Articles by Benedict Noel
Benedict Noel of The Mushroom Guide is author of a 9-part guide to growing shiitake mushrooms on our blog (starting here). He’s been hooked on mushroom growing since watching this TED talk in 2015 and has been building his knowledge and experience ever since. Since starting out, he’s helped run a couple of cultivation courses, given presentations at festivals and grown a wide variety of mushrooms, from oyster and shiitake to pioppino and chestnut.
Articles by
Benedict Noel
Alternatives to single-use plastic in mushroom growing
Benedict Noel of The Mushroom Guide shares his tried and tested alternatives to single use plastic in mushroom growing.
The Mushroom Guide Part 9: working with agar cultures
A jellylike substance derived from seaweed, Benedict Noel sets out the role of agar cultures in Part 9 of his Mushroom Guide.
The Mushroom Guide Part 8: working with liquid mushroom cultures
We learn how to work with liquid mushroom cultures as The Mushroom Guide with Benedict Noel continues.
The Mushroom Guide Part 7: preparing mushroom spawn (2)
Mushroom grower extraordinaire Benedict Noel explains how to prepare mushroom spawn using a pressure cooker, as his Mushroom Guide series continues.
The Mushroom Guide Part 6: preparing mushroom spawn
Benedict Noel shares how to scale up your mushroom production, preparing mushroom spawn using grain to then inoculate sawdust bags.
The Mushroom Guide Part 5: inoculating fruiting substrate
Inoculating fruiting substrate: sounds a little daunting, no? Fear not – Benedict Noel explains all in Part 5 of his Mushroom Guide for beginners keen to grow their own shiitake mushrooms.
The Mushroom Guide Part 4: preparing fruiting substrate for shiitake mushrooms
In Part 4 of The Mushroom Guide with Benedict Noel, learn how to create your own bags of fruiting substrate for shiitake mushrooms, using sawdust, bran and a pressure cooker.
The Mushroom Guide Part 3: harvesting shiitake mushroom blocks
In Part 3 of The Mushroom Guide, Benedict Noel enjoys the fruits of his labour harvesting shiitake mushroom blocks, as he continues his step-by-step tutorial.
The Mushroom Guide Part 2: fruiting shiitake mushroom blocks
We learn how to fruit shiitake mushroom blocks with Benedict Noel of The Mushroom Guide. It’s possible to grow shiitake mushrooms with very little equipment. If you’re a novice, this is the best place to start.
The Mushroom Guide Part 1: why grow shiitake mushrooms?
No garden? No problem! In the first of a new series from the Mushroom Guide, Benedict Noel considers why shiitake mushrooms make a great starting point for anyone new to mushroom growing, particularly in an urban environment.