Grey Oyster
(Pleurotus Ostreatus)
Grey Oyster Mushrooms first cultivated in Europe and now grown commercially around the world for Food. Oyster mushrooms are typically a light grey or greyish-brown color and display a trumpet. The oyster mushroom is best when picked young; as the mushroom ages, the flesh becomes tough and flavor bitter. This is the most simple and easiest to grow mushroom at home the robustness of the mushroom mycelium due to its quick colonization speed, anti-oxidants properties, and versatility.
Patience & Waiting Stage - Spawn Run/Colonization
1. Spawn Run (Colonization) – allow inoculated mushroom grow kit to incubate at room temperature. This will take 2 to 3 weeks. Move onto next stage once grow kit is dense and uniformly covered with white mycelium.
Observation Stage - Primordial/Pinhead Formation
2. Pinning (Initiate Mushroom Formation) – Drop Temperature, increase Relative Humidity. Watch for mycelium to form Pin like growths and small mushrooms. Move onto the next stage once mushrooms are visible.
Action Stage - Fruiting
Fig 1. Guested Mushroom Kit with Filter Patch and Humidity Tent
3. Cut the Gusseted Mushroom Kit at the Red Line (shown above), the highlighted green zone serves as a Humidity Tent by providing much needed Humidity for early Mushroom Fruit development. Once you start seeing the Cap of the Mushroom, it is important to roll down the bag to provide Fresh Air, this will allow the Mushrooms to grow nice and big (Fig 2.).
4. Cut small x or poke 1/8” holes in the side of the bag for mushrooms to grow through. Alternatively with the gusseted plastic bags simply cut off the top of the bag and gentle roll/fold the bag down to the top of the mushroom block. By exposing the “lumpy” growths to Oxygen the mycelium will begin to form what will resemble mushrooms, continuously provide a sprits/mist of water 3 to 4 times a day.
For the 3lb Cylindrical Kits they don’t have a Humidity Tent and require poking holes near lumpy growths, once the plastic is cut the Mushroom will sense the Fresh Air and grow. It is important to mist the Mushroom Kit 3 to 4 times a day, ensuring that there is adequate droplets of water on the surface of the Kit.
Fig 2. Top Fruiting Mushrooms from Gusseted 3 or 5lb Mushroom Kits.
Fig 3. Identify lumpy growth like bumps and poke a hole or holes.
Fig 4. “Lumpy” Growths, mycelium producing Fruiting Bodies that will Push or Protrude out.
Fig 5. “Lumpy” Growths of Primordial Mushroom Fruiting Bodies growing.
5. Fruiting (Mushroom Formation) – Adjust Temperature and Relative Humidity. Provide plenty of Fresh Air (Oxygen). First harvest of Mushrooms will occur within 1 week.
When the Mycelium is ready to produce fruit it will resemble Fig 5. it is best to allow the mycelium to properly develop inside the sterile environment.
Yummy Stage - Harvest
6. The perfect time to harvest your Grey Oysters is when the mushroom cap is flat to slightly concaved, as shown by the red arrows. Make sure to grab any little mushrooms that may have grown together along the stem (blue arrows).
Renew/Flushing Stage - Crop Cycle
7. With clean water submerge the wooden block for 3 to 5 hours, weight it down if necessary. This will re-hydrate the wooden substrate material and provide the mycelium with much needed moisture. Place the mycelium block back into a clean bag and close off to simulate underground conditions, this will allow the mycelium time to regenerate. Watch for pin formation and carefully monitor for signs of contamination.
Refer to Grow Guide for more details.
Health Benefits:
Grey Oyster Mushrooms have shown to provide anti-inflammatory and cholesterol lowering properties.
Summary:
Texture/Flavor: Meaty, Sweet, Woody, and Aromatic
Difficulty: Easy
Growing Conditions: 12-24°C, 70-90% humidity Nutrients: Anti-Oxidants, β-glucan/Fiber, Vitamin B, Copper, Potassium.
Common Uses: Pastas, Stir Fries, or Soups, Sauces, Sautéed