When it comes to growing your own edibles, mushrooms are the latest kitchen craze. But don't let their popularity fool you—tackling mushrooms at home is no walk in the park. Despite my best efforts and a bit of chaos, success eluded me.

I embarked on five different projects: from shiitake logs to oyster mushroom spray-and-grow boxes, all with varying degrees of failure. Shiitakes still sit on my dining room table, surrounded by green mold, while oysters sprouted up almost too easily in a bucket. But don't let me discourage you—check out our guides for supplements, indoor gardening systems and gifts to get started.

If you're new to mushroom growing or just want near-guaranteed success without the fuss of grain spawn and humidistats, an oyster mushroom boxed kit is your best bet. North Spore's fresh fruiting blocks will produce flush after flush, but be prepared for a bit of fungal warfare with gnats.

And if you're looking to grow mushrooms naturally in your yard, wine cap mushrooms can break down wood chips and improve soil texture. The key is getting the spawn right; my shiitake log still hasn't produced any pins despite multiple attempts.