Level of Difficulty: Easy

Grows in: 8 Days

Shelf Life: 6 months (if refrigerated properly)

Our White Oyster Mushroom grow kit, or Pleurotus Ostreatus grow kit, is great for beginners and those looking to start growing mushrooms at home. Simply cut an “X” in the bag, and mist with water once a day. Each kit produces ~1.5 pounds of mushrooms and should be ready to harvest in just about eight days. One of our favorite ways to cook oysters is simply chopped, sautéed in butter with some herbs, and served as a delicious side or as a delectable topping for steak.

DIRECTIONS:

Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit Instructional Video.

Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit Written Instructions:

1. Find a good spot to keep your Oyster grow kit for the duration of its fruiting cycle that will receive at least 8-12 hours of light (indirect or from lights inside your home) each day, and should remain between 55-80° F. Cut a 6-inch “X” or “H” into the front center of the bag. Then fold the top of the bag back, removing any air inside the bag, and place so the logo is upside down.

2. To fruit optimally, the mushrooms will additionally require humidity and air flow. We find that it is easiest to achieve this by misting the portion of the bag with the opening 1-2 times daily, and keeping it inside a larger, clear plastic bag or upside down tote. Each time you mist, you will be maintaining the humidity and providing the mushrooms with fresh oxygen (like us - they need oxygen to survive and breathe out CO2).

3. After 7-21 days, you will see the mushrooms begin to emerge. They will be ready to harvest when the caps have opened up and are almost flat. It is best to harvest all at once to prevent contamination from forming during later flushes. To harvest, grasp the mushrooms by their base closest to the bag, and simply twist to remove. You can refrigerate in a breathable container or paper bag until consuming.

4. Follow steps 2 and 3 for 2-3 weeks for subsequent flushes. If conditions are ideal and well-maintained, it is possible to create second and even third fruitings. The block may eventually become depleted and succumb to contamination. When this happens, you can open the bag and add the contents to your compost pile, where it will soon become a microbally-rich compost! You may even see it fruit again outside if it is cool and wet in the days that follow.

Congratulations on making your own sustainable oyster mushroom farm at home!

To push your skills further, try one of our tropical oyster mushroom kits: Golden Oyster Mushrooms or Pink Oyster Mushrooms. These tropical kits prefer a warmer environment than most!