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| 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 using plug spawn.
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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.
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Customer Reviews
4.9 Based on 19 Reviews
5 ★
89%
17
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11%
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CL
12/28/2024
Connie L.
United StatesI recommend this product
Easy to use
I enjoyed inoculating my logs. This was my first time and the little dowels were perfect and easy to use.
01/03/2025
North Spore
So great to hear you had a positive growing experience, Connie! We so appreciate your feedback.
GL
08/03/2024
Gregory L.
United StatesSpore Plugs
Plugs came full of spawn. Great directions. Great for small projects.
100 plugs / with plug spawn instructions
08/06/2024
North Spore
We appreciate your review, Greg! Good luck with your grow.
TF
03/31/2024
Thomas F.
United StatesI recommend this product
Great product
I inoculated alder logs a little over a month ago and, the early growth is amazing! Such an easy project once you have your logs. I had a few extra plugs so I used them on a couple small logs 2" round by 6' long and,those are already covered in mycillum on the ends. I'm having fun with this and, just ordered sawdust spawn to grow in buckets. North spore is where I will get EVERYTHING I need for mushroom growing! Thanks for all you do, the products and, education are top notch
04/03/2024
North Spore
Your review made our day, Thomas! Please reach out if you ever need anything.
SW
03/01/2024
Scotty W.
United StatesI recommend this product
Fast and great!
I received my plug spawn super fast and the plugs were already colonizing very nicely. Thanks for the great service and product!
100 plugs
03/02/2024
North Spore
We really appreciate your support, Scotty! If you need help with anything, please reach out.
CS
01/17/2024
Cara S.
United StatesI recommend this product
Great on Arrival
I've ordered from other sources, and the appearance of North Spore's plug spawn exceeds my previous experiences. The plugs were extremely "fuzzy" with active spawn. The instructions were also superior to other sources. The included booklet was professional and I learned a lot (about what I did wrong) on previous attempts at log cultivation. Hopefully, in six to twelve months, I'll be able to report abundant mushroom growth.
100 plugs
01/18/2024
North Spore
Thanks for sharing, Cara! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. If you have any questions along the way, our team is here to help!
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