Beckley Recommends: Five Books on Mushroom Cultivation

The global conversation around growing psychedelic mushrooms has shifted dramatically in the past decade. Once relegated to the counterculture, psilocybin mushrooms are now a growing part of conversations centered around cutting-edge research into mental health, and are beginning to enter regulated therapeutic settings in parts of the United States and beyond. At the same time, popular fascination is surging across the globe. According to Google Trends, the search term ‘Psilocybin’ has surged in the last 5 years alone, reaching its highest level to date in 2025.

This renewed curiosity comes with challenges. The legal status of psilocybin remains restrictive across most jurisdictions, and the practical knowledge of safe cultivation often circulates through informal or unreliable channels. In this mix of hope and hazard, trustworthy educational resources are essential. Credible and published books from known experts, unlike fleeting online forum posts, provide tested methods, contextual grounding, and a framework for responsible practice.

Beckley has long advocated for science, safety, and cultural respect in the psychedelic space. In that spirit, we’ve selected five essential texts that we think every aspiring cultivator should become familiar with. Together, they span the technical, ecological, philosophical, and historical aspects of mushroom growing, all of which offer a solid foundation for anyone navigating this complex but fascinating field.

In such a landscape, authoritative books serve as anchors. They provide reliable methods, establish scientific standards, and reinforce harm reduction principles. Choosing the right text is imperative and provides the foundation of a safe and responsible cultivation practice.

1. Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms – Paul Stamets

Often called the ‘bible’ of mushroom cultivation, Stamets’ monumental work transformed the field by making laboratory-level techniques accessible to small-scale and amateur growers. With meticulous detail, it covers everything from agar culture and sterile inoculation to substrate preparation and environmental control.

Best for: Dedicated cultivators aiming for mastery.
What we liked: Scientific precision, comprehensive scope, and detailed parameters for dozens of species.
Limitations: Dense and technical, potentially overwhelming for beginners. The edition most widely available dates to 2000, meaning some techniques have since been simplified or updated.

Paul Stamets himself is one of the most recognizable figures in mycology, blending roles as scientist, entrepreneur, and public educator. His reputation is well-earned.

2. Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation – Tradd Cotter

Tradd Cotter’s book takes a different approach. Rooted in sustainability and accessibility, it emphasizes low-cost, organic methods that can be applied almost anywhere. Beyond cultivation, Cotter explores fungi’s potential in environmental clean-up and medicine, extending the book’s relevance well beyond the grow room.

Best for: Eco-conscious growers, permaculturists, and beginners who want practical results without a high-tech lab.
What we liked: Accessible, innovative, and visually clear. Demonstrates how mushrooms can grow on unconventional materials, from coffee grounds to denim.
Limitations: Less focused on advanced laboratory science; best for practical growers rather than those seeking technical depth.

Cotter, a microbiologist and professional mycologist, has built his reputation through Mushroom Mountain, his farm and research center. His emphasis on creative problem-solving reflects his belief that fungi can be partners in addressing both personal and planetary challenges.

3. Radical Mycology: A Treatise on Seeing & Working with Fungi – Peter McCoy

McCoy’s Radical Mycology is as much philosophy as manual. At over 650 pages, it reframes human-fungal relationships in cultural, ecological, and spiritual terms before diving into cultivation, medicine-making, and environmental applications. It is the foundational text of the Radical Mycology movement, which champions citizen science and community empowerment.

Best for: Philosophically minded practitioners, community organizers, and those who want to understand fungi in the widest possible context.
What we liked: Breadth, depth, and inspiration. Combines biology, practice, and ethics into a holistic worldview.
Limitations: Immense in scope and detail. Readers seeking a quick-start cultivation guide may find it overwhelming.

McCoy is largely self-taught but highly respected, with two decades of experience and a reputation as an educator and advocate. His book is both technically useful and profoundly transformative in how readers come to view fungi.

4. The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible – K. Mandrake

In contrast to the encyclopedic scale of Stamets or McCoy, Mandrake’s book is a focused, step-by-step guide to growing psilocybin mushrooms at home. Written under a pseudonym, it prioritizes accessibility and harm reduction, using clear illustrations and instructions that guide novices through methods like the PF Tek and monotub cultivation.

Best for: First-time growers seeking a reliable, easy-to-follow manual.
What we liked: User-friendly, visually clear, and dedicated specifically to psilocybin. Strong emphasis on safety and responsible use.
Limitations: Narrow in scope; it does not delve into advanced lab practices or genetic work.

Its popularity in online communities reflects its balance of practicality and responsibility. While it may lack the theoretical heft of other works, its focus makes it very useful for beginners.

5. Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower’s Guide – O.T. Oss & O.N. Oeric

This slim, black-and-white guide from the 1970s marked a turning point. Written by Terence and Dennis McKenna under pseudonyms, it was the first widely available manual on home cultivation of psilocybin mushrooms. While its methods now appear rudimentary, it laid the groundwork for everything that followed.

Best for: Those interested in history and culture.
What we liked: Historically significant, simple techniques, and infused with the speculative philosophy of the McKenna brothers.
Limitations: Some outdated methods and limited discussion of contamination or safety. Best seen as a cultural artifact rather than a current and up-to-date manual.

Despite its age, it remains a fascinating snapshot of psychedelic history, capturing the experimental spirit of the era and the curiosity that first brought psilocybin cultivation into the public domain.

Cultivation is not only a biological practice but also a safety challenge. The same nutrient-rich environments that support fungi also attract contaminants. Trichoderma (green mold), Bacillus bacteria, and cobweb mold are among the most common threats. All serious guides stress sterile technique including clean workspaces, proper use of pressure cookers, sterilized tools, and still air boxes to minimize contamination.

Equally important is user safety. Foraging for wild mushrooms is extremely risky due to poisonous look-alikes such as Galerina marginata, which contains lethal amatoxins. Cultivation remains far safer, provided harm reduction practices are respected. This includes preparing with intention, choosing safe environments (“set and setting”), having trusted support present, and integrating experiences thoughtfully afterwards.

While scientific and cultural interest grows, the legal framework around psilocybin remains fraught. In the U.S., psilocybin is still classified as Schedule I at the federal level. Some states, however, are beginning to shift: Oregon and Colorado have created regulated therapeutic frameworks, while cities like Denver and Oakland have decriminalized personal use. The so-called “spore loophole”  (the legality of selling and possessing spores in most states) illustrates the complexity and ambiguity of current laws.

Ethical considerations also loom large – and these are equally as important to consider. Indigenous cultures, particularly in Mexico, have used psilocybin mushrooms in ceremony for centuries. Figures such as María Sabina were central to bringing this knowledge to the West, often at personal and cultural cost. Today’s psychedelic revival risks repeating patterns of appropriation unless reciprocity and respect are foregrounded. Organizations such as the Chacruna Institute advocate for psychedelic justice, calling on modern practitioners to support Indigenous sovereignty, conservation, and cultural continuity.

Psychedelic mushroom cultivation is at once a scientific practice, a personal journey, and a cultural inheritance. The five books highlighted here represent the essential starting points for anyone drawn to this field. Each offers a different entryway; technical, practical, philosophical, accessible, or historical – yet all emphasize the same values of precision, patience, and responsibility.

Beckley retreats always advocates to do so with care and under the correct legal circumstances. The process of growing mushrooms teaches humility, respect for ecology, and an awareness of the long lineage of human-fungal relationships. By grounding practice in credible literature, honouring cultural roots, and embracing safety and ethics, modern cultivators can ensure their engagement with psilocybin is not only successful but also responsible.