What Is a Tek for Magic Mushrooms?

If you’ve ever been curious about how people grow magic mushrooms, you might hear the word “Tek.” It’s short for “technique,” and it refers to a step-by-step method used by mushroom growers to produce mushrooms safely and cleanly.

Teks are like recipes for growing mushrooms. They help growers avoid mistakes, save time and money, and reduce the risk of contamination, like mold or bacteria ruining the crop. Even though some people try to grow mushrooms by just “winging it,” most who are serious about learning use a Tek.

Let’s take a closer look at what Teks are, how they work, and the most common kinds people talk about.

Why Do People Use Teks?

Magic mushroom Teks are popular because they’re reliable. Growing mushrooms is not as simple as putting spores in dirt. Mushrooms are fungi, not plants, and they have very specific needs.

The main problems growers face are contamination (when other mold or bacteria take over) and getting the right conditions for mushrooms to grow. Teks help solve both issues by giving detailed steps that have been tested by other growers.

Teks also give people a shared language. If someone says, “I’m using PF Tek,” others in the community know exactly what that means. This makes it easier to ask questions, get help, and troubleshoot problems online or in books.

The 5 Main Stages of Any Tek

No matter what Tek is used, they all follow the same basic process. Here are the five stages you’ll see in almost every method:

1. Preparation: The grower makes the food for the mushrooms, called substrate. This is usually a mix of grains or flour and something that holds water, like vermiculite or coconut fiber.

2. Inoculation: This is where the grower adds the mushroom spores or liquid culture into the substrate. It’s often done using a clean syringe.

3. Colonization: After inoculation, the mushroom roots (called mycelium) spread through the food. This stage is done in the dark and can take a few weeks.

4. Fruiting: Once the substrate is fully white with mycelium, it’s moved to a place with fresh air, light, and moisture. This change tells the fungi it’s time to grow mushrooms.

5. Harvesting: Mushrooms grow quickly once they start. Growers usually pick them just before the thin “veil” under the cap breaks open.

Each Tek has its own way of doing these steps, depending on what tools or materials are used.

Beginner Teks: Easy and Affordable

If someone is just starting out, there are two beginner-friendly Teks that are talked about the most: PF Tek and Uncle Ben’s Tek.

1. PF Tek (Psilocybe Fanaticus Technique)

This method was created in the 1990s by a man named Robert McPherson. It became the go-to method for beginners and is still widely used today.

• What It Uses: A mix of brown rice flour, vermiculite, and water is packed into small glass jars. The jars are sterilized in a pot and injected with mushroom spores.

• Why People Like It: It doesn’t need any fancy tools. The dry vermiculite on top acts as a filter to keep out mold, making it one of the safest options for avoiding contamination.

• What It Produces: Mushroom “cakes” that grow mushrooms right from the jar or after being placed into a fruiting chamber.

2. Uncle Ben’s Tek (Also called Spider-Man Tek)

This method is newer and became popular thanks to social media videos showing how easy it is.

• What It Uses: Ready-to-eat brown rice in microwaveable bags (like Uncle Ben’s) that are already sterilized at the factory. The grower injects spores directly into the sealed bag.

• Why People Like It: It skips the hard part, sterilizing the substrate, and uses store-bought items. It’s quick and easy.

• What It Produces: Once the rice bag is white with mycelium, the contents are mixed with a bulk material like coconut fiber (called coco coir) in a tub for mushrooms to grow.

Advanced Teks: For Bigger Batches

After people get the hang of the basics, some move on to larger setups that can grow more mushrooms at once. These methods take more effort but produce bigger harvests.

1. Monotub Tek

This is the most common method for growing large amounts at home.

• What It Uses: A plastic storage tub with small holes drilled in the sides. Inside, the grower mixes colonized grain (called spawn) with a bulk substrate like coco coir or pasteurized manure.

• Why People Like It: It can grow a lot of mushrooms at once, much more than PF Tek. The setup is reusable and simple once built.

2. Shotgun Fruiting Chamber (SGFC)

This isn’t a growing method by itself, but is used to help mushrooms fruit (grow) better.

• What It Uses: A clear plastic bin with dozens of holes drilled on all sides, filled with wet perlite on the bottom to keep the air humid.

• Why People Like It: It works without electricity. The design allows fresh air to come in while keeping moisture high, two things mushrooms need to grow.

Comparing the Methods

Why People Stick With Teks

There are a few big reasons Teks have stuck around for decades:

• They help prevent contamination.
  The air we breathe is full of mold spores. If they land on mushroom food, they can take over. Teks are designed to reduce that risk as much as possible.

• They use everyday items.
  Most Teks can be done with things found at grocery or hardware stores. This makes them low-cost and easy to start.

• They’re easy to research.
  Because so many people use the same Teks, there are tons of guides, photos, and help forums online. If something goes wrong, it’s easy to get advice.

What Teks Teach Us

A Tek is more than just a method; it’s a whole system for growing mushrooms that’s been tested and improved over time. While magic mushrooms remain illegal in many places and regulated in others, the interest in how they are grown continues to grow, especially in areas where laws are changing.

Understanding Teks helps people learn about fungi, biology, and the importance of cleanliness and patience in any kind of mushroom growing. Whether it’s PF Tek in jars or Monotub Tek in big bins, each method offers a different way to explore one of nature’s most fascinating organisms.