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How to Grow Mushrooms Indoors: The Mushroom Miniseries: Best of Growing Joy Replay

How to Grow Mushrooms Indoors: The Mushroom Miniseries: Best of Growing Joy Replay

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness April 9, 2026 Duration: 51:18
Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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What if your next houseplant could double in size overnight and end up on your dinner plate?

Today we’re talking about how to grow mushrooms indoors and why it might be one of the most fun, beginner-friendly ways to grow edible mushrooms at home.

A couple of years ago, I recorded a Mushroom Miniseries with my husband and mushroom expert Louis from North Spore, and we talked about everything from growing mushrooms indoors to outdoor cultivation and harvesting your own mushrooms at home.

This episode is all about growing mushrooms indoors, including beginner-friendly options like mushroom grow kits, easy edible varieties like oyster mushrooms and lion’s mane, and what you actually need to get started.

It’s weird, it’s fascinating, it’s surprisingly easy, and if you’re a plant parent who’s ever wanted your hobby to become dinner, this one’s for you.

I’m so excited to bring this episode back as part of our Best of Growing Joy series, and I think you’re going to love it.

 

In this episode, we learn:

  • [00:56] This episode’s special guest!
  • [02:02] Billy and I started exploring mushrooms after watching ‘Fantastic Fungi’
  • [05:57] An overview of our four-part mushroom miniseries!
  • [07:57] Who is Louis Giller and why is he so crazy about mushrooms?
  • [11:31] Mushroom appreciation!
  • [12:36] How we started this passion project
  • [16:42] What is the difference between mushrooms and fungi?
  • [19:00] Are you looking for a product that improves plant growth while reducing water usage?
  • [20:40] Where can you get high-quality potato seeds this summer?
  • [22:50] What differentiates fungi from flora?
  • [25:21] What is the main purpose of mushrooms?
  • [27:08] Let’s explore the Wood Wide Web!
  • [30:54] What determines the fungus' fruiting body structure?
  • [35:38] Do potting mixes and composts with mycorrhizae help plants absorb water and nutrients faster, and how does this work?
  • [37:05] What are the little yellow mushrooms growing in your houseplant soils?
  • [39:36] What are adaptogenic mushrooms?
  • [40:40] Chaga and Reishi mushrooms: their anti-inflammatory benefits and unknown mechanisms
  • [43:43] Why mushroom have high-end protein content
  • [48:56] Ready to prioritize your health by investing in your sleep with the comfiest bedsheets
  • [51:07] Are the Cordyceps from The Last of Us TV show real?
  • [53:21] Louis’ best mushroom-related books for beginners!
  • [57:37] What are the mushrooms that Loius regularly consumes?
  • [59:31] What are some affordable ways to grow mushrooms at home?

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

What mushroom would you want to grow first?

Check out the full show notes and blog for grow kits, mushroom-growing tips, and everything we mentioned in this episode!

 

Follow North Spore

Louis' LinkedIn

Website

Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

TikTok

Pinterest

 

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

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There’s a quiet, accessible kind of wellness waiting for you on a windowsill or in a patch of soil. Growing Joy with Plants explores that very idea, moving beyond basic tips to examine how our relationship with the natural world directly nurtures our mental and emotional health. Hosted by Maria Failla, a self-proclaimed Happy Plant Lady and author of "Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness," this podcast feels like a warm conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Maria guides you through the practicalities of keeping your houseplants alive and thriving, but the discussion always circles back to the deeper connection-how the simple acts of watering, repotting, or simply observing growth can become anchors of calm in a hectic day. Each episode digs into how gardening and engaging with nature, even in small urban spaces, offer tangible tools to manage feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This isn't about achieving a perfect indoor jungle; it's about finding moments of peace and genuine happiness through the process of care. The underlying message throughout the podcast is a powerful and gentle reminder: tending to your plants is fundamentally an act of tending to yourself. You’ll come away with not just better plant care knowledge, but a refreshed perspective on cultivating joy in your daily routine, learning that the serenity you might seek on vacation can be rooted right in your own home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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