Organic Italian Oyster Mushroom Plug Spawn

100 plugs
€17,95
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USDA Certified Organic

USDA Certified Organic

Trusted by 350K+ Growers

Trusted by 350K+ Growers

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Difficulty: Beginner

Italian Oysters (Pleurotus pulmonarius) are thicker and meatier than blue oyster mushrooms, and their brown frilled caps can grow quite large. They have a mild flavor, earthy aroma, and are favorite among those who prefer a sturdier oyster mushroom.

Italian oyster mushrooms are great for beginners because they colonize quickly and are reliable producers. This oyster variety works well with log and stump methods.

Properties: The Italian Oyster mushroom has a high protein content, several B vitamins, and all the essential amino acids (Marley, 2009). Its medicinal benefits include promoting anti-tumor activity and lowering high cholesterol. Oyster mushroom fruiting bodies and distillations have been shown to reduce tumor size in several studies on mice, rats, and hamsters (Hobbs, 1995). Additionally, Oyster mushrooms have been used in the Czech Republic as the main ingredient in a dietary supplement used to treat high cholesterol (Hobbs, 1995). Studies in animals have shown that a diet of Oyster mushrooms reduced the development of plaque in major arteries (Bobek et al., 1995).

Tools you'll need

To grow on logs using plug spawn, you will need:
• Drill Bit
• Sealing Wax
• Wax Daubers

To calculate how much spawn you will need, click here.

Inoculation

Works well with the Log, Stump, and Totem methods. Colonization is fast and should start producing in 4-12 months. They fruit best in the spring and fall and prefer softer hardwoods such as poplar and aspen, though they will also work on maple.

Italian Oyster mushrooms are a great mushroom for beginners. They colonize quickly and are reliable producers. Decent for commercial cultivation, especially grown on straw with cooler temperatures.

Cultivation

Ideal project size: Plug spawn is ideal for smaller projects of 1-10 logs, though some log cultivators will use them for larger projects.

Click here for full instructions

Storing

If you don't plan to use within 3 weeks, you may refrigerate the plug spawn for up to 6 months.

Cooking

Italian 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 Italian Oysters until their liquid has reduced and cooked off and they begin to brown.

Cautions & Considerations

• 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.

• Aside from being kiln dried, our wooden dowels are not treated in any other way.

FAQs

Plug Spawn FAQ 

Log Cultivation FAQ

Related Articles

Get the Right Tools
Emboss-o-tag
Emboss-o-tag (+€14,95)

Keep track of your species

Log Inoculation Drill Bit
Log Inoculation Drill Bit (+€19,95)

The perfect size for our plugs

Angle Grinder Adapter
Angle Grinder Adapter (+€48,95)

Allows 4x faster drilling

Log Sealing Wax
Log Sealing Wax (+€3,95)

1/4 lb - enough for 100 plugs

Wax Daubers
Wax Daubers (+€2,95)

4-pack

Frequently Asked Questions

After inoculation, most logs take 6–12 months before producing their first flush of mushrooms. Colonization depends on temperature, moisture, and wood type. Once established, a log can fruit for 3–7 years.

Always use freshly cut, disease-free logs. Old or rotting wood may contain competing fungi or be too dry for successful colonization. Ideally, inoculate within 2–4 weeks of cutting.

Plug spawn (wooden dowels) is easier for beginners and ideal for smaller projects. Sawdust spawn is faster to colonize and more economical for larger batches or commercial growers.

Store logs in a shady, humid area close to the ground. In dry or hot weather, occasional watering or soaking can help maintain moisture. Avoid full sun or windy spots, which can cause bark cracking.

Cluster of brown-capped mushrooms with long, light-colored stems against a white background.

Your Trusted Source for Premium Mushroom Growing Supplies

Whether you’re growing mushrooms at home, in your garden, or at a commercial scale, we offer everything you need to cultivate success. We start with the highest-quality OMRI-listed ingredients, mix them in our state-of-the-art facility, and inoculate them in our custom-built lab, so you can rest easy knowing your product will yield the best results.

