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[2025 Mindmap] How Can You Make Agar for Mushrooms? (4+ Recipes + 2 TEKs Guide)

Q: How much agar to use?

For 500ml of solution, use 10g of agar powder . For 1 liter of solution, use 20g of agar powder .

Q: Best agar powder?

The recommended agar powder is Telephone Brand . It is available at Asian grocery stores and online, offering a good value for mushroom cultivation.

Q: How to store agar dishes?

After pouring, wrap the agar dishes to allow for gas exchange while keeping them protected from contaminants. Store them in the fridge or a designated storage area to maintain sterility. For extra protection, place the dishes in their plastic sleeves, seal them, and they can be stored this way for up to 2-3 months.

January 28, 2025

Time to read 20 min

Trippy Tek

At Trippy Tek, we’re passionate about making mycology accessible and enjoyable for everyone. We combine extensive research, community insights, and hands-on experience to offer proven techniques and tips for mushroom cultivation.

Our mission is to celebrate the art of growing mushrooms while exploring their diverse benefits.

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If you’re serious about growing mushrooms, learning how to make agar is a must. Agar helps you check for contamination early and grow strong, healthy mycelium for your spawn. It’s a key skill for any mushroom grower who wants to succeed.

It’s usually recommended to master working with agar and creating successful spawn before diving into liquid culture

In the beginning, you’ll likely rely on supplies from vendors, but making agar yourself is way cheaper. Plus, it’s a great way to have more control over your mushroom cultivation process. Why keep buying pre-poured plates when you can make your own at home?

We’ll explain everything you need to know to start making agar for mushroom cultivation at home. Once you have your agar ready, you can safely work with it inside a Still Air Box like the one we offer at Trippy TEK. Let’s get started!

Let’s dive in!

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Table of contents

At-Home Agar Laboratory Equipment List for mushroom cultivation

Now that you're ready to upgrade your home lab, here are your options.

Workspace Sterile Environment : Still Air Box or Laminar Flow Hood?

Where will you work? A Still Air Box or a Laminar Flow Hood ?

Check out our custom-designed Trippy Tek Still Air Box, created specifically for mushroom growers by fellow mushroom cultivators to prevent contamination as much as possible. It features an integrated induction sterilizer, LED lighting, and a wire rack for convenience.

Alternatively, you can opt for a Laminar Flow Hood . Although more expensive, the results can be similar inside a Still Air Box by using good sterile techniques.

Sterilization Tool: Pressure Cooker

When venturing into agar work, a pressure cooker is essential. As you take this hobby seriously, this tool will become indispensable. The most popular and proven option is the Presto 23qt .

For a premium option, consider the All American Sterilizer 915, which doesn’t use gaskets for sealing and is specifically geared towards mushroom cultivation. However, it’s significantly more expensive.

A more budget-friendly alternative is the Mirro 22qt, similar in functionality to the Presto model. Regardless of the brand, ensure you learn how to use this equipment properly.

Pressure Cooker for mushroom cultivation at home

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Presto 23 QT Pressure Cooker Guide (Mushroom Cultivation Made Easy)

Agar plates (also known petri dishes): Material Options

Here are the options for agar dishes:

Glass Petri Dishes (recommended):
- Reusable and can be sterilized in a pressure cooker.
- Ideal for the "No-Pour Tek."
- Environmentally friendly but more expensive initially.
PP5 Plastic Petri Dishes :
- Can be sterilized in a pressure cooker but not recommended for reuse.
- Single-use and more affordable.
PS Plastic Petri Dishes (Regular Plastic):
- The cheapest option.
- Single-use and cannot be sterilized in a pressure cooker (they will melt).
PC Plastic Agar Dishes (Polycarbonate):
- A newer option that can be sterilized in a pressure cooker.
- Still under testing for durability and reusability.

If durability and reusability are priorities, glass dishes are ideal, although they require careful handling.

For a balance of convenience and heat resistance, PP5 plastic dishes are often a practical choice.

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Borosilicate Media Bottle (Pouring Bottle)

These bottles, available in 500ml or 1L sizes , are essential for mixing your agar recipe. Ensure they have GL45 screw caps , making them safe to sterilize in a pressure cooker and ideal for performing the Pour Tek method.

