Organic Blue Oyster Mushroom Plug Spawn
Skill level | Beginner |
Grow location | Outdoors |
Spawn shelf life | 6 months (refrigerated) |
Incubation | 6-12 months |
Fruiting temps | 55-75°F |
Best log type | See wood chart below |
Blue Oysters (Pleurotus ostreatus) are a fast colonizer with a strong bluish-gray hue. They produce richly umami-flavored mushrooms with a soft, meaty texture that pairs well with most dishes.
As our most productive oyster strain, they are reliable, cold-tolerant, and fruit prolifically in early spring or late fall. Blue oyster mushrooms also work well with the log, stump, and totem methods.
Note: Dowel may be fluted or spiral. Aside from being kiln dried, our wooden dowels are not treated in any other way.
Blue Oyster wood chart:
BEST WOOD SPECIES* | Aspen, Cottonwood, Tuliptree, Willow |
OTHER SUITABLE SPECIES | Ailanthus, Alder, Basswood, Beech, Birch, Box Elder, Buckeye, Chinese Tallow, Elm Hackberry, Hophornbeam, Hard Maple, Soft Maple, Mulberry, Palm, Pear, Sassafrass, Sweetgum, Sycamore |
AVOID | Ash, Hemlock, Oak |
Ideal project size:
Plug spawn is ideal for smaller projects of 1-10 logs, though some log cultivators will use them for larger projects.
That's not mold, it's mycelium!
Your kit includes plug spawn colonized with mushroom mycelium. It may appear covered with a soft, white, mold-like substance - that's the mushroom mycelium! It is completely normal. The mycelium of some species is more prominent than others.
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To grow on logs using plug spawn, you will need a Drill Bit, Log Sealing Wax, and Wax Daubers.
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Click here to download our pamphlet on growing mushrooms on logs, stumps, and totems.
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Blue oyster works well with the log, stump, or totem method. Colonization is fast and may start producing in 4-12 months, though fruitation is dependent on environmental triggers. They fruit best in the spring and fall and prefer softer hardwoods such as poplar and aspen, though they will also work on maple. For our complete plug spawn pamphlet, click here.
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If you don't plan to use immediately, you can refrigerate your spawn for up to 6 months.
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Blue oysters can easily replace button mushrooms in most recipes and pair well with many cuisines and flavors. Like all oyster mushrooms, they retain water and may develop a viscous texture when undercooked. If you prefer a firm or dryer texture, continue to cook blue oysters until their liquid has reduced and cooked off and they begin to brown.
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If you’re going to consume home-grown mushrooms, make sure to cook your fresh mushrooms thoroughly with heat. If it is your first time eating this species, it is best to start with a small amount to check for allergies, even if cooked.
*Recommendations are based on our own testing. You may have different results experimenting with other wood species.