Mushroom Grow Kit – Summer Chocolate (Pleurotus Pulmonarius)

Description

Phoenix Oyster (Summer Chocolate) Ready-to-Fruit Mushroom Kit Guide

Phoenix Oysters (Pleurotus pulmonarius), often referred to as Summer Chocolate Oysters, are a fantastic and robust variety known for their beautiful chocolate brown coloured fruit bodies. They are reliable producers with a great meaty texture, making them an excellent choice for a wide range of dishes!

For a visual walkthrough on setting up your kit, check out our guide here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es5p2EaDkyg

🛠️ Getting Started: The First Flush

• Step 1: Prep the Box – Remove the perforated cut-out from the front of your kit box to expose the bag inside.

• Step 2: Score the Bag – Using a sterilised knife (wiped with isopropyl alcohol or heated with a flame), cut an “X” into the plastic mushroom bag. Make the “X” roughly the same size as the hole in the box.

• Step 3: Keep it Humid – Mist (give it a light spritz) 1 to 3 times per day with filtered or cooled boiled water. Crucial tip: Only spray the outside of the plastic flaps to create humidity; don’t spray the substrate block directly!

🌤️ Ideal Growing Environment

• Temperature: Phoenix Oysters are highly adaptable but love a comfortable climate! Aim for a stable room temperature between 16-24°C to fruit successfully.

• Fresh Air (Oxygen): Mushrooms breathe oxygen just like we do! They need plenty of fresh air to develop properly. Do not lock them in a dark, confined space or cupboard; if they can’t breathe or have restricted airflow, they will become very “leggy” (long stems) with tiny, underdeveloped caps.

• Light: Mushrooms need enough light to read a book by. This helps them orient themselves to grow outward and develop that rich chocolate brown pigment.

• Humidity: Keep it high, ideally over 70-80%.

🍄 Tips & Troubleshooting

• Rapid Growth: Once these Oysters start pinning, they will grow incredibly fast. Keep a close eye on them so you don’t miss the perfect harvest window!

• Watch the watering: Once your mushrooms actually start forming (fruiting), avoid misting the fruits directly to prevent rotting or discolouration.

• Stalled growth? If your mushrooms suddenly stop growing, your room may have spiked in temperature or dropped in humidity (gotten too hot or too dry all of a sudden).

• Fruiting in the wrong spot? If you notice mushrooms trying to fruit underneath the plastic instead of out of your “X” cut, your room is too dry. The mushrooms are seeking the trapped moisture.

🔪 Harvesting Expect roughly 300-700g per harvest, depending on your environment!

• When to pick: The best time to harvest is when the edges of the caps are still curled slightly downward. As soon as the caps start to roll outward and upward, the mushroom is about to drop its spores. You want to harvest just before this happens.

• How to pick: Harvest the whole cluster at once by gently twisting the mushroom away from the block.

• Clean up: Make sure you remove all leftover bits of mushroom flesh from the block so nothing is left behind to spoil.

♻️ Preparing for Later Flushes

• Rest Period: After your first harvest, let the block rest for 2 to 3 weeks before you start misting it with water again. Later flushes always take a little longer to come through!

• Rehydrating: If your block feels really light after that first flush and rest period, it needs a good drink.

  1. Remove the block from the box.

  2. Submerge the bag in cold water for 5-12 hours to rehydrate it.

  3. The next day, tip out any excess water.

  4. Put the bag back into the box, but face it the other way (so the old “X” is at the back).

  5. Cut a brand new “X” on this fresh side and resume misting!

Happy growing!

Please note this culture is sold with our Mushroom Spawn and Cultures sale agreement. By purchasing you agree to this agreement