Additional Tools and Supplies

Funnel and Muffin Cup : Ensures clean operations during preparation.
Gram Scale : Essential for accurately measuring agar and nutrients.
Thermometer : An NSF-certified and calibrated infrared thermometer is recommended for pouring agar at the correct temperature.
Parafilm or Saran Wrap (Cling Wrap):
- Used to maintain sterility and allow gas exchange for your plates.
- Parafilm is the most common choice but can be expensive; Saran Wrap is a more affordable alternative.

5. Tool Sterilization : If you're not using the Trippy Tek Still Air Box, you’ll need a separate induction sterilizer or a torch to sterilize tools like scalpels and inoculation loops.

6. Agar Ingredients : For your specific recipe (learn more later)

7. Other Essentials : Nitrile or latex gloves, tyvek sleeves, masks, micropore tape, and 70% isopropyl alcohol.

With theses equipments in hand, you're ready to choose your agar recipes and start working with agar like a pro!

Agar Recipes: Don’t Worry Too Much!

There are countless agar recipe options available, and you might feel tempted to search for the "perfect" one. However, as a beginner, your primary goal should be to master the agar preparation process.

Once you've perfected that, you can experiment with your own recipes. In this guide, we’ll introduce proven recipes, explain their purposes, and show you how to customize them based on your needs.

Why Are There So Many Agar Recipes?

Respected mycologists use different recipes for different purposes. For example:

Germinating spores (mushroom spores)
Cleaning contaminated cultures
Multiplying mushroom cultures

Some growers also rotate recipes to keep cultures strong, while others avoid sugary media, believing it may contribute to mycelium aging (a process called senescence ).

The science behind this isn’t fully settled, so don’t stress too much about it—focus on learning the basics.

There are many recipes because, as we’ll see later, different ingredients can do the jobs of a solvent, energy source, and supplements.

For example, water works as the solvent, while ingredients like malt extract or potato flakes provide energy. Supplements like yeast add extra nutrients to help the mycelium grow strong.

This makes it easy for growers to mix and match ingredients to create recipes for specific needs.

Proven Recipes

These recipes use 500ml of water , though you can double the quantities for 1L.

The measurements have some margin for error, and the suggested quantities are chosen for simplicity and effectiveness.

With 500ml, you’ll prepare approximately 10–25 agar plates , depending on how much agar you pour into each plate.

Agar Recipes, LME Light Malt Extract, PDA Potato Dextrose Agar

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Malt Extract Agar (MEA)

Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA)

Ingredients :

500ml water
10g agar powder
10g malt extract

Where to Find Ingredients :

Water : Distilled water is ideal, but tap water works fine.
Agar Powder : Available at Asian grocery stores (best value). The recommended brand is Telephone Brand , also available on Amazon.
Malt Extract : Found in homebrewing stores or online. Ordering online may save time compared to visiting stores for a small price difference.

Ingredients :

500ml water
10g agar powder
10g potato flakes
5g dextrose
Blue food coloring was added here

Where to Find Ingredients :

Water : Distilled or tap water.
Agar Powder : Best value in Asian grocery stores; Telephone Brand is recommended.
Potato Flakes : Found in regular grocery stores—pick some up on your next visit. Bulk purchases offer better value.
Dextrose : Available in health food stores but may be harder to locate. Ordering online (e.g., Amazon) is usually more convenient. Dextrose can also be replaced with regular table sugar as an alternative.

Water Agar / Grain Water Agar (GWA)

Malt Extract, Yeast Agar (MYA)

Ingredients :

500ml water (or grain water from soaked grains)
10g agar powder

Where to Find Ingredients :

Water : Distilled or tap water.
Grain Water : Collect the water used for soaking grains. This allows mycelium to adapt to the grain substrate it will eventually grow on.
Agar Powder : Asian grocery stores provide the best value; Telephone Brand is a trusted option.

Ingredients :

500ml water
10g agar powder
10g malt extract
1g nutritional yeast

Where to Find Ingredients :

Water : Distilled or tap water.
Agar Powder : Check Asian grocery stores; Telephone Brand is recommended.
Malt Extract : Available at homebrewing stores or online.
Nutritional Yeast : Found in bulk food stores. Ensure it’s unflavored. Don’t overpay, as only a small amount is needed.

Strategy for Using Agar Recipes

Once you've practiced and consistently achieved good results with agar preparation, consider using specific recipes for different purposes:

To Germinate Spores, Clone, or Clean Cultures

Use Water Agar .

