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North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit vs Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Mushroom Grow Kits: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
North Spore's lion's mane is the kit to gift: gourmet variety, certified organic, spray-and-grow, a first flush the maker guarantees - mid-range from the specialists. The budget Back to the Roots kit is the grocery-store classic. Forest Origins' pink oyster is the it-depends. Skip the Midwest Grow Kits maitake as a gift - the maker rates it intermediate and wants a cool, very humid room.
North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit
Buy itThe gourmet grow kit - USDA certified organic lion's mane, spray-and-grow, from the mushroom specialists.
- Lion's mane is the special variety - the gourmet 'crabmeat' mushroom you can't easily buy.
- North Spore is a mushroom-cultivation specialist, not a box brand.
- Spray-and-grow simplicity: mist daily with the included bottle; the maker says fresh mushrooms can come in as little as 7 days.
- USDA Certified Organic block, and the maker says kits are known for large flushes given adequate humidity.
- Mid-range money for one fruiting block.
- Lion's mane is picky about humidity - the maker warns it dries out in low-humidity homes and suggests generous misting or a humidity tent.
- The maker lists a 6-month refrigerated shelf life, so it is a gift to open soon, not to stash.
Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit
Buy itThe budget box kit - open, mist, harvest pearl oyster mushrooms in about 10 days - the gateway kit.
- The cheapest real mushroom kit, and the one in grocery stores.
- Grows right out of the box - open, mist daily with the included mister, harvest in about 10 days (maker figure).
- 100% organic and non-GMO, made in Michigan, with a guaranteed-to-grow replacement promise.
- Pearl oyster mushrooms - fast and forgiving of imperfect conditions.
- Pearl oyster only - the basic variety, not the gourmet ones.
- Two modest crops - a taste, not a supply.
- Shown as sold out on the maker's own store at last look; retailers may carry it, but stock is not constant.
Side by side
The 5 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit Our pick | Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | The foodie gift - the kit for someone who wants to grow a mushroom they can't buy at the store. | The entry gift - the cheapest, easiest way to grow a mushroom, for kids and curious cooks. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Mushroom type | Lion's mane | Pearl oyster |
| Grow method | Spray & grow block | Box kit |
| Time to harvest | As little as 2 weeks | About 10 days |
| Effort | Mist daily | Mist daily |
| Yield (maker) | Large flushes (maker), first flush guaranteed | 3 to 4 servings, up to 2 crops |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit if
the foodie gift - the kit for someone who wants to grow a mushroom they can't buy at the store.
Know before buying: mid-range money for one fruiting block.
Pick the Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit if
the entry gift - the cheapest, easiest way to grow a mushroom, for kids and curious cooks.
Know before buying: pearl oyster only - the basic variety, not the gourmet ones.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the North Spore Lion's Mane Spray & Grow Kit - The gourmet grow kit - USDA certified organic lion's mane, spray-and-grow, from the mushroom specialists. Choose the Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit instead if the entry gift - the cheapest, easiest way to grow a mushroom, for kids and curious cooks.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Mushroom Grow Kits: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).