Storing mushroom spores is an easy task and will keep your spores alive until you’re ready to work with them. How to store spores comes up a lot amongst the Mycology community and even though there may be a variety of different opinions, the below suggestions are the most common way they are stored.

Swabs – Swabs are best kept in a cool, dark place, and sealed up in a plastic bag. Anything below 70F or 21C is the optimal temp.

Prints – Prints are best to keep in the same conditions as swabs. A cool, dark place, and sealed in a plastic bag is optimal. Again, anything below 70F or 21C is the optimal temp. One way to store them is in a binder. You can purchase baseball card sleeves, found on Amazon, which the prints slide into and then place them in your binder. This method makes it much easier to flip through to see your collection.

MSS (Multi-Spore Syringes) – Need to be kept in a colder environment than swabs and prints. The best way to ensure they stay fresh is to sealed in a baggy and kept in the refrigerator.

Slants/ Master Slants – Slants should be kept the same way as syringes, in a sealed baggy and in the refrigerator. Master Slants are like regular slants but have a piece of wood inside to help feed the mycelium for longer storage. Both Slants and Master Slants can last years if stored properly.

Gourmet Cultures – Gourmet Cultures, otherwise known as culture dishes, also need to be kept in a sealed baggy and in the refridgerator. If stored properly, they can keep for a few months but will eventually begin to dry out, be sure to check on them regularly and try to use within 6 months.