Minimal nutrients in water agar force mycelium to outgrow contaminants.
Without much food, contaminants remain weak, while mycelium aggressively grows toward the edges of the plate.
This method is excellent for separating mycelium from contaminants and encouraging clean growth.

For Isolation to Achieve a Monoculture

Use MEA or PDA .

Nutrient-rich agar supports healthy growth, making it easier to select strong, clean sectors.
These recipes allow you to identify and isolate the most vigorous genetics, increasing the chances of high yields.

To Multiply Mycelium or Prepare It Before Spawn

Use MYA .

The added nutrients in MYA enhance vigor and encourage robust mycelium growth, ensuring better preparation before transferring to spawn.

Additional Tips

Customizing Recipes : Each recipe can be adapted for various purposes. You might add food coloring to differentiate between recipes or batches.
Experimentation : Once you’re comfortable with the basics, try rotating recipes to explore what works best for your needs.

Master the preparation process first, and you'll soon be creating agar recipes tailored to your own mushroom species and cultivation goals.

Experiment with Your Own Agar Mushroom Recipes

Creating your own mushroom agar recipes is not difficult. It can be helpful when you're missing an ingredient and need to make agar quickly.

Understanding the basic principles will help you become skilled and confident in trying different ingredients.

How to Make your own agar recipes customs

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Ingredient 1: Water

Water serves as the solvent in the agar recipe, and there aren't many ways to experiment with it. However, there are a few options:

Distilled Water: This is the recommended option, but it may not always be available. For home mycologists, it may be unnecessary, so don't worry too much if you don’t have it.
Tap Water: Water from your sink works fine for most recipes. Even with minerals in the water, your agar solution will still work well.
Grain Water: If you’ve soaked grains, you can collect the leftover water. This helps the mycelium adapt to the substrate it will eventually grow on.

Ingredient 2: Agar Agar Powder (1-2%)

To keep it simple, aim for a concentration of 2% by weight. For 500ml of solution, use 10g of agar agar powder, and for 1L of mixture, use 20g.

Typically, agar agar is used in the range of 1% to 3% by weight. Softer gels (1-1.5%) are ideal for germinating spores, while firmer gels (2-3%) are best for cloning or transferring mycelium.

Agar Agar Powder Use for Agar recipes in mushroom growing

What is Agar?

Origin and Function

Agar is a gel made from red seaweed. It functions like the gelatinous substance in Jello or pectin in fruit jelly: it dissolves in hot water and solidifies when it cools, trapping whatever is inside. The molecule that gives agar its gel-like consistency is called agarose.

Unlike gelatin, which mycelium can digest and turn into a goopy mess, A-A provides a solid surface that mycelium can grow on without breaking down.

This solid surface allows you to cut healthy wedges of mushroom mycelium to inoculate other substrates, like grain jars.

Red Seaweeds origin of Agar

Types of Agar

There are different purities of agar. Higher purity agar is often used in scientific labs for applications like DNA testing. For mushroom growing, food-grade agar is sufficient, affordable, and works perfectly.

Where to Find Food-Grade Agar

Food-grade agar, often called “agar-agar,” is easy to find at Asian grocery stores or online. A popular brand is Telephone Brand, which has a rotary phone logo on the package.

However, as long as the agar is food-grade, any brand will work just fine.

Cost and Convenience

Food-grade agar is very affordable—about $2 for enough to make around 60 petri dishes. This makes it an easy and cost-effective option for mushroom cultivation.

Why Agar is Better Than Other Gels?

Agar has two major advantages over other gels like pectin (used in jelly) and gelatin (used in Jello):

Higher Gel Temperature: Agar solidifies at a higher temperature than pectin or gelatin, so it doesn’t need refrigeration to stay solid.

Resistance to Breakdown by Bacteria and Fungi: The air is full of bacteria and fungi that produce enzymes, like pectinase and gelatinase, which can break down gelatin and pectin. This would turn your gel back into a liquid, which isn’t ideal for growing mushrooms.

Agar, however, is less likely to break down because bacteria and fungi that produce the enzyme "agarase" are rare. This means agar remains solid, even when contaminants are present, providing a stable surface for growing mushrooms.

Ingredient 3: Energy Sources (1-8%)

Energy sources are the primary food for your fungi. There are many options available for providing energy, but it's important to understand the two types of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates . A mixture of both types is ideal, as complex carbohydrates are better for long-term health, while simple carbohydrates provide quick energy.

