Emily Johnson
Oyster mushrooms are a popular choice for both home growers and professional chefs due to their delicate texture and nutty flavor. Deciding when to harvest them can be tricky, as it depends on the shape of the mushroom rather than its size. The ideal time to harvest oyster mushrooms is when the caps begin to uncurl and flatten, but before they become too flat. If you harvest them too early, they may have a rubbery texture and a decreased yield. If you harvest them too late, they may become overripe and lose their flavor and ideal texture. Pink oyster mushrooms, in particular, can be harvested in as little as 4 to 5 days after the mushroom pins start to form.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Harvest Time | When the caps begin to uncurl and flatten, but before they become too flat and drop spores. |
| Harvest Technique | Twisting and pulling by hand. |
| Harvest Window | A few weeks. |
| Storage | Paper bag in the refrigerator for a few days; dried or frozen for longer. |
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What You'll Learn
Harvesting too early or late affects texture and taste
Oyster mushrooms are a popular choice for growers and chefs alike due to their delicate texture and nutty flavour. However, deciding when to harvest them can be tricky. Harvesting at the right time is crucial for maximising flavour, texture, and yield.
Oyster mushrooms grow very fast, doubling in size daily. The ideal time to harvest them is when the caps begin to uncurl and flatten, but before they become too flat. The edges of the caps should still be slightly curled under when you harvest them. The younger the mushrooms, the more tender and succulent they will be. If you wait too long, the mushrooms will become overripe, losing their flavour and becoming too mature for the ideal texture.
Signs of maturity in mushrooms include caps flattening or becoming convex and the gills enlarging and dropping spores. You should harvest the mushrooms before they drop spores as oysters can spore quite heavily.
To achieve multiple flushes of fruiting bodies, you must keep your hands, tools, and work area clean and sterilised to prevent contamination. You should also monitor the temperature and humidity regularly to ensure optimal growing conditions.
If you plan to use the harvested mushrooms within a few days, you can store them in a paper bag in the refrigerator to prevent moisture buildup and keep them fresh.
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Pink oysters: 4-5 days after pinning
Pink oyster mushrooms are a great choice for home cultivation, especially in the summer or if you live in a warmer climate. They are vigorous growers, fast colonizers, and heavy yielders. They are also a favourite for farmers' market growers due to their stunning appearance.
The pink oyster mycelium will often start pinning even before it looks like it has fully colonized the substrate. This can start to happen as early as day 9. Once you place your bags in fruiting conditions, you could have your first flush of pink oysters in under a week. On the longer end, your fruiting phase might take up to 12 days. After your first harvest, you should get a second flush of pink oysters after another 7 days or so.
Harvesting at the right time is crucial for maximizing flavour, texture, and yield. Mushrooms that are picked too early may have a rubbery texture and decreased yield, while those picked too late might become overripe, losing their flavour and becoming too mature for ideal texture. The best time to harvest pink oyster mushrooms is when the caps begin to curl up, and before they start to drop their spores. Pink oyster mushrooms produce the largest amount of spores of any oyster mushrooms. If you wait too long to harvest, your entire grow room will be covered in pink spores, and you also don't want to be breathing them in.
Pink oyster mushrooms have a shorter shelf life than other mushrooms. They can last a couple of days in the fridge but will then take on the scent of urine. It is best to eat them as soon as possible after harvesting.
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Prevent contamination for multiple harvests
Oyster mushrooms are a popular choice for growers due to their delicate texture and nutty flavor. Deciding when to harvest them can be tricky, and harvesting at the right time is crucial for maximizing flavor, texture, and yield. Mushrooms picked too early may have a rubbery texture and decreased yield, while those picked too late might become overripe and lose their flavor. Oyster mushrooms should be harvested when the caps begin to uncurl and flatten, but before they become too flat and start to drop spores.
