Description
King Oyster colonisation is deliberate rather than explosive, and it needs the extra nitrogen of a Master’s Mix or a heavily supplemented pellet base to build a fat stem. On straw it will still fruit, but thin, spindly and briefly.
Pitch at the warmer end of the range, 22-24 C, and be patient with the surface: a fully colonised king block often takes a further fortnight after the bag first looks solid white.
Cold-shock the block for five to seven days before you cut the slot if you want one heavy flush instead of a scattered series of small ones.
What is in the box
- 1 colonised spawn container
- Breathable filter cap or patched lid
How to grow it
- Warm the jar or bag to room temperature and shake it to break the grain loose.
- Work in still air: a closed room, no fan, everything wiped down with alcohol.
- Mix at roughly 5-10% spawn to wet substrate, more if you want speed over economy.
- Incubate in the dark at the species temperature. Use within two weeks of arrival.
Care on arrival
Do not leave spawn in a hot car or on a sunny sill; heat kills a culture faster than contamination does. White, fluffy and smelling sweet is what you want to see.
Specifications
| SKU | MGS-SPN-KIN |
|---|---|
| Medium | Whole rye berries |
| Coverage | One jar inoculates about four 5 lb bags |
| Storage on arrival | 2-4 C, dark, use within 14 days |
| Will it fruit on its own | No. Spawn needs substrate |
| Fruiting temperature | 13-18 C |
| Colonisation temperature | 20-24 C |
| Colonisation time | 18-30 days |
| Time to first pins | 10-18 days, usually after a cold rest |
| Relative humidity | 88-95% relative humidity |
| Substrate it wants | Supplemented hardwood sawdust; straw alone is too weak for thick stems |
| Format | Colonised culture for adding to substrate |
Questions
What conditions does King Oyster need in fruiting?
Fruit at 13-18 C with relative humidity of 88-95% relative humidity. Indirect light, moderate. Very high fresh air exchange; low oxygen makes stems stretch
Do King Oysters need a cold shock?
It is not mandatory, but a 5-7 day rest at 4-8 C after full colonisation usually starts a more even flush and keeps stems short. Growers who skip it often wait longer and get thinner stems.
Will a jar of spawn grow mushrooms by itself?
No, and this is the most common ordering mistake on the internet. Spawn is culture: it has to be mixed into substrate, which is the food. Buy a substrate bag or a 40 lb bag of pellets alongside it.
How much spawn do I need?
Roughly 5-10% of the wet substrate weight. One 3 lb jar covers about four 5 lb bags; a 5 lb bulk bag covers around eight.
What does King Oyster taste like, and how do I cook it?
Dense, chewy stems with an abalone-like savoriness. Give the fruit a dry, hot pan rather than a wet one.
Is this a good first grow?
Honestly, no. King Oyster wants a steady 13-18 C fruiting range and generous fresh air, and it shows its faults immediately. Start with Pink Oyster or Lion’s Mane, then come back to this when you have read your own room’s temperature swings.
Live goods are packed in an insulated mailer with a cold pack and dispatched Monday to Wednesday. Standard shipping is free over $95.
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