Simple Sugars

Concentration: Aim for 1% by weight (5g for 500ml, 10g for 1L solution). The range can vary from 0% to 2%.
Types of Simple Sugars: These include glucose, fructose, sucrose—simple carbohydrates that fungi can easily metabolize for immediate energy.
- Examples: Table sugar, honey, and syrups.
- Usage: Fungi prefer these sugars for fast growth. They are commonly used in mycology recipes to promote rapid growth.
- However, Paul Stamets doesn't recommend them for long-term use, as they can lead to mutations, senescence, and dieback in the culture.

Standalone Options (Simple Sugars with Both Simple and Complex Carbohydrates):

These ingredients naturally contain a balanced mix of simple and complex carbohydrates, so they don’t require mixing with additional complex sugars:

Light Malt Extract : 2% by weight.
Cornsteep Fermentative : 2% by weight.
Barley Malt Extract : 2% by weight.

Simple Sugars That Need Mixing (With Complex Sugars):

You can mix simple sugars with complex sugars for improved results. While there's not much difference in which complex sugar pairs with a simple sugar, some pairings offer slight advantages based on nutrient needs or growth preferences.

Table Sugar (Sucrose): Pair with potato flakes, corn starch, or malt extract.
Dextrose (Glucose): Pair with potato flakes, corn starch, or malt extract.
Honey: Pair with oatmeal, wheat/rye flour, or potato flakes.
Maple Syrup: Pair with rye/wheat flour, malt extract, or cooked potatoes.
Corn Syrup: Pair with potato flakes, oat flour, or barley malt extract.
Grain Water: Pair with barley malt extract, potato flakes, or corn starch.

If Unsure or Unavailable:

Potato flakes or malt extract are versatile and widely applicable, pairing well with any simple sugar for balanced fungal growth.

Complex Sugars (Starch)

Concentration: Aim for 2% by weight (10g for 500ml, 20g for 1L solution). The range can vary from 0% to 8%.
Types of Complex Sugars: These include starches (polysaccharides), which fungi must break down into simpler sugars before they can use them.
- Examples: Potato flakes, corn starch, oat flour.
- Usage: Complex sugars provide a slower, more gradual release of nutrients. They are commonly included in recipes like Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) to provide sustained energy.
- Paul Stamets’ Insight on Complex Sugars: Stamets recommends using complex carbohydrates like starches for long-term fungal strain maintenance. Simple sugars can promote rapid growth but may lead to mutations and dieback. Starches support slower, more stable growth, reduce metabolic stress, and help preserve genetic integrity.

Standalone Options (Complex Sugars):

Certain complex carbohydrates can be used alone as a primary energy source in your agar recipe:

Potato Flakes : 2% by weight.
Cooked Potatoes : 2% by weight.
Oat Flour : 2% by weight.
Cornmeal : 2% by weight.

Need Mixing (With a Simple Sugar):

Some starches are best when paired with simple sugars to provide both immediate energy and sustained metabolism:

Corn Starch: Pair with table sugar, honey, or dextrose.
Wheat Flour: Pair with maple syrup, honey, or corn syrup.
Wood (Cellulose): Pair with barley malt extract, grain water, or light malt extract.

If Unsure or Unavailable:

Potato flakes are the most versatile and widely applicable. They pair well with simple sugars like dextrose or table sugar and are commonly used in mycology recipes.

Ingredient 4: Optional Supplements

Optional ingredients, such as nitrogen sources, oat-based or grain flours (complex carbohydrates), and end-substrate supplements, can serve specific purposes in agar recipes.

Each ingredient plays a role in enhancing fungal growth, balancing the nutrient profile, and sometimes mimicking the conditions fungi encounter in their natural substrates.

Do You Need Nutrient Additives?

Yeast Extract and Peptones:

Function: These provide nitrogen, vitamins, and other nutrients that promote growth.
Usage: Peptones are primarily used for culturing bacteria or isolating fungi in medical diagnostics, not for general mycology or gourmet purposes.
Quantity: The amounts needed are very small—only a small pinch or a fraction of a gram is required for most recipes.

Malt Extract Alone is Enough:

Function: Malt extract provides sufficient nutrients for spore germination, cleaning, and pure culture expansion.
Recommendation: Adding nitrogen-rich media, like peptones, is unnecessary for most mushroom cultivation. In fact, it can encourage contamination and may not be needed for typical recipes.
Quantity: Again, very small quantities are needed—malt extract is usually used at 2% by weight, which is equivalent to just a few grams per liter of solution.

