Mushroom Plug Spawn – Pocket Oyster (Pleurotus geesterani) Approx. 600-700 qty plugs – NO shipping WA

Description

Pocket Oyster Spawn Plugs Cultivation Guide

Pocket Oysters (Pleurotus geesterani) are prized for their crisp, tender texture and rich, meat-like protein profile. Because they are part of the aggressive Pleurotus family, they colonise logs rapidly. You can expect your first crop in just 6–10 months instead of the usual year or more, and a single log will keep producing seasonal flushes for 3–5 years.

Pocket Oysters are highly versatile but perform best in mild, temperate weather. They grow aggressively during warm months but require a noticeable temperature drop down to 16–18°C paired with a quick spike in thermal stimulation to prompt them to form dense, uniform clusters.

(Out of stock? Please allow 2–4 weeks for shipping.)

🛠️ Quick Gear Checklist

• Fresh Hardwood Logs: Soft hardwoods like poplar, willow, and alder allow for lightning-fast colonisation, though traditional dense woods like oak and maple will yield fruit for much longer. Logs should be 10–20 cm in diameter and ~1 meter long.

• Pocket Oyster Spawn Plugs: Wooden dowels fully colonised with aggressive Pocket Oyster mycelium.

• Drill & Bit: Sized to match the plug diameter for a tight, snug fit.

• Waxing Kit: Food-grade wax, an old pot, and a paintbrush.

🪵 Step-by-Step Process

1. Age the Wood (2–3 Weeks)

• Let your freshly cut logs rest off the ground in a shady spot for 2–3 weeks. This allows the living tree’s natural anti-fungal defences to break down so the mushroom mycelium can move in safely. Keep the log moist during this resting phase.

2. Inoculate & Seal

• Drill: Drill holes in a staggered diamond pattern across the log, spaced 5–10 cm apart, to a depth of 1.5 times the plug length.

• Insert: Hammer the spawn plugs into the holes until they sit flush with the bark layer.

• Wax: Melt your wax in an old pot and paint generously over every single plug hole and both cut ends of the log. This creates a tight moisture seal and bars competitor wild fungi out.

3. Incubation (6–10 Months)

• Place the log back in a warm, deeply shaded, damp outdoor area.

• Keep it Hydrated: Do not let the logs dry out. Hose them down thoroughly every few days during hot summer stretches. The vigorous white mycelium will steadily fuse together inside the wood structure.

🌤️ Environment & Fruiting Quick-Reference

Pocket Oysters grow in dense, shelf-like, fan-shaped clusters directly out of the sides of the log bark.

🔪 Harvesting & Ongoing Care

• When to Pick: Harvest while the elegant grey caps are small (2–3 cm in diameter), fan-shaped, and still slightly curled downward. This is when their texture is at its absolute crispest and sweetest.

• How to Pick: Grab the entire dense cluster at the base near the bark, twist firmly, and pull the whole bundle away in one clean piece.

• The Rest Period: Let the log rest for 4–6 weeks between flushes so the mycelium can rest and digest more of the log’s cellulose before your next forced cold soak.

• Long-Term Success: Protect the outer bark layer from peeling or taking damage, keep the logs entirely out of direct sunlight, and enjoy heavy, delicious umami flushes through spring and autumn!

**Please keep in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.

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

Dimensions: 8mm diameter. Recommended 8.5mm drill bit when preparing logs.