Reviews

  • 5 stars: 14 (93%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (7%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
J
Jason Keene
Great

These mushrooms are awesome

E
Eddie
Great product.

I inoculated about 15 logs with Italian oyster and all are showing growth within the first year, Even tried it on a small pine. I tried shitaki about 3 years ago, two years no growth. I was about to give up until I read that someone beat their log with a rock and the next few days it produced. I tried it and it worked.

Thanks for the review, Eddie. Yes, the shiitake slam can help get the logs to produce. Gently tossing it onto the ground works too!

P
Pat

The plugs are totally full of mycelium. I expect great success. I did take away one star because the drill bit that came in the kit was unbelievably dull. Had to go buy a new bit.

Thanks for sharing, Pat! We'll have someone from customer service reach out to you.

L
Larry

Perfect! Great company!

Thanks, Larry! If you need help with anything, please reach out.

R
Raciel Fernandez
Amazing experience! Delicious, heavy yields, fruited on the first year and has been fruiting ever...

I wasn't sure how well it was going to go for me. I have trouble with routines and remembering to care for things like houseplants. But this couldn't have been easier and watching my first mushrooms come and then keep coming, now on my third-year yield has been so rewarding. I can't recommend Northspore and their Italian oyster plugs product enough. They were also very helpful before purchase with questions on my wood of choice and prepping. They grew excellent on freshly cut Ash logs. Still going strong after 3 years. Cutting fresh logs this season to get some more plugs soon! Give it a try!

Wow, thank you so much for such an amazing review! We appreciate your business.

J
Joe Amisson

I just finished plugging my logs with them. All went well so far, waiting on results now. Service was excellent and instructions were very clear and helpful.

We really appreciate the kind review, Joe! Our team is here if you need anything.

J
Javier Salas
Good stuff

Plug spawn arrived in great condition and I used it to inoculate an Aspen log. I decided to make my own incubation tub to let it colonize inside. Hope it works. I bought the drill bit, wax and dauber things from NorthSpore as well and they worked good.

D
Dave Ventresca
Great plugs so far -- time will tell if we get a good crop!

The plugs came quickly and were packed well. Very little waste, which we appreciate very much. We took down some oak branches and drilled holes and tapped these in with some local beeswax melted to seal each one.

We built them as mushroom "towers" and hope to have a thriving, fruitful colony soon!

S
Samuel H Butz
Easy

Plugs looked great, the instructions were clear and easy!

S
Samuel H Butz
Easy

Plugs looked great, instructions were clear and easy!

R
Raciel Fernandez
Excellent spawn

My first baby steps into mycology but North Spore have been incredible. Immediately had questions and they quickly responded. My spawn arrived and (weird to say) smelled really good. I wasn't expecting that. Maybe too many damp basements in my past. Amazing growth on these plugs! My life are innoculated and ready to go. Can't wait, but I'll be patient.

V
Vinny
Very excited to for the harvest.

I have not yet been able to harvest since I bought and received my plugs in Spring 2021, but I am very excited about the future harvest. I started my journey with the pink oyster mushroom indoor box grow kit and after that was fun and very successful decided to move on to plug spawn to grow mushrooms on logs. North Spore is truly wonderful in providing information both on their website and when contacted directly so as a beginner I feel confident and well supported.

E
Emilie Harjes
Worked great!

They're perfect! Bought 100 plugs back in the spring of 2019 and got flushes on the logs starting in the spring of 2020. Soaked them in water for about 20 hours every 7 weeks or so during the warmer months to force flushes. Bought more plugs this year, looking forward to when they start to fruit next year!

R
Robert S
Oyster mushroom plugs

I have ordered a number of times from North Spore and each order has been high quality and arrived on time.
I will keep using them as my main source of supplies.

K
Keith Jackson
Oyster mushrooms

North Spore is very helpful. Have ordered couple other things before this. Orders are always received on time and in good condition. They are very dedicated to growing mushrooms and want others to succeed