Beginner's Guide: NZ's best value-for-money mushroom growkits @ Sporeshift
- Sporeshift Mushrooms Admin
- Mar 8, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: May 20
Since inception in 2018, Sporeshift has been guiding people of all experience levels on successful mushroom-growing journeys. Whether you are growing your own mushrooms by the sea - or on the foothills - we have something for you!
We’re here to help you feed yourself & your whanau with affordable, home-grown gourmet mushrooms - nutrient-dense food that’s healthy & sustainable for both you and the planet. Our kits offer top value, and we’ll show you how they compare to other options out there so you know you are getting the most mushroom value for your dollar.
How to pick the best value grow kits in NZ: Check the Weight!
Figuring out which grow kit gives you the best value can be a bit tricky at first, so let’s break it down. The simplest way to shop smart is to check who’s offering the most kit weight for the best price. More weight means more food for the mushrooms - and more mushrooms on your plate for your dollar.
SporeShift blends value with versatility. Our heavy-hitters, like the >>7KG DIY Oyster Kits, are perfect for growing mushrooms from NZ wide, feeding families from seaside batches to city flats. Take our DIY 5 Step Kit - it’s a 7KG grow kit for just $55, working out to $7.85 per KG. Compare that to some other kits on the market charging $20+ per KG -- or worse -- not even telling you the weight.
At SporeShift we list the weight of all our kits and products, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Grow Bigger still with SporeShift: NZ DIY Oyster Kits for Beginners:
The Biggest on the Market—7kg!
Sporeshift’s is the NZ-original when it comes to >> DIY oyster kits. We understand our customers want to learn the ropes and feed the whole family. That’s why our DIY kits are still the largest out there, packing a hefty 7kg for just $7.85 per KG. Compared to the common 1.5-2kg filter patch bag kits, you’re getting THREE TIMES the mushrooms for your money.
They come in many classic tasty varieties including >> Grey, Italian (Phoenix Oyster) , NZ-Native Velvet Oyster, and the stunning >> Pink Oyster mushroom
In 2026 we have added 5 new Oyster varieties in this range - exclusive to SporeShift.
This is our top pick for teaching people to grow oyster mushrooms. These big bags deliver multiple flushes - and super-value: more than enough to feed the whole family. They’re heavy too - you’ll need a solid grip to lift them - but that’s what makes them the best value around.
With their larger size they are less prone to drying out compared to smaller bags. I have seen these kits producing mushrooms for over 6 months left outside!
Shiitakes Made Simple:
SporeShift’s Shiitake blocks weigh in at 2-2.2kg, and I’ve got to say—they’re one of my favourite mushrooms to eat!
These blocks are trickier and pricier for farms to produce than oyster kits. They need a full 3-month incubation period in a temperature controlled room and can only be grown reliably on sawdust blocks that have been fully sterilised at 15psi heat.
That’s why you won’t see DIY Shiitake blocks, and you’ll pay a bit more—around $20 per kg of block weight. Compare that to oyster kits, and it’s a jump, but it’s worth it for the flavour. Some farms don’t even bother with shiitake because of the extra effort and equipment needed.
You can see a fruiting shiitake block on top of a large fence post for size reference.
Pekepeke-Kiore Perfection: Sporeshift’s NZ Lion’s Mane Kit
Pekepeke-Kiore / >> NZ Lion’s Mane grow kits usually weigh in at 2-2.2kg. They’re a bit like shiitake in their production, just with a shorter incubation time before they’re good to grow.
You’ll find some farms selling DIY Pekepeke-Kiore kits, but in reality for top results they need to be 15psi heat-sterilised. Pekepeke can be prone to contamination, so they’re not as easygoing for DIY as oyster mushrooms are.
That’s why at SporeShift, we only sell Pekepeke-Kiore kits on 15psi heat-sterilised sawdust blocks. It’s the best way to guarantee you’ll get a solid grow and plenty of mushrooms—hassle-free and perfect for beginners that want to take that next step moving to an intermediate grower level!
Pekepeke-Kiore mushrooms are, no two ways about it, freaking delicious. Have been compared to crab-meat. They are served at a few select fine-dining establishments in NZ. They also have reputed cognitive enhancement value - but you'll find that the original Lion's Mane powders (which can't be grown in NZ) have about 5x the efficacy. We recommend iHerb and Health Post for a great selection of Lion's Mane powders if you are searching.
Expect to pay around the $20 per KG of substrate for these NZ Lion's Mane grow kits.
King Stropharia Kits: SporeShift’s NZ Garden Winners
King Stropharia kits are a popular pick for garden growers, and with these, you want to get the most spawn for your buck. More spawn - called inoculum - means a better shot at your patch taking off and thriving
At SporeShift, we say you need at least 2kg of >> King Stropharia spawn to set up a solid garden bed patch. That’s why our bags come standard at 2kg - plenty to get you going.
We make our King Stropharia spawn on 15psi-sterilized sawdust to keep it pure and tough—ready to get your backyard patch producing!
Expect to pay about $20-25 per KG for 15 psi heat-sterilized quality inoculum.
I’m a keen gardener myself and absolutely love what King Stropharia does for the soil and plants. I’ve seen patches pump out 20kg+ of mushrooms - talk about a king of the garden! If you want to dig into the details? Check out my dedicated >> garden bed blog here.
Oyster Growing in NZ: Sporeshift’s Garden Kit Heroes
Same as our King Stropharia garden bed kits our >> Oyster Mushroom garden bed kit also comes with 2KG of inoculum - plenty to get a good patch going.
As with King Stropharia, our Oyster Garden Bed spawn has been 15 PSI heat-treated to ensure top quality pure spawn.
Again, expect to pay about $20-25 per KG for 15 psi heat-sterilised quality oyster garden bed inoculum.
Sporeshift’s Log Kits: NZ Mushroom Growing Magic
The last grow kit on our list is the >> mushroom dowel kit to make mushroom logs. These packs come with inoculated dowels and are dead easy to compare for value—just check the price per dowel and make sure wax is included, not a sneaky extra cost.
Mushroom logs truly are a magic way to grow mushrooms, no special equipment is needed to grow exotic mushrooms, just a log a drill and some heat.
SporeShift dowels are white beech wood that have been 15PSI heat-sterilised to ensure culture purity and strong vigorous growth with great yields.
Figure on spending $12-25 per meter of log you want to inoculate. Bulk dowels beat smaller packs every time - most of the cost is just the labour of counting them out! Sporeshift’s got you covered with solid price breaks, from 40 dowels right up to 1000.
SporeShift Mushrooms - Best Value for Money in NZ
As one of NZ’s oldest specialty mushroom farms, we’re all about bringing you the widest range and top-notch quality. Whether you’re a first-timer dipping your toes in or an experienced grower eyeing a mushroom business, we’ve got your back. We even offer commercial spawn production and support for anyone keen to grow for their local community - please fill out a message in our >> contact form if you are interested in these services.
So, why SporeShift? It’s simple: our kits give you more mushrooms for your dollar, from backyard patches to big logs. Pick your kit, get growing, and see why we’re the go-to for the >> best value for money mushroom grow kits in NZ.
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