Mushroom Terminology

Essential Terms for Every Grower

Understanding key mushroom cultivation terminology is crucial whether you're a first-time grower or scaling a serious mycology operation. This guide defines the most important terms used throughout our site, product pages, and grow instructions to ensure you have a clear grasp on the language of mushrooms.

Our goal is to make growing as straightforward as possible—so every mycologist, hobbyist, or educator knows exactly what they’re working with when using our products.

Here are essential terms you’ll come across:

• Mycelium – The vegetative growth of a fungus, similar to plant roots. It colonizes substrate and eventually produces mushrooms.
• Substrate – A nutrient-rich medium (like coco coir, manure, or sawdust) where mycelium grows.
• Grain Spawn – Sterilized grain (usually rye or millet) colonized with mycelium. It’s used to inoculate bulk substrate.
• Liquid Culture – A sterile solution containing live mycelium suspended in nutrients. Used to inoculate grain or substrate.
• Inoculation – The process of introducing mycelium (via liquid culture or grain spawn) into a sterile medium.
• Colonization – The stage where mycelium spreads and takes over the substrate or grain.
• Fruiting – The phase where mushrooms form and grow from colonized substrate.
• Contamination – Unwanted bacteria or mold that competes with or kills mycelium. Often caused by unclean environments or poor sterilization.
• Monotub – A simple fruiting chamber commonly used for bulk mushroom cultivation.
• Flush – A wave or cycle of mushroom growth from the same substrate block. Multiple flushes can occur with proper care.

All of our grow kits, bags, and cultures are designed with these core concepts in mind. Whether you’re learning terms like spore syringe, pinning, or sterile technique, you’ll find everything you need to grow confidently.