12 replies to this topic

[Moonless]

I have been trying to fruit king oysters for the past month. Mostly the pins start but stop when they are very small. I have gotten one good fruit but the entire fruit started pinning. I have two fruiting chambers. One is in an unmodified shoe box with the lid flipped, and the other is in a mycology bag in a ziplock FC. I have pictures of the latter. From my description what can I do to help the pins get to maturity.

 

My temperatures are around 70 F

I tend to mist and fan, twice-thrice each day.

Ziplock FC has 6 holes in it

Attached Thumbnails

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[YoshiTrainer]

I still have a lot to learn but I'm getting ready to move Elm oysters to an FC, maybe tomorrow. I have them in quarts and "logs" of Kings that might be ready next week for the FC. One of the biggest issues I've read for oysters in general is FAE. Some posts talk about leaving the lid off or offset. Maybe this might be an issue?

[scott_1971_h]

I fruit Oysters in a tent, outside under my carport, with the zippers only half way down.. There's plenty of air, and indirect light.

Yours seem to be furry? Either way I think you need more air movement. Guys who've been here longer will have more to say. but Ive had fur only when they've been starved for air.

[Myc]

They need lots of FAE - Fresh Air Exchange.

I grow mine outdoors in straw-bales. They come up with the garden seedlings in May and push right through the soil.

https://mycotopia.ne...a/#entry1272576

[coorsmikey]

Oyster does real well with just cutting slit in the bag instead of cutting the top. With slits in the bag the block can be left out in the open and you don't have to worry about the whole block drying out. From a 1 in slice on the bag you can get a huge cluster of mushrooms. They are completely different to their needs as opposed to cubes.

 If it were me trying to get that block to grow, I would dunk for a few hours. Wrap it tight with plastic wrap then take a razor to cut "X's" on the top and sides. I would then set it on my kitchen counter literally out in the open. Every time I walked by I would give it a light mist. I would even leave the spray bottle next to it to encourage other members of the household to share the responsibility. Plus everyone will enjoy watching them grow. Then after each flush I would give the block another dunk. I would expect this block to continue popping out mushrooms for up to two months this way despite the all the grubby hands from the household fondling the block.

[ItBeBasidia]

King oysters and lions mane need a ton of FAE for proper formation. I'd try increasing the FAE and see if that helps.

Edited by ItBeBasidia, 01 April 2020 - 07:21 PM.

[Moonless]

Thank you everyone for these great suggestions.

Unfortunately due to covid my life changed and this was the last flush of these fruits.

 

Last month I attempted to run Blue and Pink oysters. The attempt was a bust since both bags got mold. I'm going to be working with King Oysters again now that it is colder. I sure hope that it works out this time, I now what to do thanks to yall.

 

I love oysters.

[kcmoxtractor]

It appears you've got a bacterial contamination. King oyster will fruit in very high CO2 environments. The fruit formation in your first picture suggests high CO2, but not so high that it would prevent fruiting.

If you're getting contamination before first flush, you have contaminated spawn.

[Moonless]

Thanks everyone. I suspect that kcmoxtractor is correct, my agar culture must be contaminated. Often it passes the smell test but I notice that when it gets into humid fruiting conditions a whiff of bacteria starts to emerge.

[Coopdog]

I just grew out Pink Oysters, and they THRIVED on oak sawdust as a substrate. The directions I got said to leave the bag closed until you see pins, then cut a 2x3 inch X in it and to lighten up on the misting to twice a day from a foot or so away. Mine went absolutely nutz. I took the substrate out and applied it to some Alder trees today. Mine fruited to an amazing degree so I had to open up the bag like you did so I didn't get much of a second flush. The first one was crazy though. I hope they grow on my Alder trees. 

[Moonless]

Thats Awesome. I have some pink oyster spawn that I just shook for the first time. It's growing fast too. I hope to have a monster flush like urs.

[MushLuvR]

I did decent in a Martha with Kings, but as soon as I started casing the blocks, much better fruits and BIGGER(easier to run more FAE cased).  I love King Oysters, 3 flushes indoors and Another 2 Out(5th flush was minimal, 4th was Huge).  They are a great Bang for the buck block(flush after flush) and IMO, not many mushrooms compare to them regarding taste... AND texture.  

 

2nd Flush

[Moonless]

Thanks for sharing! I hope to produce a clean culture and a growth experience like yours.