Description
Scientific Name: Agrocybe aegerita
Lead time (mentioned in the listing above “add to cart” button) means time it takes to prepare this order. Product in stock does not mean its ready to send out, it means it can be prepared in the lead time mentioned.
What’s Inside
Zero Maintenance Kit
Everything you need is included — just add water and follow the simple instructions.
Our substrate is a special Master’s Mix: a blend of sawdust and lupin hulls, inoculated with 300g of millet grain spawn to give your mushrooms the best possible start.
Microplastic Free
Soy Allergen Free
Gluten Free
Swordbelt (Pioppino / Black Poplar) is prized for its long, elegant stems and velvety brown caps with a nutty, mildly peppery flavor. It responds to a cooler induction for pinning(forming baby mushrooms). This species forms attractive clusters and holds texture well in cooking, making it a culinary favourite.
Humidity: Very high during primordia, (>95%), then 80–90% RH during fruiting; mist as needed.Keep surface moist but not wet.
Light: Low to moderate indirect light (500–1000 lux) to guide form — avoid direct sun.
Air: Good fresh-air exchange is required to avoid oversized stems and to shape caps properly.
Storage: Colonised blocks keep in fridge for upto 1 months if not fruiting straight away, do not keep partially colonised bag in the fridge; consume fresh mushrooms within a few days or dry/freeze dry for longer storage.
Swordbelt (Pioppino) Grow Kit — Elegant & Meaty
Agrocybe aegerita (also called Pioppino, Black Poplar, Brown Swordbelt or Poplar mushroom) prefers a distinct workflow: incubate at a warmer mycelial temperature and then induce fruiting by lowering temperature into the 10–18 °C window. Pins often appear within 2–5 days of induction and expand rapidly, most kits produce harvestable clusters about 6–10 days after pinning. This block-to-harvest speed, combined with a meaty texture and savory flavor, makes Pioppino a favourite for chefs and home growers alike.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rushing induction: Initiating fruiting before full colonisation often causes poor pinset.
Poor humidity control: Pioppino needs very high RH for primordia; low humidity aborts pins (Very Important!)
Insufficient airflow: Lack of fresh-air exchange can yield malformed caps and overly long stems.(Long stems are formed because mushrooms are trying to reach for air).
💡 Tip: Aim for a warm colonisation (22–27 °C) and then a distinct cool induction into 10–18 °C for reliable, high-quality pioppino clusters.
What if pins form inside the bag?
Don’t worry. Ignore the internal pins. Gently fold the top of the bag to push out excess air, cut a small X in the side of the bag where you want the mushrooms to grow, and begin misting that spot daily. The internal pins will be naturally aborted as they don’t have space to grow.
All mushrooms produce spores as part of their natural growth cycle. Some people may be sensitive or allergic to spores, so be mindful of where you grow them. Harvesting earlier — as the caps begin to flatten — will help you avoid heavy sporulation.
Instructions
Download your full step-by-step growing instructions from the link above. We recommend saving these before your kit arrives so you are ready to go.
Want to Learn More?
This kit introduces you to Stage 3: Fruiting — the final step in mushroom growing. To explore all three stages (from spores to harvest), check out our Educational Mushroom Growing Kit.
Checkout all our Spray and grow kits.
Checkout out our fine Misting Spray Bottle to produce tiny droplets and keep humidity high. The size of droplets formed can easily be evaporated , this constant evaporation signals mycelium to pin.
Could not fruit the bag, or was it contaminated? Send us a photo or call us, and we will help you resolve the issue.
