A Mushroom for Beginners
Folks just starting out in mushroom cultivation may be a bit lost when it comes time to select the type of mushroom to start with. Button? Shiitake? Lion’s Mane? All delicious and fantastic options. These and any of the other plethora of mushroom varieties available on the market all have their pluses and minuses. But, which mushroom offers a high-yielding, delicious, versatile, and beginner-friendly mushroom-growing experience? Oyster mushrooms.
This guide is going to go over why you may wish to consider oyster mushrooms as your first step toward growing your own Pebble Creek gourmet mushrooms at home.
We’re going to dive into the following questions: Why oyster mushrooms? What kind of oyster mushroom? Who and where do you even get oyster mushroom spawn from (hint, you’ve already made it this far onto the website)? What are you going to need in order to start growing oyster mushrooms? Where will you cultivate your mushrooms? We’ve got you covered.
Why Oyster Mushrooms?
How They Grow
Oyster mushrooms tend to be quicker to fruit than other types of mushrooms. They grow in clusters which makes harvesting simple. Pests are less likely to find them attractive, and most oyster mushroom varieties are relatively forgiving—they can handle more variety in temperatures and tend to be flexible regarding substrate and other growth factors. These mushrooms are great for beginner gourmets, and mushroom enthusiasts.
Oyster Mushroom Benefits to Your Health
Generally speaking, mushrooms have been used as a food source since humans started rummaging around the forest going, “huh, I bet I could eat this.” We’ve been eating them for over a millennium, and despite our ancestors having passed on wisdom about their health and wellness benefits, we are only now learning how they are good for us.
There are several oyster mushroom benefits to take into consideration:
- They are low carb, but high in fiber, vitamins like niacin and B5, and minerals such as iron and zinc.
- It’s been found that oyster mushrooms contain several different powerful antioxidants.
- According to one study, they may support the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
- Oyster mushrooms can also stand in for meat, which may contribute to better heart health.
What Kind of Oyster Mushroom?
You’ve locked in oyster mushrooms, now it’s time to select your variety of oyster mushrooms. This may pose more difficulty than you initially thought—there are many great options out there!
There are many looks and culinary uses for each of the wide variety of oyster mushrooms available to modern growers. Learning about the different varieties and what they have to offer can help you choose where to start when growing oyster mushrooms.
Pebble Creek specifically offers eight different varieties of oyster mushrooms at the time of this article’s publication.
- The King Blue Oyster Mushroom
- The Black Pearl Oyster Mushroom
- PoHu Oyster Mushroom
- Pink Oyster Mushroom
- Super Scallop Oyster Mushroom
- Golden Oyster Mushroom
- The Brown Beauty
Each of the listed types of mushrooms has its own unique flavor, look, and benefits. You’ll have to think about what’s important to you in order to sort out which variety to go with.
What are You Looking for from Your New Fungi?
Something that’s known to fruit prolifically?
- Black Pearl Oyster Mushroom
- PoHu Oyster Mushroom
- Super Scallop Oyster Mushroom
- King Blue Oyster Mushroom
Maybe something that’s got a hearty flavor and makes a great substitute for meat or fish?
- The king oyster mushroom is a great option for meat swaps. Cut the stem of the king oyster mushroom and seer it to resemble scallops, or marinate it and shred it to resemble pulled pork.
- The pink oyster mushroom has a natural seafood taste, but if it’s fried until crispy, it’s said to resemble ham or bacon. Pro tip—These mushrooms lose their beautiful color when cooked, but retain it if you pickle them.
- The black pearl oyster has a meaty taste throughout the entire mushroom and is great in soups, stews, and chilies.
- The golden oyster mushroom is known to make a good bacon swap.
What about oyster mushrooms that are more flexible about their heat and humidity needs and are arguably the most beginner-friendly:
- Black Pearl Oyster Mushroom—they grow great in bags indoors.
- Golden Oyster Mushroom—have a preferred temperature range, but will tolerate dips outside of said range.
- PoHu Oyster Mushrooms—have a wide range of fruiting temperatures making them some of the best oyster mushrooms for beginner cultivators.
With this information in mind, you can pick which oyster mushroom is right for you.
Growing Oyster Mushrooms
You’ve chosen your strain, and now it’s time to get growing!
Once you have your spawn, you will need to prepare your substrate, which involves sanitizing and sterilizing. We need to change this sentence to be: Pebble Creek’s grain substrate choice is hardwood and soy, but you can use oats, coir, or straw.
