Portobello Liquid Culture Syringe (10cc)
Portobello Liquid Culture Syringe (10cc) is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
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Description
Description
Portobello Liquid Culture Syringe (10cc) — Agaricus bisporus, first-generation (G1) isolated genetics from Myco Labs. The Portobello is the most familiar mushroom in the world and one of the least commonly grown at home, because it works differently from every gourmet species on this site. Get the method right and you get thick, meaty caps with a savory depth no oyster can match.
- SpeciesA. bisporus
- Volume10cc
- GeneticsG1 Isolated
- DifficultyAdvanced
- Colonization16–20 Days
Why Growers Choose Portobello
Portobello is a project, not a quick win, and that is exactly why experienced growers take it on. It is a secondary decomposer, meaning it evolved to eat material that other organisms have already broken down — composted manure and straw rather than fresh wood. That single fact drives everything about how it is grown.
It also requires a casing layer, a moist top dressing of peat moss and lime applied over the colonized substrate. Without it, Portobello will simply refuse to pin. This is the step that catches most first-time growers, and it is the difference between a flat tray of mycelium and a heavy flush of caps.
The payoff is a mushroom with genuine steak-like texture. Harvested young it is a white button, harvested slightly later a cremini, and left to open fully it becomes the wide, dark-gilled Portobello sold in every supermarket. One culture, three products.
What's In the Package
- One 10cc liquid culture syringe, sealed and lab-tested
- 16-gauge 1.5" luer lock needle
- Sterile alcohol prep pad
Portobello Growing Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Agaricus bisporus |
| Also Sold As | White button, cremini, baby bella — same species at different maturity |
| Recommended Substrates | Composted manure, straw, peat moss, newspaper |
| Casing Layer | Required — peat moss and lime, applied after full colonization |
| Incubation Temperature | 70–75°F |
| Incubation Humidity | 85–90% |
| Colonization Time | 16–20 days |
| Fruiting Temperature | 55–65°F |
| Fruiting Humidity | 90–93% |
| Time to Harvest | 20–28 days after casing |
| Syringe Volume | 10cc |
| Storage | Refrigerate at 35–45°F; do not freeze |
How to Use Your Liquid Culture Syringe
- Let the syringe come to room temperature, then shake gently to redistribute the mycelium evenly through the broth.
- Flame-sterilize the needle until it glows orange and let it cool for a few seconds.
- Wipe the injection port on your grain spawn bag or jar with the alcohol prep pad.
- Inject 2–3cc per quart jar, or 3–5cc per 3–5 lb spawn bag. One 10cc syringe inoculates roughly 2–4 containers.
- Incubate at 70–75°F in the dark for sixteen to twenty days, shaking once at roughly 30% colonization.
- Spawn to pasteurized manure-based substrate, let it colonize fully, then apply a casing layer of moist peat and lime and drop the temperature to 55–65°F to trigger pinning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a casing layer to grow Portobello?
Yes, and this is the single most common reason home grows fail. Portobello will colonize a substrate happily and then never pin without one. After the substrate is fully colonized, apply roughly an inch of moist peat moss buffered with lime over the surface, keep it damp, and let the mycelium recolonize into it before dropping temperature. The casing holds moisture and provides the microclimate the species needs to initiate fruit bodies.
What is the difference between Portobello, cremini, and white button mushrooms?
They are the same species, Agaricus bisporus, harvested at different stages. Picked young and pale, it is a white button. A little older with a brown cap and closed veil, it is a cremini or baby bella. Left to fully open with exposed dark gills, it is a Portobello. This culture will produce all three depending on when you harvest.
What substrate does Portobello need?
Composted manure-based substrate, typically horse or chicken manure blended with straw. Portobello is a secondary decomposer, meaning it feeds on material that has already been partially broken down, which is why it does not perform on the fresh hardwood sawdust that suits Shiitake or Lion's Mane. Pasteurize manure substrate at around 160°F for three to four hours before spawning.
How long does Portobello take to grow?
Longer than any other culture we carry. Grain colonization runs sixteen to twenty days, and after casing you should expect another twenty to twenty-eight days before harvest. Budget six to eight weeks from injection to first flush, and do not rush the casing recolonization — that stage cannot be shortened.
How much liquid culture do I use per bag or jar?
