Coffee grinds as a substrate

[Stillman]

I have no idea about mycology, but am interested in growing some basic edibles, and I was reading somewhere about coffee grinds as a substrate? I have access to a massive amount of this if I want more then I need. Would this be a good medium for cultivating the easier end of mushrooms and has anyone had a go and found it worked for them?

[waterboy 2.0]

Oysters work well with em, I did a few then used it mixed in with shredded paper/straw. Don't use it much these days as it'll cost me fuel to go and pick the stuff up now. I found it yielded better mixed when I was playing with it.

I would presume reishi would give it a go as well.

[NSF]

In my experience it's a really tough substrate to work with. Contams love it, mycelium grows on it slowly (perhaps due to it's tiny particle size or lack of oxygen within the block) and it's hard to sterilise, due to the fact it packs down so tight, you have to cook it much longer to get the core up to temp.

I agree with waterboy when he says to use it in a mix with other things (straw or sawdust or both). Treat it more like a supplement than a pure substrate and you ought to be fine.