Emma Wilson
Oyster mushrooms are one of the most popular varieties of edible fungi to cultivate at home. They can be grown outdoors on trees in a few simple steps. Oyster mushrooms grow in clusters called shelves on rotting or fallen logs, commonly forming on logs and dead standing trees, particularly deciduous trees like oak and beech. The entire growing process from inoculation to harvest takes about 3-5 weeks, with the first flush of mushrooms being the biggest one. Oyster mushrooms double in size daily during the primordia maturation phase, making it one of nature's fastest growth spurts!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time from spawning to first flush | 2-4 weeks |
| Number of flushes | 2-5 |
| Growth rate | Doubles in size daily |
| Fruiting temperature | 60-80°F (15-27°C) |
| Humidity | Above 85% |
| Substrate | Straw, hardwood sawdust |
| Yield | 100%+ of substrate dry weight |
| Stem length | Up to 3 inches |
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What You'll Learn
Oyster mushrooms double in size daily
Oyster mushrooms are one of the easiest and most popular varieties of edible fungi to cultivate at home. They can be grown outdoors or indoors and offer a fast and aggressive mycelial growth as well as high yields. Oyster mushrooms can be grown on various materials, but the most common and successful substrates are straw and hardwood. Wheat or oat straw is inexpensive and widely available, and hardwood sawdust, particularly from oak, maple, or beech trees, is another successful substrate.
Oyster mushrooms grow in clusters called "shelves" on rotting or fallen logs. They are wood decomposers and commonly form on logs and dead standing trees, particularly deciduous trees. In nature, oyster mushrooms grow on dead and dying hardwood trees, and their mycelium, similar to a root system, breaks down the wood and begins the process of converting it back into soil.
The entire growing process from inoculation to harvest takes about 3-5 weeks. The first flush of mushrooms is generally the biggest one, but if you keep the humidity consistent, you can expect to harvest about three or four more flushes after that. Oyster mushrooms grow best at 60–80°F (15–27°C) with indirect light, and during this phase, oyster mushrooms double in size daily—one of nature's fastest growth spurts!
To harvest, it is best to harvest the entire cluster at once, even if some mushrooms seem less mature. This allows the substrate to focus its energy on producing the next flush. Freshly picked oyster mushrooms can last in a refrigerator for about a week.
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Oyster mushrooms grow in subtropical and temperate forests
Oyster mushrooms, scientifically known as Pleurotus species, are commonly found in subtropical and temperate forests worldwide. They grow on decomposing logs and dried trunks of both deciduous and coniferous trees, particularly beech and oak trees. Oyster mushrooms are characterised by their shell or spatula-shaped fruiting bodies, which emit a unique sweet anise or licorice scent. They are widely cultivated for their nutritional and therapeutic properties, as well as their ability to efficiently convert organic waste into nutrient-rich biomass.
Oyster mushrooms are versatile fungi that thrive in both tropical and temperate regions without requiring complex controlled environmental conditions. They can be grown on various substrates, including straw, hardwood, wood logs, sawdust, cardboard, and agricultural byproducts. The entire growing process, from inoculation to harvest, typically takes around 3 to 5 weeks. Oyster mushrooms are known for their fast growth and resilience, making them a popular choice for beginner and experienced cultivators alike.
The growth rate and size of oyster mushrooms can vary depending on the specific growing conditions, such as humidity, CO2 levels, and sunlight exposure. Warmer conditions generally promote faster growth and larger cluster sizes. However, it is important to note that oyster mushrooms are delicate and require careful handling during harvesting. Proper air exchange is also critical for the development of normally shaped oyster mushrooms.
Oyster mushrooms are widely cultivated for their culinary and medicinal properties. They are used in soups, stews, stir-fries, and sauces, adding a mild flavour with a slight anise-like aroma. Additionally, oyster mushrooms have industrial applications in mycoremediation. They have been successfully used to treat soil polluted with diesel oil and degrade plastic bags and renewable polyethylene.
Oyster mushrooms are an excellent choice for those interested in home cultivation due to their adaptability and ease of growth. They can be grown outdoors or in controlled environments, offering a good yield of mushrooms within a few weeks. However, it is important to pay close attention to the growing process and harvest the mushrooms promptly to ensure optimal freshness and quality.
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They grow on dead and dying hardwood trees
Oyster mushrooms are commonly found growing on dead or dying hardwood trees. They are one of the few known carnivorous mushrooms, known to kill and consume small roundworms. They are also primary contributors to the decomposition process, making them vital components in returning nutrients to the ecosystem. While this is beneficial for trees in a forest setting, finding oyster mushrooms on your landscape trees could indicate that the tree is dead or dying. They usually grow in the fall, particularly after the first frost, but some, like phoenix oysters, prefer warmer temperatures and are found in summer.
Oyster mushrooms grow in a flat, broad fan shape and range in colour from white, grey, tan and dark brown. They are considered one of the most desirable eating mushrooms among the wild mushrooms in Michigan. They are a favourite with chefs and are prized for their subtle flavours and meaty flesh. They also provide several health benefits.
