Live gourmet mycelium, drawn up in a syringe
Liquid cultures.
Living mycelium of edible gourmet species, suspended in a sterilised, nutrient-rich solution. Drawn into a syringe and ready to easily inoculate your chosen growing medium. Grow popular species like Lion's Mane and King Oyster at home.
The catalogue
4 in the range
King Oyster Liquid Culture
Live King Oyster mycelium suspended in a sterile nutrient broth, ready to inject into grain or agar. A faster, cleaner start than spores, from known genetics.
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Lion's Mane Liquid Culture
Live Hericium erinaceus mycelium suspended in sterile nutrient broth, ready to inject into your own sterilised grain to start a colonised batch.
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Pink Oyster Liquid Culture
Live Pleurotus djamor mycelium suspended in sterile nutrient broth, ready to inject into grain. A fast, warm-loving oyster strain that suits a first grow.
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Shiitake Liquid Culture
Live shiitake mycelium suspended in sterile nutrient broth, ready to inject into grain or agar so you can expand your own spawn at home.
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The rest of the setup
Good to know
What a liquid culture is
A liquid culture is living mycelium suspended in a sterilised, lightly sugared broth. The mycelium is the white, thread-like body of the fungus, and in the broth it stays active and feeding rather than dormant. Because the culture is already alive and dispersed through the liquid, a few millilitres carry many growing points at once, which is why a syringe is the convenient way to store and move it.
Why growers use it
An LC inoculates grain faster than a spore would, and it colonises more evenly because you are starting from established mycelium rather than waiting for spores to germinate and find each other. A few millilitres dripped into a jar of sterilised grain spreads through it quickly, and one syringe holds enough to start several jars from the same clean source.
Working cleanly
LC is a nutritious liquid, so anything that lands in it will grow just as happily as the mushroom mycelium. You need to work carefully and cleanly to keep unwanted moulds and bacteria out. Ideally work in a SAB, but at least in a clean, draught-free area. Use the wipes and sterile needle we supply. Have a look at our Sterile & Lab Equipment products. Nailing your hygiene and sterile technique is crucial in this hobby.