Welcome to the world of pink oyster mushrooms, where vibrant hues meet unparalleled health benefits. Dive into our beginner's guide and learn how to cultivate these nutrient-rich fungi in the comfort of your own home. From boosting your immune system to providing essential vitamins and minerals, pink oyster mushrooms are a delicious way to enhance your well-being. Join us on this exciting journey and discover the joys of growing your own superfood!
Natural Habitat
• Ecosystem:
Deciduous trees, deadwood, and agricultural waste
• Locations:
Asia, Africa, Central America
• Seasons:
Year-round (depending on climate)
• Climate:
Tropical to subtropical
• Substrate:
Agricultural waste, straw, wood chips
Growing Params
• Difficulty:
Moderate
• Total Time:
19 - 29 Days
• PH Range:
6 - 7.5
Yield Performance
• Units:
% Weight of Substrate
• Poor:
10
• Average:
20
• Good:
30
• Excellent:
40
Culture Instructions
Agar Cultivation
Supplies Needed
- • Agar Powder: Cellular medium for agar plates.
- • Petri Dishes: Containers for pouring agar medium.
- • Agar Jar: Narrow Mouth Jar with Sealing Lid is optimal.
- • Parafilm: For Sealing the agar after innoculation. Grafting Tape is also sufficient.
- • Scissors: Tool for cutting sealing tape to length.
- • Stir Plate: Optional: Thorough mixing with sagenetic stirrir improves results by distributing nutrients evenly
- • Nutrient Medium: Nutrition can be Light Malt Extract, Honey, Karo ext. For Mycelial Expansion.
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the liquid culture medium to increase growth rates.
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Pressure Cooker: Equipment for sterilizing agar mixture and Petri dishes.
- • Scalpel or Innoculation Loop: Tool for transferring mycelium to agar plates.
- • Alcohol Lamp or Burner: Sterilization tool for flame sterilizing instruments.
Growing Params
Recipe: MEA
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
CO2 Range:500 - 1000 ppm
Growth Duration:2 - 4 Days
Cultivation Notes: Maintain proper humidity and airflow for agar growth
Liquid Culture
Supplies Needed
- • Sterile Jar: Clean container for liquid culture inoculation.
- • Modified Lid: Lid should have a filter port for gas exchange. Syringe Port Optional.
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Nutrient Medium: Nutrition can be Light Malt Extract, Honey, Karo ext. For Mycelial Expansion.
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the liquid culture medium to increase growth rates.
- • Pressure Cooker: Equipment for sterilizing liquid culture medium.
- • Scalpel or Syringe: Tool for transferring mycelial mass to growth medium.
- • Alcohol Lamp or Burner: Sterilization tool for flame sterilizing instruments.
Growing Params
Recipe: KDLC
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
CO2 Range:0 - 5000 ppm
Growth Duration:7 - 14 Days
Cultivation Notes: Provide optimal conditions for liquid culture growthStir Daily
Agar Cultivation
- Prepare the agar medium by mixing agar powder with water in a flask or beaker.
- Autoclave the agar medium to sterilize it and let it cool to around 50°C.
- Pour the agar medium into petri dishes, leaving some space at the top for inoculation.
- Inoculate the agar plates with a small piece of pink-oyster mushroom tissue or spores using a sterile technique.
- Seal the petri dishes with parafilm or tape and incubate them at the appropriate temperature for pink-oyster mushrooms (around 25-30°C).
- Check the plates regularly for contamination and growth of mycelium.
- Once the mycelium has fully colonized the agar plates, you can use them to inoculate your substrate for fruiting.
- Prepare a sterile work area by cleaning all surfaces with a disinfectant and using a flow hood or still air box.
- Gather all necessary materials including a liquid culture syringe, sterilized liquid culture medium, and a sterile syringe filter.
- Inject the liquid culture syringe into the sterilized liquid culture medium, making sure to avoid any contamination.
- Seal the liquid culture medium with the sterile syringe filter to allow for gas exchange while preventing contamination.
