So you've decided to grow your own mushrooms at home - brilliant decision. But now comes the big question: which one do I start with?
The best mushroom to grow at home depends on a few things - your confidence level, how much space you have, and honestly, what excites you. There's no wrong answer here. But there are definitely better starting points than others, and we're here to help you find yours.
Oyster Mushrooms - The Perfect First Grow
If you're a first-time grower, oyster mushrooms are your best friend. They're fast, forgiving, and incredibly satisfying to watch develop - from the first signs of pinning to a full, beautiful flush in just a matter of days.
What makes oysters so brilliant for beginners is their vigour. They want to grow. They're resilient, tolerant of minor fluctuations in temperature and humidity, and they'll reward even the most nervous grower with an impressive harvest.
At Caley Brothers we grow four oyster varieties, each with their own personality:
Grey Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) - our classic, and for good reason. Fast to fruit, generous in yield, and with a mild, versatile flavour that works in almost any dish. This is the one we recommend to almost every first-time grower. It's also a UK native, so it's perfectly suited to our climate.
Pale Oyster (Pleurotus cornucopiae) - a close cousin to the grey, the pale oyster has a slightly more delicate flavour, a chunker mushroom with a beautiful cream colouring. Another UK native and just as easy to grow.
Tarragon Oyster (Pleurotus euosmus) - now here's one that surprises people. This UK native variety has a subtle anise note - yes, really - making it a favourite with the curious. Every bit as easy to grow as its cousins, but with a flavour story all of its own.
Pink Oyster (Pleurotus djamor) - the showstopper. Vivid pink, tropical in origin, and absolutely stunning on the plate. The only non-UK native in our oyster range, it prefers warmer conditions, so is one we only grow seasonally, but it grows beautifully from a kit and is well worth trying once you've got your first grow under your belt.
With each one of our kits we guarantee you a first crop and guide you through hour instructions to go one and try for 2 -3 more.
→ Shop our oyster mushroom kits here
Lion's Mane - The One Everyone's Talking About
If you've been anywhere near the wellness world recently, you'll have heard about lion's mane. And the good news is that it's not just a supplement - it's a genuinely beautiful mushroom to grow at home.
Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus) produces spectacular white, cascading fruiting bodies that look unlike anything else in the mushroom world. It grows a little more slowly than oysters but requires the same attention - good humidity and indirect light make a real difference - the results are extraordinary.
Beyond the visual drama, lion's mane has a remarkable flavour: meaty, sweet, with a texture often compared to crab or lobster. It's one of the most exciting ingredients you can bring to a home kitchen.
For a first-time grower, we'd suggest starting with oysters and moving to lion's mane for your second grow. But if you're feeling confident - or if lion's mane is the reason you're here - go for it. Our growing kits make it very approachable and will give you a couple of crops.
→ Shop our lion's mane growing kit here
Shiitake - The Classic Worth the Wait
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is the most widely grown gourmet mushroom in the world, and for good reason. Rich, deeply savoury, with an earthy depth that dried mushrooms only hint at - fresh shiitake from a home grow is genuinely extraordinary.
The honest truth about shiitake is that it takes longer than oysters. It's slower to fruit, but the wait is absolutely worth it - and there's something deeply satisfying about the patience it requires.
Shiitake has a single fruiting cycle, giving you a larger crop all at once. Think of it as the slow burn of the mushroom world - less immediate gratification, but a longer, more rewarding relationship.
→ Shop our shiitake grow kit here
King Oyster - Different in the Best Way
King oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) is unlike its oyster cousins in almost every way. Where grey, pale and tarragon oysters produce delicate, fan-shaped caps, king oyster develops thick, meaty stems with regal, upturned caps (quite unlike the stocky examples you get in the supermarkets)- it's those stems that are the prize.
King oyster is slower growing than standard oysters, and it prefers cooler temperatures — which actually makes it an excellent autumn and winter grow in the UK. Our King oyster kits promise you a single fruiting cycle, with a substantial crop all at once. The flavour is mild but deeply satisfying, and the texture holds up beautifully to cooking: sliced and pan-fried, it's one of the finest things you can put on a plate.
→ Shop our king oyster kit here
Speckled Chestnut — The Underdog Worth Discovering
Speckled chestnut (Pholiota adiposa) no, it’s not the one you get in the shops but with spots! It’s far more superior. With its distinctive speckled, golden-brown caps and rich, nutty flavour, it's one of the most visually striking mushrooms you can grow at home.
