Where to Find the Best Edible Mushroom Spores for Sale

As interest in growing mushrooms at home has exploded in recent years, so has the availability of edible mushroom spores for hobby cultivation From gourmet varieties like oyster and shiitake to medicinal powerhouses like reishi and lion’s mane, you can now easily buy spores online to grow your own mushrooms in the convenience of your own home

But with so many mushroom spore retailers to choose from, how do you know where to find the highest quality, most viable spores for your needs? As an avid home mushroom grower myself, I’ve ordered from many different vendors over the years Through trial and error, I’ve learned where the best places are to buy edible mushroom spores and cultures that deliver successful grows.

In this guide, I’ll share my top picks for the most reputable retailers to purchase edible mushroom spores for home cultivation, no matter your level of experience Let’s dig in!

Overview of Purchasing Edible Mushroom Spores

Before jumping into vendors, let’s quickly go over some mushroom spore buying basics:

• Spores – These are microscopic reproductive cells that germinate to form the mycelium that then produces mushrooms. Spores can be sold in liquid solution or as dry prints.

• Cultures – Also called mycelium cultures or live cultures. These are lab-grown batches of mycelium ready to transfer to grow substrates to begin fruiting mushrooms.

• Spores are legal – In most places, it’s 100% legal to buy spores for microscopy and research. Growing mushrooms from spores may or may not be legal depending on where you live.

• Reputation matters – Always buy from trusted vendors with good customer reviews and safe payment practices to avoid contamination or getting ripped off.

• Order early – Give spores 6-12 weeks to colonize substrates. Don’t wait until the last minute! Plan your grows in advance.

Now let’s get to my list of the best, most recommended retailers to buy edible mushroom spores from online.

1. Midwest Grow Kits – Best Beginner Spore Store

Midwest Grow Kits is my top choice for beginners looking to buy their first edible mushroom spores and supplies. They have a fantastic selection of the most popular gourmet mushroom varieties at affordable prices.

I especially recommend Midwest Grow Kits for the following reasons:

• Wide selection of beginner-friendly spores and cultures
• Mushroom grow kits available for easy, fail-proof setup
• Free shipping on orders over $100
• Excellent customer education resources

They carry spores and cultures for oyster, shiitake, lion’s mane, wine cap, and many other choice edible varieties. Their wood chip mushroom grow kits provide an all-in-one solution for first-time growers.

Overall, Midwest Grow Kits has outstanding products and customer service that can’t be beat for those just getting started with edible mushroom cultivation at home.

2. Spore Store – Largest Selection of Spores

SporeStore.com is my top choice for experienced home cultivators who want the biggest variety and inventory of edible mushroom strains. Their selection absolutely can’t be beat.

Why Spore Store is a top edible mushroom spore resource:

• Over 75 species and 350+ strains of edible spores in stock
• Diverse exotic and gourmet options beyond typical varieties
• Spore printing services available
• Good prices on bulk and culture orders
• Reliable, timely shipping

From button, pioppino, enoki to blewit, white morel, maitake – Spore Store has it all. They even carry hard to find porcini, chanterelle, black trumpet and morel spores!

For edible mushroom growing enthusiasts, Spore Store’s huge catalog and stock levels make it my #1 pick for diversity and availability.

3. Quality Spores – Best Customer Experience

QualitySpores.store is my top pick for the overall best customer experience when buying edible mushroom spores. They provide:

• Excellent strain selection and availability
• Free U.S. shipping/low international shipping cost
• Discreet, fast, guaranteed delivery
• Amazing customer service and support

Their easy to navigate website and stellar reputation for service really makes ordering from Quality Spores a pleasure. They have a good range of both standard and exotic edible varieties.

While their catalog may not be as huge as Spore Store, Quality Spores makes up for it by providing a smooth, seamless ordering and fulfillment process with exceptional customer care.

Other Notable Edible Mushroom Spore Retailers:

• Mushroom Man Mycology – Good variety of medicinal mushrooms
• Sylvan Supply – Bulk discounts available
• Sonoran Spores – Arizona-based seller with starter kits
• SporeWorks – One of the first online retailers

While there are many reputable mushroom spore sellers to choose from, the 3 companies I profiled above have consistently provided me with the highest quality products and service over the years. By ordering edible mushroom spores from them, I know I’ll get viability and results.

Choosing the Best Spores for Your Skill Level

As a final note, don’t bite off more than you can chew as a beginner when buying edible mushroom spores online. Start with oyster or lion’s mane spores on prepared substrates or grow kits. These are some of the easiest mushrooms to cultivate at home for beginners before working your way up to more challenging gourmet varieties.

No matter where you choose to buy them, with the right spores and some patience your home can become filled with a bountiful harvest of delicious, nutritious mushrooms! It’s an incredibly rewarding hobby that anyone can enjoy.