FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Shipping & Processing
What is the return policy?
Our goal is for every customer to be totally satisfied with their purchase. If this isn’t the case, let us know and we’ll do our best to work with you to make it right. Please read our refund policy here.
What shipping carriers do you use?
UPS:
- UPS 2nd Day Air®
- UPS Next Day Air®
- UPS Next Day Air Saver®
- UPS Next Day Air® Early
- UPS® Ground
USPS:
- Ground Advantage
Please read our shipping policy here.
What are you processing times?
Orders are typically processed within 1-3 business days and are guaranteed to ship within 5 business days. The daily cutoff for orders is 4 PM Mountain Time.
Once your order ships, you will receive an email with your tracking number.
Need it Sooner?
For expedited processing and shipping, please contact us before you place your order to confirm availability and any additional fees.
Do you use discreet packaging for your shipments?
We get it, privacy is key. That's why we ship all orders in discreet, plain packaging. There are no company logos, product names, or any mycology-related markings on the box. Your privacy is a priority, and we ensure your order arrives safely and without drawing any attention.
Agar
How do you package your agar products?
We go the extra mile to ensure your plates arrive safe and sterile.
Here's how we package them:
- Plates are shrink-wrapped in stacks of 5.
- These stacks are then placed into a secondary protective bag.
- Finally, they're securely boxed with disposable packing peanuts.
This multi-layer approach prevents damage, contamination, and condensation during shipping, so your plates are clean and ready for immediate use upon arrival.
What types of agar recipes do you offer?
Our Recipes
- Sorghum Yeast Peptone Agar (SYPA): Our exclusive, #1 best-selling recipe. This nutrient-rich blend is excellent for transfers and expansion, as it promotes vigorous rhizomorphic (rope-like) growth.
- Potato Dextrose Yeast Peptone Agar (PDYPA): A reliable classic for general mycology work, known for supporting fast, healthy growth.
- Water Agar: Ideal for spore work, cleaning up cultures, and for slowing down growth to facilitate isolation and long-term storage.
Key Features
- Activated Carbon Addition: You can add Activated Carbon to any recipe. It helps clean up dirty cultures or spore prints by binding impurities.
- Lab-Grade Quality: All of our agars are crafted with high-quality, lab-grade ingredients (such as bacteriological grade agar powder, yeast extract, and peptone) to ensure consistent quality and performance in every single batch.
- Ready-to-Use: All plates arrive pre-poured, sealed, and ready to go—absolutely no preparation is required!
Custom Orders
Need a special blend? We're happy to discuss custom recipes or pours. Just reach out to us!
What size are your agar plates and slants?
We use stackable CellTreat 90mm Petri dishes, which feature a convenient grip ring for secure, easy handling, for all pre-poured agar dishes.
Slants are offered in durable CellTreat 60ml Centrifuge tubes.
Why is there moisture or condensation in my plates?
It's perfectly normal to see a little moisture or condensation on your plates.
Temperature shifts during shipping—like moving from a cold delivery truck to a warm mailbox—can cause water to collect inside the plate or on the lid. Don't worry, your plates are still sterile and ready to use!
Here's how to manage it:
- Settle Time: You can let the plates sit at room temperature for a day or two to help the condensation dissipate.
- Storage Tip: Store your plates upside down to prevent any excess moisture from dripping onto the agar surface.
Do you offer your agar recipes to the public?
Absolutely! Making your own agar plates is a fantastic way to customize ingredients, save money, and deepen your understanding of mycology.
The basic process is simple: mix water, a nutrient source (like sorghum syrup or potato flour and dextrose), and agar powder, then sterilize the mixture and pour it into sterile Petri dishes.
What You'll Need
To get started, gather these supplies:
- Empty Sterile Petri Dishes
- Media Bottle or Heat-Safe Container
- Agar Powder
- Nutrient Source (e.g., sorghum extract)
Nutrient Ratio Guidelines
When mixing, we generally aim for a nutrient load of 1% of the total liquid volume. This creates a well-balanced plate that supports healthy growth without being overly rich.
