PF Tek Cultivation Method: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to Growing Magic Mushrooms- Part 1

Welcome back, my fellow fun guys and gals — Bob here with More Than Spores! Today, we’re diving into a classic: the PF Tek mushroom cultivation method.

I haven’t used this technique in nearly four years — not since I first started cultivating mushrooms. These days, I’m a mono tub maniac, as you’ve seen in many of my videos. But today, I decided to go back to basics and see how PF Tek stacks up.

Why PF Tek?

Whether you're new to mushroom growing or just want a fun project that doesn’t break the bank, PF Tek is a solid way to get started. There are a few key reasons you might want to try this cultivation method:

• No pressure cooker required (although I used one for added safety)

• Great for beginners

• Simple, cost-effective, and reliable

• Perfect stepping stone to bulk methods like the monotub

What You’ll Need

Here’s your PF Tek starter pack:

• Fine grain vermiculite

• Brown rice flour (store-bought or homemade in a blender)

• Distilled water

• 12 half-pint canning jars

• Mixing bowls, measuring cups, tin foil

• Paper tape

• Hammer + finishing nail (for injection ports)

• Gloves & 70% isopropyl alcohol for sterilization

Preparing Your Jars (Step-by-Step)

1. Drill Injection Ports: Use a finishing nail and hammer to make 4 evenly spaced holes in each jar lid. Cover the lid with tape first for easier sealing later.

2. Mix Substrate:

   • 4 cups fine vermiculite

   • 4 cups brown rice flour

   • 2 cups distilled waterMix until it feels like damp sand — soft enough to crumble, firm enough to clump when squeezed.

3. Fill Jars:

   • Fill substrate to just below the rim.

   • Wipe the jar rims clean.

   • Top off with a dry vermiculite layer (this acts as a contaminant barrier).

4. Seal & Sterilize:

   • Tape over injection holes

   • Add lids and foil

   • Sterilize in a pressure cooker at 15 PSI for 45 minutes

   • Let cool for at least 4 hours

Time to Inoculate!

Once your jars have cooled, it’s inoculation time.

For this run, I used two strains: B+ and Matias Romero. Each 10cc syringe can inoculate about 10 jars (if you dose precisely at 1cc per jar — 0.25cc per injection port).

Tips:

• Flame sterilize the needle

• Work in front of a HEPA filter or in a still air box

• If you accidentally squirt too much, don’t stress — just use two ports instead of four

What's Next?

After inoculation:

• Label and store your jars in an incubation chamber at around 78–80°F

• Expect full colonization in about 3 weeks

• Once colonized, you’re ready to birth the cakes and enter the fruiting phase

Bonus: I’m also trying something brand new I’m calling the “Lollipop PF Tek” — a custom tweak designed to maximize surface area for higher yields. More on that in a future blog post, so stay tuned!

Final Thoughts

I’ve been awake for 30 hours shooting content, editing videos, and pouring my heart into this work. I’m not some giant corporate brand. I started from nothing and am building this from the ground up because I love this craft and believe in the healing power of growing your own mushrooms.

If you got value from this post:

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel @PhunGuyBob

• Share this with a fellow mycologist

• Drop a comment or email me at support-team@morethanspores.com or support@shroomsuppliestore.com if you have questions

Let’s grow together.

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtzgczqU2N8

Turn off. Tune out. Drop in.— Bob, Head Mycologist @ More Than Spores