Growing Mushrooms: Plugs To Pounds

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a sub-species of the Pearl Oyster mushroom, which is known for its meaty or oyster-like flavor. They are native to Western Europe and thrive in cooler temperatures. Blue Oyster mushrooms can be grown using Blue Oyster mushroom plugs, which are small pieces of wood that have been inoculated with pure mushroom mycelium. These plugs are inserted into logs or stumps, and a well-maintained log can produce mushrooms for up to 5 years. While there is no exact information on how many pounds of mushrooms can be grown from 100 Blue Oyster plugs, a 5 lb supplemented sawdust fruiting block can yield up to 3 lbs of Blue Oyster mushrooms.

Explore related products

Smallhold Organic Blue Oyster Mushroom Pack, 8 oz

$9.99

North Spore Organic Blue Oyster Mushroom Spray & Grow Kit (4 lb) | Beginner Friendly & Easy to Use | USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO | Handmade in Maine, USA

$29.99

Blue Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit – Ready-to-Fruit Indoor DIY Mushroom Kit – Grow Mushrooms at Home in 7–10 Days – Easy Gourmet Umami – Culinary Grade – BloomBox Promise

$19.95 $24.99

North Spore Organic Blue Oyster (100 ct) Mushroom Plugs for Logs | Premium Quality Mushroom Plug Spawn | Handmade in Maine, USA | Grow Gourmet Mushrooms Outdoors on Logs | Pleurotus ostreatus

$15.99 $19.99

Smallhold Organic Mixed Umami Mushroom Pack, 8 oz

$9.99

Organic Oyster Mushroom

$9.99

Blue Oyster mushrooms thrive in cooler temperatures

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a subspecies of the Pearl Oyster mushroom. They are native to Western Europe and are extremely versatile in recipes, with a taste and texture identical to the Pearl Oyster mushroom. They are also one of the fastest colonizers of all oyster mushroom varieties.

Blue Oyster mushrooms are ideal for growers in cooler climates. They thrive in cooler temperatures, typically in the range of 45-65 °F (12-18 °C). They can also grow well at temperatures as high as 72-75 °F, indicating a certain level of temperature tolerance. The preferred orientation for growth is horizontal.

The Blue Oyster mushroom grows well in the early spring and fall, producing beautiful steel-blue to blue-grey mushrooms. They can be grown indoors, with optimal output when temperatures range between 50-80 °F. This strain can also flourish in temperatures as high as 95 °F, but this results in a less saturated blue pigment in the caps.

Blue Oyster mushrooms can be grown from plugs, which are small pieces of wood inoculated with pure mushroom mycelium. These plugs are inserted into logs or stumps, with oak being the best wood type for most mushroom varieties. Other suitable wood types include chestnut, maple, birch, and willow. It is important to note that the plugs should be kept refrigerated until ready to use.

Regarding yield, Blue Oyster mushrooms can produce 6-12 lbs from a 25 lb straw log and up to 3 lbs from a 5 lb supplemented sawdust fruiting block. It is worth mentioning that grain spawn will produce bigger yields than sawdust spawn.

Blue Oyster mushrooms are best grown in spring or fall

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a popular variety of mushroom to grow, especially for beginners, due to their ease and versatility. They are native to Western Europe and thrive in cooler temperatures, making spring and fall the ideal seasons for growing them.

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a subspecies of the Pearl Oyster mushroom, and are identical in taste and texture. They exhibit a notable blue-grey hue, with a colour contrast between their darker caps and pale gills. They are also known as Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus, with 'ostreatus' being Latin for 'like an oyster shell'.

These mushrooms are saprotrophic, feeding on dead and decaying beech, oak, maple, chestnut, and birch logs, stumps, and trees. They can also be grown on a variety of other materials, such as coffee grounds, waste paper, sugar cane, grass, and many other waste industrial products. They are extremely versatile and can be grown outdoors on logs, totems, and stumps, or in garden beds or containers. Indoors, they can be grown from a mushroom-growing kit or from a fruiting block in a fruiting chamber.

When growing Blue Oyster mushrooms, it is important to note that they have the largest fresh air requirement of any gourmet mushroom, so growing large fruits indoors can be challenging. They also have a huge spore load, which can quickly fill a grow room. Therefore, it is recommended to use a dark fruiting chamber and then use LED light strips to control the light levels. They only need a low level of light as a signal to start fruiting, so indirect light such as a shaded windowsill is sufficient.

The preferred fruiting temperature for Blue Oyster mushrooms is 45–65 °F (12–18 °C), and they can mature in as little as one week. They are ideal for growers in cooler climates and tend to fruit well in early spring and fall.

Blue Oyster mushrooms grow well on a wide range of deciduous hardwoods

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a fun and easy-to-grow variety that produces large and delicious fruits. They are ideal for mushroom growers in cooler climates and can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Blue Oyster mushrooms grow well on a wide range of deciduous hardwoods, including alder, maple, elm, oak, birch, beech, ash, mulberry, sweetgum, cottonwood, poplar, willow, basswood (linden), and aspen. Oak is the best wood type for most mushroom varieties, and softer hardwoods like tulip poplar are recommended for oysters.

When growing Blue Oyster mushrooms, it is important to note that they require a high level of fresh air exchange, more so than other mushrooms. They are sensitive to high CO2 levels and will produce long and thick stems with small caps when grown in a high CO2 environment. To achieve the best results, growers should aim for a preferred fruiting temperature of 45–65 °F.