- Incubate the liquid culture at the appropriate temperature and in a dark environment to allow the mycelium to grow and colonize the medium.
- Monitor the liquid culture for signs of contamination or growth, and adjust as needed to ensure successful colonization.
- Once the liquid culture is fully colonized, it is ready to be used to inoculate substrate for fruiting the pink oyster mushrooms.
Spawn Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Mason Jars or Bags: Containers for sterilizing and inoculating grains.
- • Modified Lid: Lid should have a filter port for gas exchange. Syringe Port Optional.
- • Grains: Substrate material for spawn inoculation. (e.g. Rye, Millet)
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the grain medium to increase growth rates.
- • Pressure Cooker: Equipment for sterilizing grain substrate.
- • Inoculation Tool : Tool for transferring colonized spawn to substrate. (e.g. Scalpel, Syringe)
- • Alcohol Lamp or Burner: Sterilization tool for flame sterilizing instruments.
Growing Params
Spawn Material: Whole Oats
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
Moisture Content:49 - 55 %
Fresh Air Exchange:5 - 8 / Hour
CO2 Range:500 - 1000 ppm
Growth Duration:4 - 7 Days
Grain Spawn Prep and Innoculation
- Prepare your work area by cleaning and sanitizing all surfaces and tools to prevent contamination.
- Gather your materials, including grain spawn (such as rye or millet), a pressure cooker, mason jars with lids, and a spore syringe or liquid culture.
- Fill each mason jar with the grain spawn, leaving some space at the top for shaking and colonization.
- Add water to the pressure cooker and place the jars inside. Pressure cook the jars at 15 PSI for 90 minutes to sterilize the grain spawn.
- Allow the jars to cool completely before inoculating them with the spore syringe or liquid culture. Use a glove box or flow hood to minimize contamination.
- Inject a small amount of spore solution into each jar, making sure to distribute it evenly throughout the grain spawn.
- Seal the jars with breathable lids, such as coffee filters or synthetic filter discs, to allow for gas exchange during colonization.
- Incubate the inoculated jars in a dark, warm (75-80°F) area for 2-3 weeks, shaking them periodically to distribute the mycelium.
- Once the grain spawn is fully colonized with mycelium, it is ready to be used to inoculate your substrate for fruiting.
Substrate Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Substrate Mix: Substrate material for mushroom growth. (e.g., Sawdust, Wood Chips, Fast Fruiting Mix, Brown Rice)
- • Suppliments: Suppliments not required, but can sometimes be added to the grain medium to increase growth rates.
- • Substrate Container: Polypropylene Bags or Plastic Containers for sterilizing and inoculating substrate.
- • Mycelial Mass: Typically Colonized Grain Jars or Liquid Culture for inoculation.
- • Clean Environment: Flow Hood is optimal, but a still air box can be used.
- • Pressure Cooker or Steam Sterilizer: Equipment for sterilizing substrate.
Growing Params
Substrate: Hardwood Sawdust
Sub to Spawn Ratio: 3:1
Sub to LC Ratio: 4ml/qt
Temperature Range:75 - 85 °F
Humidity Range:95 - 100 RH
Fresh Air Exchange:5 - 8 / Hour
CO2 Range:500 - 1000 ppm
Growth Duration:7 - 10 Days
Substrate Prep and Innoculation
- Prepare the substrate by mixing together pasteurized straw, sawdust, and gypsum in a large container.
- Moisten the substrate mixture with water until it reaches the proper moisture content, similar to a wrung-out sponge.
- Fill grow bags or containers with the substrate mixture, leaving some room at the top for the mushrooms to grow.
- Inoculate the substrate by adding pink-oyster mushroom spawn to the bags or containers. Distribute the spawn evenly throughout the substrate.
- Seal the bags or containers with a breathable filter patch or lid to allow for gas exchange.
- Incubate the inoculated substrate at the optimal temperature and humidity for pink-oyster mushrooms to colonize the substrate.
- Check the bags or containers regularly for signs of colonization, such as white mycelium growth spreading throughout the substrate.
