How do I Grow Oyster Mushrooms at Home?

Oyster mushrooms grow well in sawdust and other substrates.

Home cultivation of fruits and vegetables provides families with fresh food, and when done properly can trim money from the usual grocery bill. According to R.J. Ruppenthal, author of "Fresh Food From Small Spaces," oyster mushrooms may be the easiest kind of mushrooms to grow at home. These mushrooms grow in a variety of substrates, including straw and sawdust. Mushroom growing kits sold at garden centers and nurseries include these substrates, as well as containers in which to grow your mushrooms. You can also design your own containers to grow the mushrooms in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• 2 half-gallon milk cartons
• Bowl
• Sawdust
• 2 cups coffee grounds
• Filtered water
• Microwave
• Mushroom spawn

Instructions

1. Cut off the tops of the milk cartons so that the cartons are rectangles and are the same height. Use scissors or a hole punch to create three to four holes in all four sides of each carton.

2. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with sawdust and 2 cups of coffee grounds. Add filtered water until the sawdust is thoroughly soaked. Microwave the combination on high for 2 minutes or until the water boils to kill bacteria and other contaminants that can infect the mushrooms. Allow the sawdust to cool completely before continuing.

3. Add filtered water to the sawdust until it is completely wet. Add your mushroom spawn or extra sawdust that already contains the spawn.

4. Add the inculcated sawdust and water mixture to your milk cartons. Store the cartons in a dark area with a temperature steady between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Add filtered water to the sawdust every three to four days, as needed to keep the mixture completely moist. The amount of water you need will vary depending on the temperature and humidity of your storage space. Mushrooms will fruit within two to three months.

Tips & Warnings

• It is acceptable to replace the sawdust with straw, if necessary.

• If insects attack your growing mushrooms, wrap the milk cartons with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking oil.

• If you get sawdust from a mushroom growing kit, it may already contain mushroom spawn. Do not microwave sawdust that already contains spawn, as you will kill the mushrooms.

References

• Chelsea Green: How to Grow Oyster Mushrooms Indoors
• Fort Lewis College Department of Ethnobotany: Growing Oyster Mushrooms on Straw