To ensure multiple harvests, it is important to prevent contamination. Growing mushrooms require a sterile environment and sterile processes for repeated success. While it is nearly impossible to achieve a 100% sterile environment, growers should aim to get as close as possible. Contamination can come from various sources, including mold spores in the air, cultivation tools, hands, breath, clothes, and even the mushroom cultures or substrates themselves.
To minimize the risk of contamination, growers should maintain a clean environment and know where contamination might come from. For example, grains can be soaked for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature before sterilization to eliminate endospores. Additionally, growing environments should have increased air circulation and ventilation, and operations should be regularly monitored for signs of contamination. Basic signs of contamination include discoloration, off-odors, abnormal growth, the presence of molds, and the presence of insects.
If contamination is detected, it is important to act immediately to prevent further contamination. This may involve disposing of contaminated materials, disinfecting the growing area, and adjusting growing conditions. For example, Trichoderma contamination requires the immediate removal and disposal of contaminated substrates, as well as the disinfection of affected tools with a bleach solution or alcohol. By following these practices, growers can increase their chances of successful multiple harvests of oyster mushrooms.
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Store in paper bags or freeze/dry
Oyster mushrooms are best stored in paper bags or the refrigerator. They do not store well in sealed containers or plastic bags as they turn slimy. Brown paper bags are ideal as they help the mushrooms dry out. If you need to wash the mushrooms, it is best to use them immediately or pat them dry with kitchen paper. Alternatively, you can use a dry soft brush to clean them.
Oyster mushrooms can be stored in the vegetable compartment of the fridge or a cold store in a lidded yet slightly open plastic box so that they can breathe. They will last for about two weeks in good condition.
Freezing is another option to store oyster mushrooms. They can be frozen either raw or stir-fried, as long as they are stored in an airtight container or a dedicated freezer bag. They will last for about a month in the freezer. Before freezing, the mushrooms should be cooked at least partly. They can be blanched or fried prior to freezing, but frying will cause them to forever carry the flavor of the fat used, which may not go well with certain dishes.
Drying oyster mushrooms is a simple and less labor-intensive preservation technique. The mushrooms are cleaned and torn along the gills into manageable pieces. They can then be dried on racks on the counter for several days or dried using a dehydrator. It is important to ensure that they are completely dry before storing them in labelled mason jars. Dried oyster mushrooms can be rehydrated by soaking them in water for a few minutes and then used in dishes.
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Twist and pull to harvest
Oyster mushrooms are a delicious and nutritious treat, and growing them can be a rewarding experience. Deciding when to harvest them can be tricky, but it is crucial for maximizing flavor, texture, and yield. Mushrooms that are picked too early may have a rubbery texture and decreased yield, while those picked too late might become overripe, losing their flavor and becoming too mature for the ideal texture.
The ideal time to harvest oyster mushrooms is determined by the shape of their caps, not their size. You should harvest them when the caps begin to uncurl and flatten, but before they become too flat. The edges of the caps should still be slightly curled when you harvest. It can be challenging to judge the first time, but with practice, you will learn when they are ready for harvest.
You can gently twist and pull the cluster of oyster mushrooms off with your hands. If the mushrooms are ready for harvest, they will come off very easily as you twist and pull away from the substrate. Be careful not to damage the mycelium (the underground network of fungal threads) so that the medium can produce multiple harvests.
If you harvest oyster mushrooms with a knife, cut the cluster off as close to the substrate block as possible without damaging the substrate or grow bag. However, it can be difficult to get a knife in behind the fruit body. Cutting the mushrooms helps prevent pieces of substrate or other debris from getting into their gills after harvest. It also helps to prevent potential contamination that could impact future flushes.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes around a few weeks for oyster mushrooms to be ready for harvest.
Oyster mushrooms are ready to harvest when the caps begin to uncurl and flatten, but before they become too flat. The edges of the caps should still be slightly curled under.
Mushrooms that are picked too early may have a rubbery texture and decreased yield.
If left too long, oyster mushrooms can become overripe, losing their flavour and having a less-than-ideal texture.