How to Pour and sterilize your plates

Once you’ve got your ingredients, all that’s left is to:

Choose a method : There are two main ways to prepare agar: Pour and No-Pour. Both methods work, so choose whichever fits your needs best.

Pour Tek

How it works:

Mix the agar ingredients in a bottle
Sterilize the mixture (15PSI 30-40min)
Let it cool (45-50 degC)
Pour it into petri dishes
Wrap them

In the pour method, the warm, liquid agar is poured into petri dishes after sterilization.

Pros :

Creates even layers (uniform thickness) in each dish.
Useful for making many plates quickly

Cons :

Plates can get contaminated when exposed to open air during pouring.
Good sterile technique or a still air box is needed to reduce contamination risks when pouring.

No-Pour Tek

How it works:

Mix the agar ingredients, stir and heat until the ingredients dissolve completely.
Pour the mixture into each petri dish.
Sterilize the dishes at 15 PSI for 30-40 minutes.
Let them cool overnight.
Wrap the dishes to keep them clean.

In the no-pour method, the agar solidifies during sterilization, so the dishes are ready to use afterward.

Pros :

Easier and faster to prepare
Reduces contamination chances since dishes remain sealed after sterilization.
No SAB or Flow Hood required

Cons :

Petri dishes must withstand pressure cooker heat without warping (PP5, PC, Glass plates). Usually plastic containers.
There’s less control over the thickness of the agar.
Limited quantity at once
More condensation

Sterilize Agar Media Properly - Pour Tek

Mix Agar Ingredients: Combine your agar ingredients in a media bottle.
Pressure Cooker:
- Make sure you know how to use and care for your pressure cooker, as it's an expensive tool. Check my in-depth guide here (link).
- Fill the pressure cooker with 3 quarts of water (about 3L or 12 cups). This is the minimum amount needed.
- Place the media bottle on an elevated trivet inside the pressure cooker, and cover the bottle cap with foil. The foil prevents liquid water from entering the bottle and reduces contamination when moving the bottle after sterilization.
- Keep the bottle cap slightly unscrewed to allow steam to enter and sterilize the media.
- Ensure the media isn't submerged in water. Boiling water could cause caramelization and ruin the batch.
Venting 10-15min and Heating:
- Close the pressure cooker and heat it on medium. Vent the cooker for 10-15 minutes without the pressure regulator (jiggle weight).
- After venting, put the pressure regulator and let the pressure build to 15 PSI before starting the timer.
Sterilization (15 PSI 25-40min):
- Sterilize 15 PSI for 25 to 40 minutes. Stay close and monitor the pressure.
- After sterilization, remove the pressure cooker from heat. Let the pressure drop naturally, which ensures the agar won’t boil over and caramelize
Cool Down:
- Wait for the pressure to reach 0 PSI. Do not remove the pressure regulator during this process.
- Once pressure is 0 and the lock valve is released, carefully open the cover, making sure to avoid steam exposure.
Tighten the Cap: After opening the cooker, tighten the bottle cap.
Cooling the Agar:
- The agar is too hot to pour right away. Let it cool naturally or place the bottle in a bucket of cool water to speed up the cooling process.
- Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. The optimal pouring temperature is 45-50°C (115-120°F). Agar will solidify between 32-40°C (90-104°F).
- Key Temperature Facts:
  - Melting Point: Agar melts at 85°C (185°F) and won’t re-melt until it reaches this temperature.
  - Solidifying Point: Agar begins to solidify around 32–40°C (90–104°F), depending on the concentration.
  - Ideal Pour Temperature: Aim for 47°C (117°F) (45-50°C, 115-120°F). This temperature prevents burns and minimizes condensation on the plates.
Put your agar plates in your SAB in the most Sterile way by carefully removing the packaging. Make Extra Dishes
- Make sure you are in your Still Air Box (SAB) when opening the lid for pouring.
- When pouring plates, make a few extra to keep on hand. It’s helpful to have backup plates in case you need them later.
- Storage Tip : Use the plastic sleeve the plates come in—it’s perfect for storing the dishes. Place all 20 back in the sleeve, seal it, and store them in the fridge. No need to wrap each dish at this stage.
Pouring the Agar Plates:
1. Pouring the Plates:
  - Begin pouring at the bottom of a stack of plates, starting with the bottom-most plates.
  - Pour gently, keeping your wrist below the rim of the dish to avoid contamination.
  - Pour in stacks of 5-10 plates. This minimizes condensation on most plates.
  - Expect some condensation on the top plates, but it won't affect the results. We will address it later.
2. Post-Pour:
  - Once all plates are poured, wrap the dishes to allow for gas exchange while protecting from contaminants.
  - You can store the wrapped plates in the fridge. Let them cool overnight, or place them in your designated storage area.
Fixing Condensation:

If you notice condensation on top of your plates:
- Method 1: Place a warm can on top of the stack to absorb moisture.
- Method 2: Store your plates upside down. This helps to remove condensation over time.
- Method 3: Place a cup with warm water on top of the plate for a few seconds to a minute. The warmth will clear up the condensation without damaging the agar.

Explore the Full Mindmap Here [LINK]

Other Notes:

If You Can't Pour Immediately: If you’re not ready to pour, store the agar in the bottle and refrigerate it. When you're ready to pour, microwave the bottle in short bursts to reheat it. Be careful not to overheat and caramelize the agar. Once it's liquid again, pour into the plates.

Sterilize Agar Media Properly - No-Pour Tek

Mix Agar Ingredients: Combine your agar recipe in a container. Stir and heat until the ingredients dissolve completely.
Pour agar plates:
- Pour the mixed agar directly into individual petri dishes, filling each to the desired level.
- There's no need to follow strict sterile technique like a SAB, because it will be sterilized after
Pressure Cooker Preparation:
- Make sure you know how to use and care for your pressure cooker, as it's an expensive tool. Check my in-depth guide here (link).
- Fill the pressure cooker with 3 quarts of water (about 3L or 12 cups). This is the minimum amount needed.
- Place the petri dishes on a trivet or rack inside the cooker to keep them above the water level.
- You can use a strainer for each level in your pressure cooker to prevent the plates from being stacked too tightly.
- Ensure the dishes are arranged securely to avoid tipping during the sterilization process.
- Cover the dishes loosely with foil to prevent contamination and keep condensation from entering.
Venting and Heating:
- Close the pressure cooker and heat it on medium. Vent the cooker for 10-15 minutes without the pressure regulator (jiggle weight).
- After venting, put the pressure regulator and let the pressure build to 15 PSI before starting the timer.
Sterilization (15 PSI for 25-40 minutes):
- Sterilize 15 PSI for 25 to 40 minutes. Stay close and monitor the pressure.
- After sterilization, remove the pressure cooker from heat. Let the pressure drop naturally, which ensures the agar won’t boil over and caramelize
Cool Down (Zero Pressure):
- Wait for the pressure to reach 0 PSI . Do not remove the pressure regulator during this process.
- Once pressure is 0 and the lock valve is released, carefully open the cover, making sure to avoid steam exposure.
- Allow the petri dishes to cool inside the cooker until they are solidified. Cooling overnight is recommended for best results.
Wrap the dishes
- Once cooled, remove the dishes and wrap them inside a Still Air Box to prevent contamination.
Condensation Fixes:
- When condensation forms on the petri dishes, store them upside down to minimize moisture.
- Alternatively, place a warm can or cup of water on top of the dishes briefly to absorb condensation.
- The good thing with the No-Pour TEK is that you don't need to wait a optimal temperature for the Agar. You can do it without SAB if use different plastic containers.

Explore the Full Mindmap Here [LINK]

Conclusion

Congrats! You've successfully made your own agar plates instead of buying pre-poured ones online!

Again, if you prefer a mindmap format with all the same info, please have a look here!

FAQ

How to make Agar for petri dishes?

To make agar for petri dishes, mix agar ingredients (such as agar powder, water, and nutrient sources like malt extract or potato flakes), sterilize the solution in a pressure cooker, then pour it into sterile petri dishes while still warm and liquid.

Are agar plates and petri dishes the same?

Yes, agar plates and petri dishes refer to the same thing—flat, shallow dishes used to culture mycelium or other microorganisms, typically with agar as the growth medium.

How much agar to use?

For 500ml of solution, use 10g of agar powder . For 1 liter of solution, use 20g of agar powder .

Best agar powder?

The recommended agar powder is Telephone Brand . It is available at Asian grocery stores and online, offering a good value for mushroom cultivation.