Your Mushroom Growing Supplies have been Delivered, so Now What?
First thing’s first, you gotta keep it tidy. As you proceed forward with your spawn bag, remember to keep everything as sterile as possible. You do not want to add contaminants so consider wearing latex or vinyl gloves.
- Determine and prepare the environment where you will grow your mushrooms. Follow any instructions provided by the seller of your mushroom spawn. They’re going to tailor their steps to their product.
- Keep the growing environment moist: Moisture is essential for colonization. You’ll likely want to mist your oyster mushrooms every day unless they’re accessing humidity in some other fashion.
- Wait for it to colonize: colonization is the period of time when the root structure for your oyster mushrooms is developing. This may take some time, often less with oyster mushrooms than with others. The bag will turn nearly white with the roots of your mushrooms when it’s done.
- Inducing fruiting: Time to give those oyster mushrooms a little nudge. Once your bag is done colonizing, it’s time to create the correct conditions for fruiting. You may be asked to cut the top off of the bag or to cut slits in the sides of the bag. In either case, make sure you are doing so with clean tools. Your bag is now receiving airflow. As the oyster mushrooms grow, you’ll want to avoid misting the fruit directly and make sure you’re aiming for the environment around them, or the substrate.
5. Time to harvest: with plenty of patience, you should be harvesting the fruits of your labor. Use a knife, or a twisting method to remove your mushrooms from their growth environment.
6. Eat up! Find a great recipe, and chow down.
Where? Creating the Right Environment for Your Mushrooms
Where are the best grow sites in your humble home? You have to keep in mind the light, humidity, and temperatures that will occur in the area that you choose. Oyster mushrooms may be forgiving, but they still have needs.
Your top concern needs to be temperature, humidity, and light exposure. You’ll want to find a place that’s darker, humid, and which maintains a semi-steady temperature. We’ve mentioned that oyster mushrooms are forgiving, but do yourself and your fungi friends a favor and set your environment up for success.
There are several contenders for places in a standard home where mushrooms may thrive. Some of these ideas may have already occurred to you, but others may surprise you!
1. A Closet
Closets are an obvious choice and one that a lot of small-scale growers try out first. Most homes have at least one closet, and if they’re lucky, space enough to grow mushrooms. Now, you are still going to need a certain amount of humidity, and an appropriate temperature range for the variety of oyster mushroom you selected. You may wish to look around—does this closet get a lot of direct sunlight that may warm it up? Is there a vent nearby that may make the closet unusually warm? If you do select the closet, ensure that the contents can handle a bit of misting for the sake of your mushroom’s humidity needs.
2. The Basement
It’s dark, and…hopefully not too dank—although, perhaps dank would be good in this case? Your basement is a great option for mushroom growth, particularly if it’s on the cooler side. Cellars are another great similar option if you happen to have one.
3. The Garage or a Shed
If the garage is regularly used to house your car, the door is going up and down fairly frequently, and isn’t temperature controlled, then it may not be a great option. Similarly with a shed, if you can stabilize the temperature and humidity this could be a great out-of-the-way place for your growth efforts.
4. Under the Kitchen Sink
This is an option that is likely temperature-regulated and out of the way. Be sure to check and make sure it doesn’t get too warm. If you keep your cleaning products under the sink do not also use that space to grow mushrooms—particularly if you plan to eat those mushrooms. Pantries are similar in nature to under the sink, but remember: if you’re going to need to mist the area in order to maintain humidity, you’ll want to make sure that the other contents of the cupboard are tolerant of that, and not likely to spoil.
5. Your Bathroom
Are you a fan of long showers? The humidity in your bathroom is probably just right for keeping your mushroom container in a closet or under the sink. Make sure the bathroom is well ventilated, and that your mushrooms aren’t growing near any contaminants. You’ll want to be very intentional about your setup in this space and ensure there’s no contact with cleaning agents.
Be deliberate, and put thought into where you want to set up your growing space. A little bit of thought should yield excellent results.
Oyster Mushroom Spawn for Any Occasion
No matter if you choose the king blue oyster mushroom, the black pearl oyster mushroom, or the (Pretty in) pink oyster mushroom, you’re in for a great time and a delicious meal growing your own gourmet with oyster mushroom spawn.
Whether you’re a restaurant looking for high-quality ingredients or a farmer eager to elevate your crops, Pebble Creek Produce in Michigan offers fresh, sustainably grown mushrooms and mushroom spawn.
Elevate your mushroom growing experience and SHOP DIRECT: Happy Farming!