Use 2–3cc per quart grain jar and 3–5cc per 3–5 lb spawn bag. A single 10cc Portobello syringe will inoculate roughly two to four containers. Adding more than the recommended dose does not speed colonization meaningfully and simply uses up the syringe faster.
Do I need a flow hood or still air box to use liquid culture?
A still air box is strongly recommended and a laminar flow hood is better still. Liquid culture syringes ship sealed and lab-tested, but the moment you pierce an injection port you are exposing your grain to whatever is in the room air. Working in still air with flame-sterilized tools dramatically improves your success rate.
How should I store the syringe before use?
Keep it refrigerated between 35 and 45°F and never freeze it — freezing ruptures the cell walls and kills the culture. Store it in the sealed bag it shipped in, away from strong odors. Bring it back to room temperature and shake gently before injecting.
Packed to Arrive Alive
A liquid culture syringe is living mycelium, and the trip from our Illinois lab to your door is the part of its life you have the least control over. That is why every Myco Labs liquid culture ships inside a foil-lined insulated mailer rather than a plain envelope. The insulation buffers the syringe against summer heat sitting in a delivery truck and against sub-freezing temperatures in winter, so your culture arrives viable in either extreme.
When it arrives: move the syringe to the refrigerator at 35–45°F until you are ready to inoculate. Never freeze it. Bring it back to room temperature and shake gently before use.
Let customers speak for us
Working good. Lights my closet just enough for the environment I need! Thanks!
It's started good. Let's hope it continues to grow so I can break a shake it!
Bought the 3-Pack Premium Quick-Colonizing 5-grain Jar (32oz) and inoculated 9 days ago. Love it! Colonization quick and clean. Highly recommend!
So when i got this i was worried because of past experiences. Leave it up to midwest to be nice a patient with me. The team at bonsai gives great support . This flow hood is meant to run a little higher than normal clean room standards because most people need this working from home . This thing is nice and laminar. Very inform . With a speed contoller i average about .45 m/s across the face. It passed everyone one of my agar grid tests . Which blows my mind becuase i ran it through three diffrent 30 mins agar grid tests . Ive used a few flow hoods and this one is my favorite . Perfect for any home or small buisness.
"Upgraded to the MycoClimate 44Q and the difference in consistency is night and day. The dual-chamber water-bath heating keeps temperatures rock-solid without drying out the substrate like standard heating mats do, and the automated HEPA air pump takes all the stress out of fresh air exchange—even tucked away inside a closet.
i saw germination in my jar within 2-4 days!! I ordered a 3 pack and i injected 3 different strains and they are all colonizing and germinating very rapidly i see ne difference in rate of germination for genetics they are all moving about the same speed im happy with my purchase!
100% RELIABLE EVERY TIME I LOVE YOU MIDWEST THANL YOU TEAM
Reliable and I know what I am getting. Pretty quick colonization.
I got the grow bag instead of jars this time because I am not interested in the steps of the jars.
Been there done that.
I am not an expert🤓 but now I have enough knowledge and experience to call myself an apprentice.
The thrill of the process is gone. Just give me the dam mushrooms.
I am hurry up and waiting😉.
Seems to be working is all I have to say at this point day 7. The green is reflection not mold.
All I knew was I wanted to grow some mushies for me and the boys, I did a bunch of research on companies and you guys have been around the longest and have the best reviews for these types and I was not disappointed. Took exactly 8 weeks to harvest my first 4 ounces and more on the way! Thanks so much for all the awesome guides and videos! Made it so easy!
It's a great monotub kit. I recommend throwing the horse booster, used the whole bag to 4 small quick grain jars and the 7.5 mix. I learned how to do a pf tek with these guys 10 years ago when you still got the sticky light for the lid and the monotub was a blue tub with polyfill. These monotub kits have come a very long way since then. Substrate has always been clean and performed better than what I try to recreate with a pressure cooker.
10cc liquid culture and follow the instructions mgk gives you hard to mess up.
So far , I only have a little bit on agar , and am only beginning to study this mycelium. Super excited to try to put it to use in this Aspen tree.
Everything is looking real good so far
If your ever in need of replacing your hepa filter on your bonsai flowhood these are an exact match to whichever size you have. Worth noting that a filter will actually work a lot longer than is recommended due to physics but if your externals get dirty or damaged it’s worth replacing.
Shipping was lightning fast
