Large Grow Kit Instructions - Oyster, King Oyster & Shiitake

Kit instructions- for Grey, Yellow and Pink Oyster mushrooms.

(For King Oyster and Shiitake instructions keep scrolling down)

When you receive your kit you must open within three days. You will need to source a water mister before starting your kit.

Do not store your Pink Oyster mushroom kit below 10 degrees.

You can store your Grey and Yellow Oyster mushroom kit in the fridge should you need to wait to grow, but open within one month.

Ideal growing temperature parameters are 17-22 degrees.  Lower temperatures can lead to slower growth and higher temps can lead to the substrate and mushrooms drying out, if not sufficiently watered during the day and growing period.

Open your kit with very clean scissors, carefully cut the grow bag in a single diagonal line approx.15-20cm from top to bottom.  Do not carve, dig or scratch into substrate surface, and do not peel back the opening of the grow bag.

This opening will allow enough air and water into the substrate to initiate fruiting. Please trust the process.

Place your kit in a light position and out of direct sunlight. Mist the opening of your kit twice a day with water.  You can expect to see the primordia of your mushrooms forming within 14 days.

Your mushrooms will be ready to harvest 5-7 days later.

Should there be any delay in your primordia forming within the stated times do contact us at enquiries@caleybrothers.co.uk with photos so we can advise on the health and wellbeing of your kit.

Continue to water your mushrooms once they begin to form and until you harvest them, give a light misting twice a day during the growing phase.

Harvest your mushrooms once the largest in the flush begin to flatten out at the edge of the mushroom and before they begin to dry out.

Remove all mushrooms at once, the smaller mushrooms will not continue to grow once some have been harvested.

Harvest each cluster of mushrooms close to the substrate base, remove any lumps of mushroom from the kit to prevent spoiling.

Continue to mist your kit twice a day in between harvests. Your second and subsequent flushes will take a little longer to appear but persevere with watering to encourage growth of fresh primordia. Your kits should continue to smell fresh and healthy and looking well with lots of healthy white mycelium growth all over.

Compost your substrate block once you have finished growing. The plastic grow bag can be cleaned and then recycled at your local recycling point.

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Instructions for King Oyster mushroom kit

King Oyster mushrooms are top fruited. With clean scissors cut the very top off the grow bag leaving 10cm of bag above the top line of the substrate. This will prevent the top of the substrate from drying out whilst your mushrooms grow. You will need to source a water mister before starting your kit.

Mist your kit twice a day, do not allow water to pool on the top if your substrate, if this happens pour away the standing water.

As your King Oyster mushrooms grow larger in size, they may push against the sides, you can cut the opening of the bag at the top to release the mushrooms, letting them grow more freely.

When fully grown, you can harvest your mushrooms from the top of the kit as they mature, when the caps begin to turn up and the mushrooms slow in growth.  Do this with a sharp knife by slicing close to the base.

You may see some small mushrooms forming around the side of your kit. Once the top mushrooms have reached maturity and have been harvested, you can trim the grow bag to release the side forming mushrooms.  They have grown here because of the humidity at the side of the kit.

It may be difficult to get a second harvest from a King Oyster grow kit.  You may find sign of mould begin to form on your substrate block before any new mushrooms begin to establish. How ever we encourage you to try.

To do this you can close the top of the kit up and turn the substrate block upside down.  Open the bottom of the kit - this is so you can attempt to grow a new flush of mushrooms from the base of the kit.  Submerge the kit in clean cold water for 24 hours. The new surface should now be misted twice per day during the growing stage and until the new fruiting bodies fully mature.

Your substrate block should continue to smell fresh and healthy and looking well, with lots of healthy white mycelium growth all over.

Compost your substrate block once you have finished growing. The plastic grow bag can be cleaned and recycled at your local recycling point.

If you have any questions, get in touch via our website

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Instructions for Shiitake Grow Kit

Open within three days of receipt, if not wanting to grow immediately pop in your fridge for up to one week, your mushrooms may begin to grow even when chilled so get started asap. You will need to source a water mister before starting your kit.

Remove all of the plastic grow bag from your shiitake kit, and place on a plate in a bright and light location, but out of direct sunlight to prevent drying out.

Mist your Shiitake block twice per day, do not let it sit in a pool of water, tip away any standing water.

Your mushrooms can be seen popping from all over your kit, these will continue to grow over the next 7 days.

You will know when your Shiitake are ready to harvest when the caps flatten out. Slice off the mushrooms close to the substrate block with a sharp knife or scissors.

Shiitake blocks tend fruit most of their mushrooms on the first flush. We have had occasional success trying for subsequent harvests but very often you will see a green mould beginning to form before your second flush of mushrooms appear.  If this happens, compost your kit.

You can try for a second flush by submerging your block in cold clean water for 24 hours. Then place it in the fridge for 24 hours.

Lay a clean damp tea towel over your block and continue to mist each day. The idea behind the tea towel is to prevent drying out without using more plastic.  You’ll need to replace and clean the tea towel frequently.

Compost your substrate block once you have finished growing.

The plastic grow bag can be cleaned and then recycled at your local recycling point.

See our Instagram for images of stunning Shiitake and recipe ideas.

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