 78°F temperature, my colonization time got 30% better."
— Jake, hobbyist grower using Zombie Mushrooms grow kits
Expert Advice:
- Start slow: Fewer jars mean you can watch them more closely.
- Label batches: This helps you track colonization time and spot patterns.
- Change one thing at a time: This lets you find out what is causing problems more accurately.
Different Mushrooms, Different Needs
Many conditions are the same for different mushrooms. But each type of mushroom can have its own needs for its surroundings. Always look at guides for the specific kind you are growing.
| Species | Temp Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cubensis | 75–81°F | Strong and grows fast |
| Oyster | 65–75°F | Needs fast air exchange |
| Shiitake | 70–78°F | Often needs cold to fruit |
| Lion’s Mane | 65–72°F | Needs high moisture, can dry out |
Zombie Mushrooms makes this easier. They give specific instructions for each type of kit. This helps new growers avoid bad general advice.
Final Thoughts: Making a Good Small Environment
Mushroom incubation is not as mysterious as people think. And darkness is not the secret to success. Focus on controlling temperature, air exchange, and keeping the substrate at the right moisture. This will help your mycelium grow strong and evenly. Light during incubation is not very important; it's a small part of a process driven by how chemicals work and by air flow.
Start with good tools, keep your setup clean and steady, and let nature take its course. With patience and smart ways of working, your incubation time will be a strong step in your mushroom growing.
Start your fungi-growing project today. Get ready-to-go kits and helpful advice from Zombie Mushrooms. Make your first grow one to be proud of.
Citations
- Stamets, P. (2000). Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms (3rd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
- Harris, S. D. (2008). Cellular and Molecular Biology of Filamentous Fungi. ASM Press.
- Moore, D., Gange, A.C., & Gange, E.G. (2008). Fungal Biology in the Origin and Emergence of Life. Cambridge University Press.