It's a little more patient than oysters - don't expect the same explosive speed - but the wait is rewarded with clusters of the most mesmerising jewel like clusters as they begin to grow, as they then develop in beautiful, robust mushrooms that hold their shape brilliantly in the kitchen. Roasted, pan-fried or added to a rich autumnal dish, speckled chestnut brings real depth and character.
If you're ready to move beyond the familiar and try something a little different, this is a brilliant next step.
→ Shop our Speckled Chestnut Mushroom Growing Kit
Golden Enoki - Coming Soon, and Worth the Wait
We're incredibly excited to be introducing Golden Enoki (Flammulina velutipes) to our kit range - and pre-order is open now.
Golden enoki is a world away from the pale, wispy enoki you might find in a supermarket. Warm amber in colour, with small, neat caps and a satisfying crunch, it's a genuinely beautiful mushroom to grow and cook with. Brilliant in stir-fries, noodle dishes and broths, it brings both visual drama and delicate flavour to the plate - and it's well worth giving it a go as soon as you're ready.
Pre-ordering now means you'll be among the very first to grow it.
→ Pre-order our Golden Enoki Mushroom Growing Kit
Coral Tooth - Our Native Wildcard
We couldn't write this guide without mentioning coral tooth (Hericium coralloides) - a variety genuinely close to our hearts, and one we champion as a British native species that deserves far more attention than it gets.
Coral tooth is a cousin to the Lion’s Mane, so share all that functional goodness they promise, but is a striking, branching mushroom that looks almost otherworldly - soft white, feathery, and utterly beautiful. It's rarer in the wild than lion's mane and less well known commercially, but as a home grow it's a genuinely special experience.
We think of coral tooth as the adventurous choice - the one for growers who want to go beyond the familiar and explore what British fungi have to offer. If that sounds like you, we'd love to help you grow it.
→ Shop our coral tooth kit here
So, Which One Should You Choose?
Here's our simple guide:
You're a complete beginner → Start with an oyster mushroom. Fast, forgiving, and enormously satisfying.
You're curious about health benefits → Lion's mane or Coral tooth are your mushroom. Fascinating to grow, extraordinary to eat.
You love cooking and want depth of flavour → Shiitake or King Oyster mushrooms. Worth every day of the wait.
You're growing in autumn or winter → King oyster or Shiitake thrive in cooler temperatures. Perfect timing.
You want something a little different → Speckled chestnut or Corl Tooth. The underdog with serious personality.
You want something truly unique → Coral toothn or Speckled Chestnut. Both give a beautiful grow, and a conversation starter every time.
You want to get in early on something exciting → Pre-order Golden Enoki now. Beautiful, delicious and unlike anything from a supermarket - coming soon.
Whatever you choose, we're here to help you every step of the way. Take a look at our kit instructions for everything you need to know about getting started, or browse our full range of grow kits to find your perfect first mushroom.
Everything we've covered above applies whether you're growing indoors or out - the same varieties, the same principles, the same joy of watching something extraordinary emerge from a block of substrate.
Outdoor growing does bring a few extra factors into play - weather, environment, and the time it takes for mycelium to fully establish before fruiting, can all vary more than indoors. But don't let that put you off. There's something deeply satisfying about working with the seasons, and the results are absolutely worth it.
Ready to explore outdoor growing? Take a look at journal entry about biodiversity in your garden - or pick up a copy of Project Mushroom, our book packed with projects for both indoor and outdoor growers.
We'll be publishing a dedicated piece on the book later in the year - do subscribe to our news letter so you don't miss it.
And if you're still not sure - drop us a message at enquiries@caleybrothers.co.uk - we genuinely love helping people find their first grow.
Where to next?
→ Get our book - Project Mushroom
→Join us online at one of our workshops this autumn
→ Follow us on Substack for new posts twice a month
If you found this useful, you’re in the right place. We’re Lorraine and Jodie - the Caley Brothers - a small mushroom farm in West Sussex, eight-times medal winners at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and Gardeners’ World Live, collaborators with Kew Gardens, the Tate Modern and the RHS, and authors of Project Mushroom. Growing mushrooms is all we do, and sharing what we know is why we’re here.
The best way to stay close to what we’re doing - new varieties, growing guides, recipes, behind-the-scenes life at the farm and the honest reality of running a small mushroom business - is to subscribe. It’s free, it goes out twice a month, and we promise it’s always worth your time.
Mush love,
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