- Once the substrate is fully colonized, introduce fresh air and lower the temperature to initiate fruiting of the pink-oyster mushrooms.
- Maintain proper humidity levels and air circulation to support the growth and development of the mushrooms.
- Harvest the pink-oyster mushrooms when they reach the desired size and appearance, typically within a few weeks of initiating fruiting.
Primordia Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Fruiting Chamber: Controlled environment chamber for pinning and fruiting.
- • Control Automation: Optional. Controller and sensors for maintaining temperature, humidity, lighting ext.
- • Casing Layer: Optional. Species Dependant. Humidification material for maintaining humidity in the fruiting chamber.
- • Hygrometer: Instrument for measuring humidity levels.
- • Humidifier: Optional. Could be spray bottle or humidifer. Tool for misting and humidifying the fruiting chamber.
Growing Params
Casing Layer: None
Temperature Range:65 - 75 °F
Humidity Range:95 - 100 RH
Light Wave Length:395 - 480 nm
Light Intensity:750 - 1500 Lux
Light Duration: 12 Hours/Day
Fresh Air Exchange:5 - 8 / Hour
CO2 Range:500 - 1000 ppm
Growth Duration:2 - 4 Days
Cultivation Notes: Initiate pinning by adjusting temperature, humidity, and light
Primordia Initiation
- Prepare a clean and sanitized growing area with proper humidity and temperature control.
- Inoculate your substrate with pink oyster mushroom spawn, ensuring even distribution.
- Cover the substrate with a breathable material like a damp paper towel or plastic wrap to maintain moisture levels.
- Place the inoculated substrate in a dark and warm environment (around 75-85°F) to encourage primordia formation.
- Monitor the substrate daily for signs of primordia initiation, such as small pinheads forming on the surface.
- Once primordia have formed, adjust the growing conditions to promote healthy mushroom development, including adequate air circulation and light exposure.
- Continue to monitor and care for the mushrooms as they grow, harvesting them at the optimal size for consumption.
Fruiting Instructions
Supplies Needed
- • Fruiting Chamber: Controlled environment chamber for fruiting.
- • Temperature Control System: Equipment for maintaining optimal fruiting temperatures.
- • Fresh Air Exchange System: System to provide adequate fresh air exchange in the fruiting chamber.
- • Light Source: Light source to provide required illumination for fruiting. (e.g., LED Grow Light)
- • Harvesting Tools: Tools for harvesting mushrooms without damaging the mycelium. (e.g., Knife, Scissors)
Growing Params
Temperature Range:70 - 85 °F
Humidity Range:85 - 90 RH
Light Wave Length:395 - 480 nm
Light Intensity:750 - 1500 lux
Light Duration: 12 Hours/Day
Fresh Air Exchange:4 - 6 / Hour
CO2 Range:500 - 1000 ppm
Growth Duration:3 - 5 Days
Flushes:1 - 2
Flushing Schedule:7 - 10 Days
Cultivation Notes: Provide optimal conditions for fruiting stage
Fruiting Preparation and Conditions
- Prepare a fruiting chamber by cleaning and sanitizing it thoroughly to prevent contamination.
- Fill the bottom of the fruiting chamber with a layer of damp perlite or a similar humidifying material to maintain high humidity levels.
- Place the colonized substrate blocks or bags containing pink-oyster mushroom mycelium into the fruiting chamber.
- Maintain a temperature of around 75-80°F (24-27°C) and high humidity levels of 90-95% for optimal fruiting conditions.
- Provide indirect light or low-intensity fluorescent lighting for 12 hours a day to stimulate fruiting.
- Monitor the humidity levels regularly and mist the inside of the fruiting chamber with water as needed to maintain high humidity.
- Check for signs of contamination or mold growth and remove any affected areas immediately to prevent spreading.
- Harvest the pink-oyster mushrooms when they reach the desired size by cutting them at the base of the stem with a clean knife.
- Continue to harvest mushrooms as they mature, typically every few days, until the substrate is exhausted or no longer producing fruit bodies.