How to use Agar in Mushroom Cultivation

Published on the DoubleBlind website: https://doubleblindmag.com/mushrooms/how-to-grow-mushrooms/how-to-use-agar/

“Working with spore prints or spore syringes that are not sourced from, or made in, clean environments can invariably result in contamination. They can be a source of frustration for the beginner and expert mushroom cultivator alike. When reading about mushroom cultivation, chatting in fungi forums, or talking with mushroom cultivators about mycelium or how to solve contamination problems, often the discussion will come around to agar—making “cultures” or trading “plates”. 

This article is a brief introduction to the sometimes intimidating and mysterious art of agar.  Working with agar does require a little dedication, determination, and blind faith, but is well worth the investment. It allows you to take your mushroom growing to a new level, from germinating spores via your spore prints or syringes, and making tissue cultures, to carefully cleaning mycelium from that dirty spore print of a rare magic mushroom.”