Warm and Comfy

Just right

Do you like it when a room is too hot? Or too cold? Probably not! You like it just right. Mushrooms are the same.

Mushrooms grow best when the room feels comfy to you. Not too hot, not too cold. Cozy room temperature is their happy spot.

The comfy zone

Most oyster mushroom kits love a room that is about the same as a comfy living room. That is around 15 to 21 degrees Celsius (about 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit).

Here is an easy trick. If you feel comfy in a t-shirt in the room, the mushrooms probably feel comfy too. If you are shivering or sweating, the mushrooms are not happy either.

Many kitchens and living rooms are already in this comfy zone. Ask your grown-up what feels normal in your home.

Too hot or too cold

What happens if the room is not just right?

• Too hot. In a very warm room, the kit can dry out. The baby mushrooms may stop growing or never appear.

• Too cold. In a very cold room, like a chilly garage or a fridge, growing slows way down. The mushrooms get sleepy and grow very, very slowly.

So a room that stays cozy and steady is the goal.

Keep it steady

Mushrooms do not just like the right temperature. They also like it to stay the same. Big jumps from hot to cold can stress them out.

That is why we keep the kit away from heaters that switch on and off, and away from cold drafty doors. A calm, steady room is a happy room.

Even in the perfect warm spot, we never eat a mushroom raw, and we never eat one until a grown-up says it is ready and has cooked it. Growing and cooking is always a team job with a grown-up.

Your kit is warm and comfy now. Next, let's give it a little light!