How to Clone Your Best Fruiting Bodies (Step-by-Step Guide for Home Mycologists)

Okinawa in a CC 3lb Mixed Popcorn All in One Grow Bag

If you’ve ever harvested a mushroom with perfect genetics—thick stems, heavy yield, or a stunning cap—you’ve probably wondered how to grow more just like it. Cloning makes that possible.

Instead of rolling the dice with spores, cloning lets you preserve and replicate the exact traits of your best-performing mushroom. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to clone mushrooms using supplies you can grab from Colorado Cultures.

Why Clone Mushrooms Instead of Using Spores?

Spores = genetic lottery | Clones = genetic copy

Here’s why cloning is a favorite among serious growers:

• Consistent yields

• Predictable potency and appearance

• Faster colonization times

• No risk of mutation or weak genetics

• You preserve your best traits

Spores are great for variety—clones are ideal for performance.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

You don’t need a lab—just the right sterile tools. We recommend:

From Colorado Cultures:

• Still Air Box or Flow Hood

• Scalpels or Exacto Knife (sterile)

• Alcohol wipes / 99% isopropyl alcohol

• Sterilized grain jars or All-in-One grow bags

• Liquid Culture jar

• Petri dishes with agar

Extras:

• Gloves

• Paper towels

• Isopropyl Alcohol

Step 2: Select the Perfect Mushroom

CC 3rd Eye in a CC 3lb Mixed Popcorn All in One Grow Bag

Choose a mushroom with the traits you want to preserve:

• Dense/thick stems

• Strong canopy formation

• High yield genetics

• Fast growth

• Vibrant cap color

• No contamination

Avoid mushrooms that are:

• Mutated unintentionally

• Overly mature

• Soft or waterlogged

• Shriveled or damaged

Step 3: Prepare Your Workspace

Sanitation is EVERYTHING when cloning.

1. Spray down your still-air box or work area with 99% isopropyl alcohol.

2. Wipe tools and surfaces.

3. Wear gloves and sanitize your hands.

4. Have everything laid out before you begin.

If you’re using a flow hood, let it run for at least 15 minutes before starting.

Step 4: Make a Clean Tissue Sample

1. Tear (not cut) the mushroom in half vertically to expose the sterile inner tissue.

2. Sterilize your scalpel with 99% isopropyl alcohol.

3. Remove a rice grain-sized piece from the center of the stem.

This internal tissue is your cleanest starting point.

Step 5: Transfer to Agar or Grain

Option 1: Clone to Agar (Best for Clean Expansion)

• Place the tissue sample in the center of a sterile agar dish.

• Seal the plate with parafilm.

• Store between 68°F–75°F.

Watch for white, ropey mycelium growth over the next few days.

Option 2: Clone Directly to Grain

• Open your sterilized grain bag inside your sterile workspace.

• Drop the tissue inside quickly.

• Close immediately and shake lightly.

Not as clean as agar, but faster for beginners.

Step 6: Expand and Inoculate

Once the clone has colonized:

If using agar:

• Cut clean wedges and transfer to new agar, LC, or grain.

If using grain:

• Use the colonized jar/bag to inoculate bulk substrate like Denver Dirt or all-in-one bags.

Step 7: Watch for Contamination

Look out for:

• Grey (cobweb mold)

• Green patches (trich)

• Excessive Yellow/brown liquids (bacteria)

• Odd smells

Healthy mycelium is:

• White

• Ropey or fluffy

• Evenly spreading

If you’re unsure, you can send us a photo or stop by the shop for help.

Pro Tips for Better Clones

• Clone mushrooms that are young but fully formed

• Avoid fruiting bodies exposed to high humidity damage

• Always sterilize between transfers

• Use agar if you want the cleanest results

• Keep backup clones in the fridge or slants for long-term storage

Need Supplies? We’ve Got You Covered

Colorado Cultures carries everything you need for cloning success:

Still Air Boxes, Sterilized Grain Jars & Bags, Flow Hoods, Agar & Petri Dishes, Alcohol & Sterile Tools, Liquid Culture Jars, Denver Dirt, etc.

Stop by our either of our locations or order online and have high quality mycology supplies shipped right to your door.