Agar/agar-agar (ingredient): An ingredient used as the base of the media that goes into Petri dishes/plates.

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Agar plates: A lab-created medium comprising agar, a nutrient source, and water. This mixture is sterilized and poured into sterile Petri dishes, forming a gel-like substance due to agar's solid state at room temperature. The term "agar" is commonly used in the mushroom growing community to refer to this final product or the medium before being poured into dishes. 

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Aseptic technique: Using practices and procedures to prevent contamination from microorganisms. 

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Block/Kit: A supplemented, generally hardwood-based or straw-based substrate that is hydrated, sterilized, and inoculated with spawn. 

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Colonization: The process of mycelium consuming whichever media it has been introduced to.

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Contamination: The presence of unwanted mold or bacterial growth in plates, liquid culture, spawn, or substrate. It is primarily mitigated through aseptic techniques. Mushroom farms often use lab equipment and environments to help minimize contamination. 

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Flush: Another term for a crop. Mushrooms grow in flushes, meaning after an initial cluster of mushrooms is formed and picked, the mycelium will rest, then generate a subsequent flush. This can happen multiple times. Large operations generally get 1-2 flushes before rotating their blocks out for fresh ones. This is done to limit contamination as an outbreak at scale is hard to contain and can result in significant product loss. At home, you can safely get 3 flushes from your kit, sometimes more, before it is totally depleted.  

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Fruiting: This is a term used to describe the development of pins that grow into mushrooms once a substrate has been fully colonized and favorable conditions have been met. Generally, this is a process that happens on a substrate block, however, this also can happen on agar plates, in liquid culture, or on spawn. 

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Grains: Within the mushroom growing community this term is used to describe grains (e.g., millet, whole oats, sorghum) that are hydrated, loaded into mushroom bags then sterilized using an autoclave or pressure cooker. Once colonized, these grains will be considered "spawn."​

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Liquid Culture: Refers to a sterilized solution of water with a 3-5% concentration of glucose (e.g., honey, corn syrup, sorghum). This medium is inoculated with a fully developed and stable culture.

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Masters Mix: A term and recipe created by T.R. Davis of Earth Angel Mushrooms, that refers to a 50% hardwood, 50% soy mixture that is a widely used recipe to make substrate blocks. You can find this pre-made online called "Fast Fruiting Mix" distributed by mushroom media online (no affiliation, just a reputable company.)

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Media/Medium: A general term referring to the source of nutrients the mycelium consumes (e.g., liquid culture, agar, grains, substrate.)

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Mushroom Grow Bags: Filter patch-equipped polypropylene bags that are able to withstand high pressure and high temperatures for an extended duration. Most popularly manufactured by Unicorn Mushroom Grow Bags.

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Mycelium: A wispy, root-like structure that precedes the fruiting process of a given mushroom species. Mushrooms are produced by this mycelial network to effectively spread their genetics through spores. 

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Sanitization: The process of cleaning and disinfecting to reduce the biological load to a safe and effective level. Often mistaken for sterilization. Examples include using isopropyl alcohol, Clorox wipes, or other disinfectants on tools, surfaces, or hands. sanitization may still leave some biological load intact, such as spores.

 

Spawn: Grains that have been fully colonized by mycelium.

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Sterilized/Sterile/Sterilization: Completely void of any biological life, including bacteria, mold, and spores. Some examples of sterilization are high temperature and pressure for an extended period of time, or using a concentrated bleaching solution.

 

Substrate: The final media used to fruit mushrooms from. Usually made from a supplemented hardwood or straw mixture.