Oyster Mushrooms Grow Kit Instructions

Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit Instructions

A complete guide for Blue, Pink, Golden, Aspen, and Black Pearl King Oyster varieties.

1) Welcome to Your Grow Kit

Thank you for purchasing our Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit — whether for yourself or as a gift.

Growing your own mushrooms is fun, easy, and incredibly rewarding. Within days, you’ll be watching beautiful gourmet mushrooms forming right in your home.

2) Find the Inoculation Date

On the filter patch of the bag, you’ll see the inoculation date handwritten.

Your grow kit needs at least 14 days from this date to fully colonize.

Do not cut the bag open until the block is:

• Fully white

• Firm

• Evenly colonized with no bare substrate showing

If it’s not fully white yet, simply leave it at room temperature until it is.

3) Is Your Block Ready? (Colonization Check)

A fully colonized block will look:

• Bright white

• Dense and solid

• Covered completely in mycelium. If you still see brown or uncolonized areas, give it a bit more time.

A fully colonized block gives the best first flush.

4) Prepare a Clean Cutting Area

Before opening the bag:

• Wipe the surface where you’ll make the cut

• Sterilize your knife or scissors

• Wash and dry your hands

This minimizes contamination and ensures a clean, healthy grow.

5) CUT IT — Make the Opening

Our motto begins here:

CUT IT • FOLD IT • FLIP IT • SPRAY IT

You can cut the bag in two different ways, both effective:

Option A — Front Cut

Make a small X-shaped cut (4–5 cm) on the front-facing side of the block.

This gives the mushrooms a clean place to emerge.

Option B — Side Cut

Make the cut on the long, flat side if you prefer not to flip the block later.

6) FOLD IT — Folding the Bag Properly

After cutting, fold the upper part of the bag tightly.

If you did a front cut:

1. Fold the top like a paper airplane, pushing all air out.2. Tighten the fold firmly.

3. Flip the block upside-down so it rests on this fold.

If you did a side cut:

Just fold the bag over once.

The weight of the substrate will keep it in place.

7) FLIP IT — Positioning Your Block

If you made a front cut, flipping the block is essential:

• The bag should now sit on the fold

• The cut should be positioned on the top-front area

• This encourages mushrooms to grow outward through the opening

If you made a side cut, you can skip the flip — just ensure the cut faces upward and is

unobstructed.

8) SPRAY IT — Setting Up the Humidity Tent

Your humidity tent creates the moist environment mushrooms love.

1. Open the tent and fold the bottom edge twice to give it stability.

2. Place the grow kit on a tray or plate.

3. Set the tent over the block.

4. Mist the inside walls of the tent — not the block itself.

Daily Humidity Care• Mist the tent walls at least 3 times per day.

• If it looks dry, spray it.

• Keep it humid but not dripping.

Lighting & Temperature

• Indirect daylight is perfect

• Avoid direct sun

• Ideal temperature: 18–23°C (64–73°F)

Outdoor Fruiting Tip (Optional)

During cool, rainy weeks, you can place the kit outdoors.

Oyster mushrooms love natural humidity and often fruit beautifully with no tent and no misting required.

9) Daily Growth Timeline (What to Expect)

Days 1–3:

No visible change — completely normal.

Days 3–7:

Tiny pins (baby mushrooms) begin forming.

After pinning:

Mushrooms grow extremely fast, often doubling in size daily.

Continue misting the tent walls and enjoy the growth — it’s one of the most exciting parts of the process.

10) Harvesting Your Mushrooms

Blue Oyster Mushrooms Harvest when:

• Caps flatten outward like umbrellas

• Edges slightly curl downward

If the caps flip upward like an umbrella caught in the wind — harvest immediately.

Pink Oyster Mushrooms

Usually ready on day 7–9.

Harvest when clusters are:

• Vibrant pink

• Not faded, pale, or drying

General Harvest Method

• Grasp the cluster at the base

• Twist gently or cut with a clean knife

• Remove any leftover bits before the next flush

11) Post-Harvest Care & Second Flush Instructions

Your kit can typically produce 2–3 flushes.

After your first harvest:

1. Remove leftover stems.

2. Let the block rest inside the tent for 2–3 days.3. Resume misting the tent walls 2–3 times per day.

When to expect new mushrooms:

• Pins usually appear within 5–10 days.

• Cooler apartments may take slightly longer.

Rehydration Boost (Optional but helpful)

If the block feels very light, or no new pins appear after 10–14 days, rehydrate the kit:

1. Submerge the entire bag and block in cold water for 2–4 hours.

2. Weigh it down with a plate if needed.

3. Drain fully before placing it back under the tent.

4. Continue misting daily.

This rehydration step often helps produce a strong second or third flush.

Optional Third Flush

If the block still looks white and healthy, continue misting — you may get a smaller third flush.

12) Troubleshooting & Common Questions

Slow growth

Increase humidity, add brief fresh air exchange, ensure bright indirect light.

Brown or wavy caps

Usually low humidity — increase misting and keep the tent moist.

Fuzzy mycelium around the base Normal — caused by high humidity.

Green, blue-green, or black mold

This is contamination. Remove and discard the block immediately.

No pins

Check:

• Is the block fully colonized?

• Is the tent humid?

• Is it too cold?

• Is the light insufficient?

Small changes often solve this.

Can I eat them raw?

No — we always suggest to cook gourmet mushrooms.

How long do they store?

5–7 days in the fridge in a paper bag.

13) Composting the Block

Once the block stops producing mushrooms, remove it from the bag and compost it.

It makes an excellent soil amendment for your garden.

14) Thank You & Contact Information

Thank you for growing with Cap Canopy Mushrooms!

If you have questions or want to share your progress:

• Instagram: @capcanopymushrooms• Email: christian@capcanopy.ca

• Website: capcanopy.ca

We love seeing photos of your homegrown mushrooms! Tag us anytime.