Poplar Fieldcap (Pioppino) Kit Instructions
Cyclocybe aegerita (synonym: Cyclone cylindracea), known colloquially as Pioppino, Black Poplar mushroom or Poplar Fieldcap is highly prized in European countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal and France for its nutty flavour and crunch.
The smooth yellowish to dingy brown caps can grow up to 30 cm in diameter and the grey gills become chocolate brown with maturity. In nature, It can be found growing in large clusters on dead deciduous trees, preferably poplars, It thrives in wine-growing areas in the spring to late autumn.
Each species of mushroom is a different growing experience. Even if you have grown mushrooms before, please read the instructions for your kit carefully before proceeding. If you run into any problems please see our FAQ.
Step 1: Mycelium Check
Inside this box mycelium has has been happily breaking down the organic growing medium and converting it into energy. At first the mycelium is often wispy and hard to see, but as it gets ready to produce mushrooms it becomes more dense and white in colour.
Open the box and remove the bagged block of mycelium and growing medium.
Brown or Brown & White =
needs more time in a warm location
Mostly White =
ready to move on to stage 2
Entirely White =
ready to move on to stage 2
If your block is brown, unroll the bag and move your block to a dark location - over 15°C and NO MORE THAN 25°C. Check it once a week until at least 60% of block is covered with white mycelium.
If your block is covered with over 60% white mycelium you can now move on to step 2. If you do not want to move on to step 2 at this time, you can keep your kit in the fridge or a cool place for up to two weeks.
Step 2: Finding an ideal location
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Find a place in your house that it out of direct sunlight. If you've purchased a thermometer/hygrometer, a temperature reading between 13°C and 18°C is ideal.
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Your mycelium block comes in a grow bag with a breathable micropore filter patch to help facilitate gas exchange. You will also be gradually increasing the airflow to your mushrooms as they begin to grow by making a series of slits in the bag (explained below).
Step 3: Initiating Fruiting
In nature the mushroom fruiting process of is triggered by a range of changes in the environment. Fresh air and ambient light become available as the mycelium breaks through the ground layer or the extremities of a log. Seasonal changes bring wetter weather and humidity increases. You will now imitate these changes in the following way:
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Using a clean knife, puncture the exposed bag in a large 'X' shape around 4 inches wide. This will initiate the fruiting process and your mushrooms will grow from this hole.
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Mist your kit according to the misting instructions below.
The bag with an 'X' shaped opening cut into the middle.
Step 4: Misting & Fresh Air Exchange
Mushrooms prefer to grow in an environment with 80-90% humidity. Because of this, you'll need to gently mist your kit regularly with a clean spray bottle. You want to create a humid environment for the mushrooms and to keep their bodies moist, rather than to 'water' them as you would a plant. When your mushrooms begin to grow you'll need to give them more airflow.
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Before your mushrooms begin to grow, a gentle mist with a spray bottle once a week will help keep humidity up.
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Once your mushrooms begin to pin, keep their bodies moist by misting generously 2-3 times a day.
Step 5: When to Harvest
Small mushrooms or pins should be allowed to develop further.
Mature pioppino mushrooms ready to harvest.
Broken veil and caps that are flattening out indicates that your mushrooms are ready to harvest! Don't wait much longer or they will drop spores.
If you'd like to increase the shelf-life of your mushrooms, harvest them before the veil has broken. For larger mushrooms, you can wait until the caps have flattened.
Step 6: Harvest
You should harvest your black poplar mushrooms at the same time by thoroughly removing the entire cluster.
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To harvest, grab the cluster at the base and twist and pull away from your block cleanly. If any mushrooms remain attached, pull these off at the base as well.
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Be sure to cut off any attached substrate before storing or using.
Step 7: Initiating The Next Flush
Black Poplar mushrooms will generally yield 1-2 flushes. To attempt a second flush of mushrooms try the following:
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Tape up the 'X' shaped opening you've made in the bag. Fill your growing bag with enough tap water to cover your block and store your block in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
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Drain away excess water, replace the paper clips and resume misting and fresh air exchange.
For more tips and information about how to encourage subsequent flushes sooner see our FAQ on getting more our of your kit.
Step 8: What to do with your kit when it stops producing mushrooms
Did you know that fungi play a key role in storing carbon? Trees and plants remove carbon from the atmosphere and fungi break down plant waste to create new carbon-rich soil. Clean air, healthy soil and delicious mushrooms: just one of the many ways fungi are incredible!
Once your box has finished flushing, open the box and remove the mycelium block from its plastic bag. Discard the bag in the general waste. You can now recycle the box and additional packaging and compost the block. Alternately plant it in the garden to see if it will gain a some energy and produce one last seasonal crop for you! Simply dig a hole in a shady spot, bury the block and cover it over with around 5cm of soil. Water it occasionally to keep the soil moist.
We hope you've enjoyed growing your Black Poplar Mushrooms!
We're passionate about sharing the diversity of the fungi kingdom & making more of its edible & medicinal delights easy to grow. Want to try another strain or learn how to cultivate mushrooms? See our full range of mushroom growing kits and cultivation workshops!