- You can go lower (e.g., <1%) for a low-nutrient agar, which is great for cleaning cultures.
- You can also increase it slightly for more aggressive growth.
Simple Example (for 500ml of water):
- 500ml water
- 1% sorghum syrup = 5 grams
- 10 grams agar
- Sterilize for 20-30 minutes at 15 PSI
Voila! You'll an agar master!
Once you're comfortable, feel free to experiment with different nutrient levels or add-ins like yeast extract or peptone based on your specific cultures.
Grain
How are you grains prepared?
Our Grain Prep Process
That's a great question! Here is a quick rundown of how we prepare our Milo/Sorghum grain:
- Hydration: We cook the grain in an electric kettle at 200∘F for 75 minutes to achieve the perfect moisture level.
- Drying & Cooling: The hydrated grain is then immediately hoisted to dry and cool down.
- Bagging & Sterilization: We bag the grain and sterilize it in our commercial autoclave for 5 hours at 250∘F (or 15-17 PSI).
- Quality Control: Once cooled under our laminar flow hood, we seal the bags and let them sit for a few days to ensure absolutely no contaminants develop.
No shortcuts, no guesswork—just clean, properly prepped grain that is ready for your next project!
What's the shelf life of my grain bags?
We highly recommend planning your workflow so you can use your sterile grains as soon as possible for the best results.
To ensure quality during transit, each grain bag product is protected inside a secondary bag.
Our Guarantee
We guarantee our grain bags for 14 days from the delivery date, provided the injection port has not been punctured and the bag has not been inoculated.
- If you notice any contamination within this 14-day window, we will happily replace the bag at no cost.
- If contamination appears outside of this timeframe, please still reach out! We're always happy to review the situation and make a fair decision.
We're here to help you succeed! Please also read our refund policy here.
How should I store my grain bags if I'm not ready to use them immediately?
Store your grain bags in a cool, dry place—ideally between 45∘F and 70∘F—and keep them away from direct sunlight or heat sources.
It's best to leave the bags sealed in their packaging until you are ready to inoculate them.
Avoid storing them in the refrigerator or freezer, as returning them to room temperature can cause moisture buildup which can increase the potential for damaging the bag. This freeze-thaw cycle can also create faulty seals and increase the likelihood of contamination.
Properly stored, your grain bags should remain fresh and ready to use for several months. If you have any concerns, just reach out to us!
Should I break and shake the grain bags during or after colonization?
Many growers find it helpful to break up and shake (B&S) the grain bag twice:
- Once at about 10−20% colonized.
- Then again at 50−60% colonization.
Shaking the bag—either with a firm shake or a gentle massage—redistributes the colonized grain, helping the mycelium spread more evenly and potentially speeding up full colonization.
⚠️Warning: Be gentle when executing this process. Filter patches and bag seals can easily be damaged and torn if proper care isn't administered.
Do I Have to Shake It?
No, this step is not mandatory. Some growers prefer to leave the bag completely undisturbed to avoid stressing the mycelium.
This comes down to personal preference and process. Feel free to experiment and stick with whatever method gives you the best results!
We're always here to answer questions and help you dial in your process.
How do I know if my grain is contaminated?
This is one of the most common and important questions we receive! Knowing what to look for, both before and after inoculation, is key to success.
Before Inoculation
A healthy, unused grain bag should smell earthy or neutral. Do not inoculate the bag if you notice any of the following signs:
- Unusual Colors: Look for any patches of green, blue, black, gray, or pink growth.
- Unpleasant Odors: The grain should not smell sour, sweet, or foul. For instance, bacteria can smell like a gym locker room or old used tennis shoes.
- Slime: Check for slimy or greasy-looking patches on the kernels.
If you spot any contamination signs before use, do not proceed. Please take a picture and contact us immediately so we can assist you.
