If you’re looking for a fun and easy gardening project, why not try growing mushrooms in a terrarium glass? In this article, we will show you the top 3 types of mushrooms that are easy to grow at home.

Mushrooms in Terrarium

A mushroom terrarium (a.k.a. kinocorium) is a miniature garden in a glass that contains mushrooms. You can build a kinocorium using a grow kit, which you can purchase online or at a local garden center.

Top 3 Mushroom Types to Easily Grow in a Terrarium Glass

Here, we show you the top 3 mushrooms you can easily grow in an open terrarium or a closed terrarium. All of which are edible!

1. Oyster mushroom

This edible mushroom, specifically the Pink Flamingo Oyster (Pleurotus djamor) is every grower’s favorite! With its pale and intricate pink folds, it will surely look very beautiful in a mini terrrarium.

Oysters grow on dead and decaying wooden logs. You can incorporate the spawn into your terrarium in two ways: One is by using a pre-inoculated log, which is done by inoculating mushroom spores directly into the wood; the other is by hollowing out a piece of wood and inserting the colonized substrate.

Most oyster mushrooms don’t have an obvious stem. While some varieties do have one, it is usually stubby and short. Thus, you will most appreciate the beauty of Oysters in a mushroom terrarium when they are situated above the soil layer.

2. Enoki mushroom

The enoki mushroom (Flammulina velutipes) is a type of fungi that you can commonly find as an ingredient in Japanese cuisine. Its other common names are Enokitake and Enoko-take. This mushroom has a delicate flavor when young and is a favorite ingredient for soups and salads.

Just like the Oysters, it is a wood-loving type. However, Enoki has a long stem and will look good in a terrarium glass both ways. Either implant the spawn in the terrarium’s soil layer, or place the inoculated log right on top of it.

This mushroom, in a terrarium, can grow tall and its cap widens as it matures. So if you have a large glass container such as a wardian case, Enokis are an ideal type to grow.

3. Chestnut mushroom

The chestnut mushroom (Pholiota adiposa), also known as Cinnamon caps or Fat Pholiota tastes even better than it looks amazing! This mushroom has a bulky stem that elongates as it matures. It has gold to yellow caps with white or brown spiky scales.

Chestnuts grow in dense clusters on hardwoods. Which makes them ideal when planted with both types of moss. The spreading carpet-like pleurocarpous and the upright acrocarpous moss.

You can have a little fun by growing Chestnuts in a glass orb, an air plant or a hanging glass terrarium.

How to Build a Mushroom Terrarium Glass: An Overview

1. Firstly, prepare a mycelium-colonized substrate.
2. Decide on the type, size, shape, and location of the terrarium.
3. Gather and sterilize your materials. Then, prepare your mushroom spawn.
4. Create a drainage layer to prevent water-logging.
5. Put the foiled mycelium block and layer it with the soil.
6. Add a peat layer and clean the sides of the container.
7. Last, arrange decoration plants & other artificial decors.

For a terrarium, plants like ferns, moss, and succulents are the ideal. Not only do they look good but they can also last for several months. As with the mushrooms, their average life cycle is 14 days before they become decaying organic matter.

Wrapping Up

Aside from looking great for ornamental purposes, Oyster, Enoki, and Chestnut mushrooms are edible and incredibly delicious! So if you ever get bored with your basic mushroom grow kit, just find an empty glass jar! Then, start building your basic terrarium.*