You can buy cordyceps inoculating fluid or spores from a medicinal company, research company, or someone who grows cordyceps.
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It’s best to use distilled water because it won’t have impurities. Tap water can contain chemicals and microbes that may affect your cordyceps.
It’s not safe to bake a jar, so don’t sterilize your substrate in the jar.
The substrate shouldn’t be hard after you heat it, but it may be thicker and lumpier.
Your inoculating fluid will likely come pre-measured, so you shouldn’t have to worry about measuring it.
Mixing the inoculating fluid into the substrate will help your cultures grow.
Ghost moth larvae are typically the host insect for cordyceps. However, you might also use silkworm pupa or caterpillars. Ground up silkworm pupa is also an option. You can buy these online. While they’ll likely arrive dead, they can still be a food source for the cordyceps. If you want to harvest larvae, you might check leaves, branches, and the ground for caterpillars. Put the caterpillars in a container and then transfer them to your substrate, along with fresh leaves. Replenish the leaves often so your caterpillars have a food supply.
You can find kits starting at around $25.
Kits may provide different types of substrate. You might receive grains, soil, or ground up insect larvae.
Always follow the instructions that came with your kit so you’re more likely to get the results you expect.
If your kit’s instructions have different instructions, always follow them to make sure your spores or inoculating fluid are properly mixed into the substrate.
You can purchase a humidity meter online, at a pet store, or at a gardening store. You can purchase a dehumidifier at a department store, home improvement store, or online.
The temperature is very important for growing cordyceps. Make sure it stays within a few degrees of 20 °C (68 °F). Otherwise, your crop may not grow or could be stunted.
It’s okay to occasionally spray your cordyceps with water if you live in a low humidity area. Otherwise, don’t worry about tending to them.
Keep in mind that cordyceps won’t have a second crop, so you don’t need to worry about destroying the root systems. If you’re using a kit, check the instructions to find out when the manufacturer recommends harvesting the cordyceps.
