If you do everything correctly, you can harvest the mushrooms in just 25–30 days.
What oyster mushrooms can be grown at home
There are dozens of varieties of this mushroom – they mainly differ in taste and color. Both at home and in industrial conditions, four varieties are most often grown.The common oyster mushroom, or oyster mushroom, has white, fleshy, dense pulp with a pleasant aniseed flavor. Ash-gray caps with curved edges can reach 20 cm in diameter.
The Indian oyster mushroom, or pulmonary oyster mushroom, forms fan-shaped caps up to 9 cm in diameter. They have a light, creamy color and thin edges that often crack. The grayish flesh has a subtle mushroom aroma .The lemon oyster mushroom, or golden oyster mushroom, fully lives up to its name – it is painted bright yellow. The mushroom has thin white legs and small velvety caps up to 6 cm in diameter with curved edges. The taste and aroma of the pulp is pleasant and unsaturated.
The steppe oyster mushroom, or royal oyster mushroom, is distinguished by a thick fleshy stem and a round brown cap up to 13 cm in diameter. The dense pulp does not have a noticeable aroma, but has a sweetish mushroom taste.
How to choose oyster mushroom mycelium
In stores and marketplaces, you can find dry mycelium in small bags similar to seed bags. Growing mushrooms from such a product is a dubious undertaking. In this case, it is difficult to assess the quality and viability of the planting material.
Another thing is live mycelium, which is sold in bags or containers mixed with grain or compost . Choose planting material in transparent packaging to evaluate it visually.
The substrate should be moderately moist, and the film or container can be covered with a small layer of condensation. If there is an extensive white coating on the surface of the grain or compost, it means the mycelium is alive and actively developing.
Make sure that there is no rot or mold in the packaging, and if possible, evaluate the aroma of the product – it should be pleasant, vegetable-mushroom, and not disgusting.
If you cannot start sowing the purchased mycelium right away, put it in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf. At a temperature of about 4 degrees, it can be stored for up to 2-3 months.
How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms at Home
Transparent polyethylene bags with a volume of at least 20 liters and a density of at least 100 microns are suitable as a “house” for mushrooms.
Prepare the substrate
Organic matter, such as straw, sawdust or sunflower seed husks , will be useful for the growth of mycelium. Any of the components must be disinfected beforehand to minimize the risk of pathogenic microflora development.
The volume of dry substrate should be about a third larger than the volume of the bag. Tamp the plant remains in a boiling or other large container and completely fill it with water. Put the container on the fire, bring to a boil and “cook” the contents for 15 minutes.
After this, remove the container from the stove and drain off excess liquid. Allow the substrate to cool to room temperature.
Plant oyster mushrooms
Place a 3-4 cm layer of moist substrate into the bag.
Spread the mycelium evenly over the surface.
Cover the future mycelium with another 3-4 cm of substrate and scatter the mycelium over it again. Repeat this until the bag is almost full. Gather the top of the bag into a knot and secure it with tape. Also wrap the bag with adhesive tape along the entire height, moving in a spiral.
Turn the bag over and make a cut in the bottom about 5–7 cm long.
Make another 10-15 cuts along the entire height of the bag.
Place the bag with oyster mushrooms in a dark place with a temperature of 24-25 degrees. In warmer conditions, the mycelium will not be able to grow. Monitor the air humidity – it should be at least 80%. If it is not possible to install a humidifier , place several buckets of water in the room and spray the space with a spray bottle several times a day, avoiding liquid getting on the bag.
Wait until the mycelium grows
This will take about 15-20 days. Gradually, the substrate in the bag will begin to be covered with white mycelium.And when primordia (rudiments of oyster mushrooms) appear from the holes of the bag, move it to a cool place, for example, to a cellar with a temperature of 10 to 17 degrees. Continue to maintain air humidity within 80-90% and provide lighting for 8-10 hours a day. For this, you can use regular lamps with a power of at least 5 W per 1 m 2 .
When and how to harvest oyster mushrooms
On average, about 10 days pass from the moment the primordia appear until the mushrooms mature . You can harvest at any stage of growth – it all depends on your preferences. However, as the oyster mushrooms age, their taste and structure will deteriorate.
Ripe mushrooms should be carefully cut off as a whole rosette as close to its base as possible. Use a sharp knife disinfected with an alcohol-containing liquid for this.
How to care for mycelium
After collecting the first mushroom harvest, ventilate the room. Continue to maintain the temperature within 10-17 degrees and the air humidity at 80-90%. Do not forget about lighting for 8-10 hours a day.
In about 3-4 weeks, a new batch of oyster mushrooms will ripen. In total, the mycelium can bear fruit 3-4 times, after which the bags with the substrate must be replaced with new ones.