How to Grow Golden Teacher Mushrooms at Home – A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Golden Teacher mushrooms are one of the most popular strains of Psilocybe cubensis among both new and experienced cultivators. Their relatively easy growing conditions, resistance to contamination, and impressive yields make them ideal for at-home mushroom cultivation. Whether you're growing for personal use, education, or spiritual exploration, this guide will walk you through every step of the process.

By the end of this article, you'll know how to grow Golden Teacher mushrooms from spores to harvest—safely, efficiently, and effectively.

2. Why Grow Golden Teacher Mushrooms?

Golden Teachers are one of the most cultivated copyright mushrooms for good reason. Here's why so many growers start with this strain:

Ease of growth: Very forgiving for beginners
Moderate potency: Perfect for introspection or therapy
Robust mycelium: Colonizes quickly and resists contamination
Large fruiting bodies: Makes harvesting and identification easier
High yield potential: Consistent flushes when properly maintained

Many cultivators also choose Golden Teachers for their balanced, spiritual trip, making them a favorite among psychonauts website.

3. Understanding the Psilocybe Cubensis Life Cycle

Before you grow, it helps to understand the basic life cycle of Psilocybe cubensis:

Spores germinate under moist, sterile conditions
Mycelium grows through the substrate
Mycelium colonizes fully and enters a resting period
Fruiting conditions trigger mushroom growth
Mature mushrooms are harvested before spore release
Spores are collected (optional) to start a new cycle

This cycle typically takes 4–6 weeks from spore inoculation to harvest.

4. Overview of Cultivation Methods

There are multiple methods to grow Golden Teachers, but these are the most common:

PF Tek (Psilocybe Fanaticus Technique)

Beginner-friendly
Uses BRF (brown rice flour) cakes
Inexpensive and simple

Monotub Method

Great for larger yields
Requires bulk substrate (manure, coir, vermiculite)
More advanced but scalable

All-in-One Grow Bags

Pre-sterilized and easy
Great for small personal grows
Minimal setup required

We’ll focus on PF Tek and Monotub in this guide, as they offer the most control and learning opportunity.

5. Supplies and Equipment You'll Need

Basic Materials:

Golden Teacher spore syringe or spore print
Brown rice flour (BRF)
Vermiculite
Distilled or filtered water
Mason jars with metal lids (half-pint for PF Tek)
Pressure cooker or Instant Pot (for sterilization)
Large plastic storage tub (for fruiting chamber)
Perlite (for humidity in the tub)

Optional for Monotub:

Coco coir
Horse or cow manure (pasteurized)
Polyfill or micropore tape
Drill (for air exchange holes)

Sanitation Supplies:

70% isopropyl alcohol
Latex or nitrile gloves
Face mask
Spray bottle
Still air box or flow hood (for inoculation)

Investing in cleanliness and sterilization is the single biggest factor in avoiding contamination.

6. Preparing Your Substrate

For PF Tek:

Mix substrate in a large bowl:
- 2 parts vermiculite
- 1 part brown rice flour
- 1 part water
Fill jars with the mixture, leaving ½ inch at the top.
Add dry vermiculite layer on top of the substrate to act as a contamination barrier.
Seal jars with metal lids and cover with foil.
Sterilize jars in a pressure cooker at 15 PSI for 60–90 minutes. Let cool for 12+ hours.

For Monotub:
Prepare bulk substrate with pasteurized coco coir, vermiculite, and manure or gypsum. Avoid contamination by using a hot water pasteurization method or purchasing pre-pasteurized materials.

7. Inoculation: Introducing Spores to the Substrate

This is where you inject your Golden Teacher spores into the sterilized substrate.

Disinfect your workspace and tools
Use a still air box to limit airborne particles
Shake your spore syringe to evenly distribute spores
Flame sterilize the needle until red-hot, then cool
Inject 1–2 mL of spore solution into each jar (for PF Tek) or inoculation site (for bags)
Seal jars and store in a dark place at 70–78°F

Label each jar with the date of inoculation.

8. Incubation Phase

During incubation, mycelium colonizes the substrate.

Store jars in a dark, warm environment (around 75°F)
Observe for white, fluffy growth—this is healthy mycelium
Colonization takes 2–3 weeks on average
Discard any jars with green, black, or foul-smelling mold
Once fully colonized, allow 5–7 extra days to consolidate

For monotubs, colonization may take slightly longer due to substrate size.

9. Fruiting Conditions and Triggers

Once colonized, it’s time to initiate fruiting by introducing the right environmental conditions.

Fruiting Chamber Setup (for PF Tek):

Add 4–5 inches of moist perlite to the bottom of a clear tub
Drill holes in all sides of the tub for airflow
Mist and fan 3–4 times daily

Fruiting Triggers:

Fresh air exchange
Light (12 hours a day of indirect light)
90–95% humidity
70–75°F ambient temperature

After a few days, pins (baby mushrooms) will begin to form.