Back to the Roots Oyster Mushroom Kit

We have grown many mushroom kits with fabulous success, so even with the poor reviews, we bought this kit. Having followed the instructions exactly (soak 24 hours, mist twice or more daily) we got a great burst of little mushrooms. They grew, we misted. We misted and they dried up!

So, unwilling to throw $17.00 away, we read everything we could find on the web on Oyster Mushrooms. Then we cut 1/4 off the block and seeded a couple pounds of fresh, damp coffee grounds with the "seed".

We soaked the remainder for 48 hours This time we re-sealed the block in our vacuum sealer, cut an opening and covered the block with a clear plastic bag --placing it in exactly the same place in our kitchen. Mushrooms happened again! And again, even with the plastic bag serving as an incubator, they dried up.

Meanwhile, the mycellium in the fresh coffee grounds have taken off!

So, unwilling to give up, we resoaked the "Brick" and put in under a plastic cube. Mushrooms are forming again -this time we think they will make it!

After much thought, it seems clear that some "bricks" of used coffee grounds are too compressed and dry to take on adequate moisture. We love the concept of re-use and think the developers of this product are on to something. The bricks are innoculated with ample spores, however the substrate at least in some cases is too compressed to have mushrooms survive -even in a humid environment. If you try this kit, soak it for a long time and put it in a plastic cube or bell jar from the outset. Good luck!

I purchased this as a gift for my wife for Christmas, we followed the instructions EXACTLY and after 10 days, we just got a lot of white mold no mushrooms.

We contacted customer service (twice) since they state on the site that they guarantee their product. After 2 days, no response.

UPDATE: 1/15/12

Last Tuesday January 11, the company finally contacted me and said they were committed to customer service, would replace it if it was dead and could I please send pictures. So I sent pictures, and they told me it was still viable but just a "late bloomer" and to send pictures again on Tuesday, 1/17. If the kit still didn't show any mushrooms, then they'd send me a new kit.

Wouldn't you know it, yesterday morning the kit started showing significant signs of mushrooms after about 14 days, and today they're much bigger (and more of them).

So, at this point, I would say it's a ok kit, but I just think they need to revise their marketing materials and change the "mushrooms in as little as 10 days" part. I was VERY close to throwing it away twice.

Bottom line, be patient. If you get this kit and you don't have any luck, email the company with pictures of your kit(feedback@backtotheroots.com). They probably won't get back to you the next day, but hopefully they will within a few days.

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(#1 REVIEWER)These mushroom are fun to watch and tasty to eat! I just cut the package, sprayed twice a day with a provided mister, and in about 10 days got the mushrooms! I got 4 crops out of one package, with each successive crop being a little smaller than the previous one. Note that the mushrooms don't like drafts, so keep them away from fans and air conditioners.

Oyster mushrooms are mild in flavor, have a slightly nutty taste. The oyster mushroom absorbs other flavors well and change their flavor to go well with whatever you are cooking. You can use the whole mushroom the cap and the stem. They are easy to use in many different ways. They taste great just sauteed in butter. I saute and then add them to pasta. I also add them to stews or as ingredient for any sauce I make for cooking chicken. I also found they go great with any Indian sauce, like Pataks: Pataks Vindaloo Curry Paste 10 Oz

In this order you will receive 1 package of mushrooms (even though three packages are shown in a photo). However the product description does say that the total weight of the package is 2.6 pounds, and the title says that each kit is 3-pounds. So the info is there, but could have been more clear.

Ali Julia review

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Be careful on this one. I followed all the instructions: soaking it 24 hours, misting twice a day, keeping it out of direct sunlight... and all I grew was a lot of white mold. And guess what, there's no guarantee or return policy at all, so a moldy brick of coffee grounds which promises, but does not deliver mushrooms, goes for $20 on Amazon and the buyer is SOL. Very disappointing buy.

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I received this as a Christmas gift and was delighted. I followed directions EXACTLY presoaking, misting, temperature range correct, lighting correct. No mushrooms ever appeared from the "front" of the box several stems tried to grow from the covered sides, withered and died. I harvested one mushroom from "side one." As directed, I repeated the presoak, misting, etc on the second side of the box, with the same results.... nothing from the "back", but several stems weakly tried to grow from the sides, withered and died. One mushoom harvested from that side as well not a cluster a single mushroom. I'm so appreciative for the thoughtfulness of the gift givers, but extremely disappointed that the kit was a complete failure. Don't waste your money.