Blue Oyster mushrooms can be grown from logs, totems, and stumps inoculated with plug spawn or sawdust spawn. The logs should be cut from healthy living trees, with no rot, and plugged within zero to two months of being felled. The best time of year to cut logs is from winter to spring when the trees are completely dormant. It is important to keep the bark intact and undamaged, and the logs should be kept clean and off the ground. Holes should be drilled starting two inches from the end of the log, with rows three to four inches apart along the girth.

Supplemented sawdust blocks and straw are also effective methods for growing Blue Oyster mushrooms. They are incredibly versatile and can be grown in 5-gallon buckets with holes drilled or any container of choice. Blue Oyster mushrooms will devour almost anything and can even be grown on coffee grounds, waste paper, sugar cane, grass, and many other waste industrial products.

While the yield can vary depending on growing conditions, Blue Oyster mushrooms typically produce 6-12 lbs of mushrooms from a 25 lb straw log and up to 3 lbs from a 5 lb supplemented sawdust fruiting block.

Explore related products

Blue Oyster Mushroom Grain Spawn - 1 lb. Ready to Use - Grow Your Own Gourmet or Medicinal Mushrooms at Home or Commercially - for G2G Transfer or Pasteurized Straw Inoculation

$19.95

Blue Oyster Mushroom Seed/Dry Spawn

$9.99

FAR WEST FUNGI Organic Oyster Mushroom, 6 OZ

$7.49

Root Mushroom Farm-Blue Oyster Grain Spawn(NOT A GROW KIT)

$38.99

Mushroom Liquid Culture - Blue Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus)

$16.95 $19.95

Blue Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit (5 lbs) | Mushasaurus | Beginner-Friendly & Easy to Use | Handmade in USA (1 Blue Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit)

$34.99

Blue Oyster mushrooms can be grown from logs or stumps

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a popular variety of gourmet edible mushrooms. They are native to Western Europe, North America, and Asia and thrive in cooler temperatures. Blue Oyster mushrooms can be grown from logs or stumps, and here's how you can do it:

First, select the right wood type for your logs or stumps. Blue Oyster mushrooms grow well on deciduous hardwoods, particularly alder, maple, elm, oak, birch, beech, ash, mulberry, and sweetgum. You can also use cottonwood, poplar, willow, basswood (linden), and aspen, but these tend to break down quickly. Avoid using black locust, apple, cedar, redwood, cypress, fruit trees, conifers, or Osage orange. Logs must be cut from healthy, living trees during the dormant season, preferably in winter or spring. Allow the logs to rest for at least two weeks before inoculating them, and store them in a cool, shaded place where they can receive natural rainfall.

Next, drill holes in the logs or stumps. Start drilling about two inches from the end of the log, spacing the holes six to eight inches apart. Make three to four rows of holes along the girth of each log, with each hole in a line about six inches apart. The holes should be drilled horizontally.

Now, it's time to insert the mushroom plugs. Blue Oyster mushroom plugs are small pieces of wood inoculated with pure mushroom mycelium. Keep the plugs refrigerated until you're ready to use them. Insert the plugs into the holes you drilled in the logs or stumps.

After plugging, soak the logs or stumps in water for 12-24 hours, unless they are less than ten days old. This helps to provide the necessary moisture for mushroom growth.

Finally, maintain your logs or stumps by keeping them clean and off the ground. Stack them on crates or scraps of wood to protect them from drying out and provide shade. Blue Oyster mushrooms require fresh air and prefer growing in open spaces. With the right care, your Blue Oyster mushrooms will thrive and provide you with a delicious harvest.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find specific information on how many pounds of Blue Oyster mushrooms you can expect from 100 plugs. However, according to one source, you can expect to yield 6-12 pounds of Blue Oyster mushrooms from a 25-pound straw log.

Blue Oyster mushrooms are a subspecies of Pearl Oyster mushrooms

Blue Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus) are a subspecies of Pearl Oyster mushrooms. They are native to Western Europe and thrive in cooler temperatures, making them ideal for growers in temperate climates. Blue Oyster mushrooms exhibit a notable blue-grey hue, with darker caps and pale gills, creating a stunning colour contrast. This variety is extremely aggressive and grows on a wide range of deciduous hardwoods, such as oak, chestnut, maple, birch, and willow.

In terms of flavour, Blue Oyster mushrooms offer a robust, earthy taste, while Pearl Oyster mushrooms are known for their milder, more delicate, anise-like flavour. This makes Blue Oyster mushrooms a versatile ingredient in a wide range of recipes, especially those requiring a stronger flavour profile. They are often used in egg dishes, pasta, or sautéed with garlic and herbs. Blue Oyster mushrooms are also a healthy option, providing a valuable source of vitamin D, protein, fibre, potassium, vitamin B6, and folate.

When it comes to cultivation, Blue Oyster mushrooms can be grown using plugs, which are small pieces of wood inoculated with pure mushroom mycelium. These plugs can be inserted into logs or stumps, and it is recommended to keep them refrigerated until use. A 5 oz package typically contains 100 plugs. The preferred wood types for Blue Oyster mushrooms include oak, chestnut, maple, birch, and willow, while certain types like cedar, redwood, and cypress should be avoided.

Regarding yield, Blue Oyster mushrooms can produce 6-12 lbs from a 25 lb straw log and up to 3 lbs from a 5 lb supplemented sawdust fruiting block. This information can be useful for growers aiming to quantify the efficiency of their yields and make their harvest more fruitful and profitable.

Overall, Blue Oyster mushrooms, as a subspecies of Pearl Oyster mushrooms, offer unique characteristics in terms of appearance, flavour, and cultivation. They are a valuable addition to the culinary world and provide health benefits similar to those of Pearl Oyster mushrooms.

Frequently asked questions