Oyster mushrooms can be grown on various materials, but the most common and successful substrates are straw and hardwood. Wheat or oat straw is inexpensive, widely available, and provides excellent yields. You will need approximately 10 pounds of straw for a medium-sized grow. Hardwood sawdust, particularly from oak, maple, or beech trees, is another option. Either fresh sawdust or hardwood fuel pellets (which expand when soaked in water) work well.
The entire growing process from inoculation to harvest takes about 3-5 weeks. Proper air exchange is critical for growing normal-shaped grey oyster mushrooms. Multiple harvests (flushes) are possible from a single substrate block. Grey oysters often produce yields exceeding 100% of the dry weight of the substrate they're grown on. This means if you start with 5 pounds of dry substrate, you could potentially harvest over 5 pounds of fresh mushrooms across multiple flushes.
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Blue oyster mushrooms grow in overlapping clusters
Blue oyster mushrooms are native to the northern hemisphere and are one of the most cultivated mushroom varieties globally. They are characterised by their growth in overlapping clusters, typically on decaying wood such as beech, oak, and birch trees. Their ability to thrive in colder climates and their striking blue colour make them a popular choice for mushroom growers.
The growth of blue oyster mushrooms is described as aggressive, with a fast colonisation rate. They are saprotrophic, feeding on dead and decaying wood to help return vital nutrients and minerals to the soil. Blue oyster mushrooms also display omnivorous tendencies, consuming nematodes as a source of nitrogen.
The mushrooms grow in large, shelf-like structures, with dense, overlapping clusters of individual fungi. The size and shape of the mushrooms can vary depending on growing conditions such as humidity, CO2 levels, and sunlight exposure. Typically, blue oyster mushrooms have short, tapered stems with a flat, convex cap that can range from 2 to 30 centimetres in diameter. The caps are initially dark blue and gradually lighten to a blue-grey shade as the mushrooms mature.
Blue oyster mushrooms have high biological efficiency, often yielding over 100% of the dry weight of the substrate they are grown on. They require humidity levels above 85% for fruiting and can produce 2 to 3 flushes per fruiting cycle. The entire cluster should be harvested at once, and the mushrooms can be stored longer if kept as a cluster rather than individually picked.
Blue oyster mushrooms are not only vigorous growers but also offer nutritional benefits. They are a good source of vitamin D, B vitamins, potassium, and antioxidants, making them a popular choice for culinary use in addition to their ease of cultivation.
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Oyster mushrooms thrive in the shade
Oyster mushrooms are one of the easiest varieties of mushrooms to grow outside. They are also one of the most popular cultivated varieties of gourmet edible mushrooms. They are easy to grow because they thrive in shade and fresh air, replicating the conditions they experience in the wild.
Oyster mushrooms, especially blue oyster mushrooms, require a lot of fresh air to produce normal-looking fruits. If they don't get enough, they will form long chewy stems and small caps. This is because they want to be in open air so that releasing their spores has the greatest dispersal potential. If they sense high CO2 levels, they will put more energy into growing long stems to escape the tree.
Oyster mushrooms also need light to grow. If they are left in complete darkness, they will produce a thin stem with no cap or cluster. However, direct sunlight is not a good idea as it can burn the caps of the mushrooms. Instead, they thrive in diffused natural light, which results in beautiful, dense clusters with almost no stem and fleshy, full caps.
To replicate the conditions of the wild, where oyster mushrooms grow out of a stump or log, growers can provide a 5cm slit or hole in the bag to signal to the mycelium that there is a space to grow out from. This will encourage the mushrooms to grow in response to stress, such as running out of food, or changes in their environment.
The speed at which oyster mushrooms expand outside on trees depends on the variety and growing conditions. Grey oyster mushrooms, for example, can take anywhere from 3 to 5 weeks from inoculation to harvest, while blue oyster mushrooms can produce 2 to 3 flushes or crops per fruiting cycle. The Phoenix oyster mushroom, also known as the summer oyster mushroom, has evolved to grow in warmer climates, while the blue oyster mushroom and grey oyster mushroom prefer cooler temperatures.
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Frequently asked questions
Oyster mushrooms grow outside on dead and dying hardwood trees, logs, and fallen trees in subtropical and temperate forests worldwide. The time it takes for oyster mushrooms to grow outside on trees varies depending on the type of oyster mushroom and the environmental conditions. For example, the entire growing process for grey oyster mushrooms, from inoculation to harvest, takes about 3-5 weeks. Meanwhile, the first flush of mushrooms, which is generally the biggest, can be harvested within 2-4 weeks for some oyster varieties.
You can expect about three to four flushes after the first harvest by maintaining consistent humidity. Each subsequent flush will be less substantial than the previous one.
Oyster mushrooms double in size daily during the fruiting phase, making it one of nature's fastest growth spurts.