After Inoculation
Once your culture is introduced, keep a close watch for these warning signs:
- Strange Colors: The presence of green, blue, black, pink, or gray areas is highly suspicious.
- Excessive Moisture: Look for areas that appear wet, slimy, or overly soggy.
- Bad Smells: Healthy mycelium has a fresh, earthy, or mushroom-like scent. Strong or unpleasant odors suggest an issue.
- Cobweb Mold: Watch for thin, wispy gray growth that spreads quickly and resembles cobwebs.
- Uneven, Rapid Growth: Contamination often appears as fast-spreading patches of unusual color rather than the typical healthy, white mycelium.
A note of caution: Mycelium can look a little strange when it first begins to colonize, so don't toss a bag too quickly. Some species will look much different than others, so If you're ever unsure, snap a photo and reach out to us—we're always happy to help you diagnose the issue!
Substrate
Are your substrates pre-hydrated?
Yes! Our substrates are fully hydrated, properly mixed, and ready to use right out of the bag. You do not need to add water or adjust the moisture levels.
Just break up the substrate, mix it with your colonized grain, and you're ready to start fruiting!
Field Capacity
We know that "field capacity" can be subjective; some growers prefer their substrate slightly wetter or drier based on their personal techniques and environments. If you like a little extra moisture, a light mist with clean, sterile water will get it exactly where you like it.
As always, feel free to reach out if you have any questions—we're happy to help!
Do you sterilize or pasteurize your substrate?
We take extra care by sterilizing all of our substrates in a commercial autoclave. This ensures they arrive clean and completely ready for use.
While many growers use pasteurized substrate, we choose sterilization because it drastically reduces the risk of contamination, especially when you're fruiting in bags or using unmodified tubs.
Prefer Pasteurized Substrate?
No problem! We have the equipment to provide pasteurized substrate as well. Just reach out to us before placing your order, and we'll be happy to discuss your specific needs.
As always, if you have any questions about best practices, we're here to help!
How should I store my substrate bags if I'm not ready to use them immediately?
Store your substrate bags in a cool, dry place—ideally between 45∘F and 70∘F—and keep them away from direct sunlight or heat sources.
It's best to leave the bags sealed in their packaging until you are ready to inoculate them.
Avoid storing them in the refrigerator or freezer, as returning them to room temperature can cause moisture buildup which can increase the potential for damaging the bag. This freeze-thaw cycle can also create faulty seals and increase the likelihood of contamination.
Properly stored, your grain bags should remain fresh and ready to use for several months. If you have any concerns, just reach out to us!
Can I fruit mushroom directly in my bag?
Our substrate bags are designed to support direct fruiting inside the bag itself, making them a fantastic, easy option if you want to skip setting up a traditional tub or fruiting chamber.
Here's the process:
- Mix: Combine your fully colonized grain with the substrate directly inside the bag.
- Compress: Gently but firmly pack the mixture toward the bottom of the bag. This helps the mycelium reconnect and colonize the substrate evenly.
- Colonize: Seal the bag back up and wait until the mixture is fully white and ready to fruit.
When It's Time to Fruit:
You have two simple options for introducing fresh air exchange (FAE):
- Set It and Forget It: Simply rely on the bag's built-in filter patches to handle FAE automatically.
- Speed It Up: Cut a small slit in the bag between the filter patch and top of the substrate. Then cover the slit with micropore tape to introduce a little more fresh air and encourage faster pinning/fruiting.
Both methods are effective—choose the one that best fits your growing style! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about your setup.
Miscellaneous
Do you offer genetics?
We do not offer genetics at this time. Please check out our Discord community for more information and resources on this topic!
What about All-in-One Bags and Refill Kits?
The same guidelines and information provided for Grain and Substrates Bags also apply to both our All-in-One Bags and Refill Kits.
Couldn't find your answer?
We're here to help. If you couldn't find the information you were looking for, please reach out to us directly. We're eager to assist you.
