Above: Propagated Grey Dove Oyster Mushrooms off Totem
 

Blue Dolphin or Pleurotus ostreatus. Is also know as the "Fall Fruiting Tree Oyster", this strain undergoes a lovely metamorphosis from frosty blue pins through pewter gray clusters of mature mushrooms. A prolific fruiter in cooler weather, especially after the first near-frost temperatures in autumn. It needs near freezing temperatures to stimulate fruiting.

Italian Oyster or Pleurotus pulmonarius. A mild flavored mushroom featuring robust, thick stemmed mushroom in gorgeous clusters. Ideal for customers who prefer a larger, sturdy Oyster mushroom. A vigorous producer.

Grey Dove Oyster or pleurotus ostreatus. A prolific producer of clustered, almost silver colored mushrooms. Well suited to straw, sawdust, and natural log cultivation.

Grey Dove Teepee- The ultimate recycling plan. Convert rolls of toilet paper into edible mushroom bouquets in 4-6 weeks by simply adding boiling water and mushroom spawn. Teepee kits contain spawn, breathable filter patch bags and instructions. You provide the toilet paper and sense of humor.

Straw Box Oyster- Save your cardboard boxes and grow oyster mushrooms on straw. No special pasteurization required and you can grow them indoors or outdoors where there is plenty if humidity. Simply soak a bale of straw in water, drain it and plant with mushroom spawn, the stuff the works into your box. Keep indoors in a humid spot, or outdoors in a protected place in spring. 

Above: Oyster Totems fruiting in the woods!

Grow Info-    Oyster mushrooms will grow on most hardwoods, but prefer softwoods like river birch, popular, willow, soft maple, etc. 3 to 6 inch logs can be done with sawdust spawn like the shiitake logs.

Totem Info-    Harvest logs for totems any time except when budding, wait until after about a month when the trees are fully leaved. Cut totem logs about 40 inches long and 6 to 14 inches in diameter.

Take to gestational area, in or outdoors, with plenty of shade, and maintain a constant temperature between 55 and 85 degrees. Spray paint a line down the log about an inch wide. Cut your log into 8-12 inch slices. Take a large black trash bag(55 gallon) put a cup of grain spawn  in the bottom of the bag, and place the bottom slice of totem on top of it.  Put another cup of spawn between each slice of log and line the log up with the paint stripe. Put one more cup of spawn on the top of the log, cover with newspaper or paper bag, hold in place with a large rubber band or duct tape. Pull trash bag up around the log and loosely close the top of the bag to allow for some air exchange. Let stand for at least 4 months, the longer the better depending on the season you  started the totem. 

Open the bag, disassemble or leave intact, protect form wind, and direct sunlight. In time, with proper temperature and humidity totems with fruit periodically for approximately 2 years or slightly longer. Keep in mind that different oyster strains like slightly different fruiting times.

On Toilet Paper-    Use new, cheap, no dyes, or scents. Pour boiling water over T.P. Get the whole roll saturated, let it drain, and cool to app.. 80 degrees F. Place roll in spawn bag. Fill the core with grain spawn. Put bags in the dark with 60-75 degree temperature, for 4-6 weeks. Some signs of green mold mat appear, as long as the patches remain small keep going. Optimally you want white mycelium, it should look like a fuzzy blob. When it looks like giant marshmallow put the bag in the frig, (not the freezer) for 48 hours. Remove from frig and open bag to plenty of air and light, but not direct sunlight. This will start the fruiting cycle. In one to two weeks you should be picking fresh mushrooms. As the mushrooms grow, they may become tough or shrivel. Mist them with water and reseal the bag. Put them back in the dark and start the process over again.  4-6 weeks dark, frig for 48 hours, open air, and harvest. This process may be done 2 to 4 times.

Based on geographic locations and seasonal changes; everything is a variable when working with mother nature.

Key Benefits

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Last modified: 03/06/10