ARTISAN MUSHROOMS
Mushroom Substrate Calculator
Scale common mushroom substrate recipes by finished weight, number of grow bags or coco coir brick quantity.
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Substrate Recipe
These figures are practical starting points rather than guaranteed cultivation formulas. Ingredient moisture, pellet density and water absorption vary. Add water gradually and adjust to suitable field capacity. Supplemented hardwood substrates normally require appropriate sterile preparation and clean inoculation technique.
Understanding Your Substrate Recipe
The hardwood and CVG calculations balance dry ingredients plus retained water to the target hydrated substrate weight. Grain spawn, when entered, is included within the target finished bag weight. The target assumes all calculated water is retained; withholding water, evaporation or drainage lowers the actual yield. Ingredient moisture and absorption vary, so weigh the hydrated batch before portioning.
Hardwood Pellets and Wheat Bran
A supplemented hardwood recipe suitable for many wood-loving gourmet mushrooms, including Lion’s Mane, Oyster mushrooms, Shiitake, Chestnut, Maitake and Reishi.
Wheat bran provides additional nutrition, while the hardwood forms the main structure of the substrate.
Preparation: Supplemented hardwood substrate should be properly pressure sterilised before inoculation because the added nutrition also makes it more vulnerable to contamination.
Plain Hardwood Pellets
Plain hardwood provides a simpler, lower-nutrient substrate for wood-decaying mushroom species. It may be useful when a grower wants to avoid supplements or experiment with a less nutrient-rich recipe.
Colonisation and yields can vary depending on the mushroom species, hardwood type, moisture level and inoculation rate.
Preparation: Hydrate thoroughly and use an appropriate pasteurisation or sterilisation method for your cultivation process.
CVG Substrate
CVG is a mixture of coco coir, vermiculite and gypsum. Coco coir provides the main structure, vermiculite helps retain moisture and maintain air spaces, while gypsum supplies minerals and supports substrate structure.
CVG is normally mixed with fully colonised grain spawn in a monotub, shoebox, grow bag or other bulk cultivation container.
Important: Do not inject liquid culture directly into ordinary bulk CVG. First produce clean, fully colonised grain spawn, then mix the grain spawn evenly through the prepared CVG.
Custom Hardwood Recipe
The custom option allows experienced growers to adjust the proportions of hardwood, supplement, gypsum and water for their own mushroom species, equipment and cultivation method.
Keep a written record of each recipe, including the ingredient brand, moisture level, sterilisation cycle, spawn rate and cultivation results.
Check your percentages: The dry ingredient percentages should total 100% before hydration is calculated.
Hydration tip: Add approximately 90% of the calculated water first. Mix thoroughly and allow the material to absorb the water before adding the remainder gradually. Properly hydrated substrate should hold together when squeezed firmly, with only a small amount of water appearing. It should not drip heavily. For hardwood and CVG recipes, the displayed target requires the full calculated water to be retained. If field capacity is reached with less water, use the actual measured batch weight instead of the target.
Prefer Us to Prepare It for You?
Choose a ready-prepared Artisan Mushrooms substrate based on how you plan to inoculate and fruit your mushrooms.
Sterile Hardwood Mushroom Grow Bag
A hydrated and pressure-sterilised hardwood and wheat bran substrate bag fitted with a filter patch and self-healing injection port. A straightforward option for beginners growing suitable hardwood-loving mushroom species.
View Hardwood Grow Bag →Hardwood and Wheat Bran Bulk Substrate
A 2 kg pressure-sterilised blend of hardwood sawdust and organic wheat bran. Suitable for mixing with clean, fully colonised grain spawn in grow bags, buckets and other bulk cultivation systems.
View Hardwood Substrate →Sterile CVG Mushroom Grow Bag
Prepared coco coir, vermiculite and gypsum supplied inside a filter-patch grow bag. Mix with fully colonised grain spawn and allow the substrate to colonise before introducing fruiting conditions.
View CVG Grow Bag →Sterilised Bulk CVG Substrate
A ready-prepared 2 kg CVG substrate for monotubs, shoeboxes and other bulk growing systems. Mix evenly with fully colonised grain spawn using clean handling practices.
View Bulk CVG Substrate →Mushroom Substrate Calculator FAQ
Helpful answers about recipe weights, hydration, sterilisation and using substrate with liquid culture or grain spawn.
Does the finished substrate weight include the water?
Yes. The target finished bag weight includes dry ingredients, retained water and any grain spawn entered. With no grain spawn, a 2 kg target is 2 kg of hydrated substrate before processing, provided all calculated water is retained. With 0.6 kg grain in a 2 kg finished bag, prepare 1.4 kg of hydrated substrate and add 0.6 kg grain.
Are the calculated water quantities exact?
The water quantity is a reliable starting point, but absorption varies between brands and batches of hardwood pellets, wheat bran, coco coir and vermiculite.
Add approximately 90% of the calculated water first, mix thoroughly and then add the remainder gradually while checking field capacity. For hardwood and CVG recipes, the target weight requires all calculated water to be retained. Withholding water or losing it during processing reduces the actual yield. For the 6 kg hardwood recipe, 2.4 kg dry ingredients plus 3.24 L starting water gives about 5.64 kg; the remaining 0.36 L brings it to 6 kg. If less water is suitable, stop and use the measured batch weight instead.
How can I tell whether the substrate is properly hydrated?
Squeeze a handful firmly. The material should hold together, with only a small amount of water appearing between your fingers.
It should not release a heavy stream of water, but it should not remain loose, dusty or crumbly either.
Do the dry ingredient percentages need to total 100%?
Yes. When using the custom recipe calculator, the dry ingredient percentages should total exactly 100%. Water is then calculated separately according to the selected hydration level.
Can I inject liquid culture directly into CVG substrate?
No. Ordinary CVG is a bulk substrate and should normally be mixed with clean, fully colonised grain spawn.
First inoculate a sterilised grain bag with liquid culture. Once the grain is fully colonised and shows no signs of contamination, mix it evenly through the prepared CVG.
Can I inject liquid culture directly into a hardwood grow bag?
Only when the bag is specifically designed for direct inoculation and contains a suitable sterilised grain layer together with a self-healing injection port.
The Artisan Mushrooms Sterile Hardwood Mushroom Grow Bag contains a grain layer at the bottom. Inject the liquid culture through the self-healing injection port and into this grain layer.
A standard bag of hardwood bulk substrate without a grain layer should normally be inoculated using fully colonised grain spawn instead.
Should mushroom substrate be pasteurised or sterilised?
Supplemented hardwood containing wheat bran should be properly pressure sterilised because the added nutrition increases contamination risk.
Preparation methods for plain hardwood and CVG vary depending on the recipe, equipment, inoculation method and mushroom species being grown.
Which mushrooms grow well on hardwood substrate?
Hardwood-based substrates are commonly used for wood-loving gourmet species such as Lion’s Mane, Oyster mushrooms, Shiitake, Chestnut, Maitake and Reishi.
The ideal supplementation level, moisture content and fruiting conditions vary between species and strains.