How to grow Oyster Mushroom in Australia
Oyster mushrooms are the easiest mushrooms to grow at home. Start with a ready-to-fruit kit, or pack pasteurised straw mixed with spawn into a bucket or bag, keep it humid, shaded and in fresh air, and clusters of soft, mild mushrooms appear within a few weeks. They can be grown all year indoors in most of Australia.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Oyster Mushroom in Australia
At a glance
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | All year | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | All year | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | All year | |
| Melbourne & Victoria | All year | |
| Adelaide & SA | All year | |
| Perth & WA | All year | |
| Tasmania | All year | Year-round indoors. Outdoor logs and buckets fruit beautifully in the cool humid Tasmanian autumn and spring. |
| Canberra & ACT | All year | |
| North Queensland | All year | |
| Darwin & Top End | All year |
Where to plant
Oyster mushrooms need a sheltered, shaded spot that holds humidity, with fresh air moving through but no strong wind, direct sun or extreme heat. A laundry, bathroom shelf, shaded verandah or garage with some light works well. Without enough fresh air the stems stretch and the caps stay small; in dry air the tiny mushroom pins dry up and fail.
Grey oyster grows best in mild temperatures and is the most reliable choice. Pink oyster suits hot weather and warm climates. In cool, humid Hobart autumns and springs, buckets and logs fruit well outdoors.
Choosing a variety
- Grey oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) is fast, reliable and the best for beginners.
- Pink oyster (Pleurotus djamor) is bright pink and grows well at warm temperatures of about 25 to 30°C, so it suits summer and the tropics.
- King oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) has thick, meaty white stems and small caps; it is usually grown from specialist kits.
How to start
- Easiest: buy a ready-to-fruit kit. Open or cut the bag as the instructions say, mist it and keep it humid and shaded.
- From scratch: buy oyster mushroom spawn from a mushroom supplier.
- Pasteurise chopped straw by soaking it in hot water, or in water mixed with hydrated lime, then drain it until it is damp but not dripping.
- Mix the straw with the spawn and pack it tightly into a bucket or bag with holes drilled or cut in the sides, removing air pockets.
- Keep it in a sheltered, shaded spot while the white mycelium grows through the straw, usually a few weeks, then make sure it has humidity and fresh air to fruit.
- Work clean throughout: wash your hands and equipment, as competing moulds spoil the substrate.
Watering and humidity
Mist the kit or bucket with a fine spray once or twice a day once pins appear, more often in dry or windy weather. Do not let the substrate dry out, but do not soak it either; it should stay damp, not soggy. Missing even a few days of misting can stop a crop.
No feeding is needed. The straw or sawdust is the mushroom's food.
Pruning and care through the year
- Give fresh air while the mushrooms are forming. Covering the kit loosely with a damp cloth or a tent of plastic with holes keeps humidity up while still letting air in.
- Remove any part of the substrate that grows green, black or pink mould, or start again with a fresh block if it spreads.
- Pick clusters before the caps fully flatten and start dropping spores, which leave a fine dust around the block.
Harvesting
Harvest when the caps have opened and flattened but the edges are still slightly curled under, before they turn wavy and dry. Twist off or cut the whole cluster at the base.
After a rest of a week or two, with continued misting, most blocks give another flush or two. When a block stops producing, add the spent substrate to the compost or dig it into the garden.
Using it
Cook oyster mushrooms in stir fries, pasta, soups and on toast. They have a mild flavour and soft texture and cook quickly. Store in a paper bag in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, or dry or freeze them.
Pests and diseases
Most problems come from competing moulds and small flies, both helped by poor hygiene and stale air.
Pests to watch for
- Fungus gnats Tiny dark flies hovering around the block, with small larvae in the substrate. Keep the area clean and use sticky traps.
Diseases to watch for
- Green mould Green, black or pink patches of mould on the straw instead of white mycelium. Remove affected parts or replace the block, and work more cleanly next time.
Common questions
How long do oyster mushrooms take to grow?
From a ready-to-fruit kit, mushrooms usually appear within about one to three weeks of opening it. Straw buckets made from scratch take a few weeks longer while the mycelium grows through the straw.
Why are my oyster mushrooms not growing?
The most common causes are dry air, which kills the tiny pins, and too little fresh air. Mist daily, keep the block shaded and humid, and make sure air can move around it.
Why do my oyster mushrooms have long stems and small caps?
That is a sign of too little fresh air, as the mushrooms stretch looking for oxygen. Move the block somewhere with more air movement while keeping it humid.
Can I pick wild oyster mushrooms?
Only with expert identification. In Australia the toxic ghost fungus (Omphalotus nidiformis) looks similar to oyster mushrooms. Growing your own from a known kit or spawn is the safe way.
How many times will an oyster mushroom kit fruit?
Usually two or three flushes, each smaller than the last. Keep misting between flushes, then compost the spent block.
How do I store oyster mushrooms?
In a paper bag in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. For longer storage, dry or freeze them.
Sources we checked: Local Food Connect (Lucinda Flynn): Growing mushrooms (buckets and bags of pasteurised straw); Wikipedia: Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom; Australian toxic lookalike Omphalotus nidiformis); Wikipedia: Pleurotus djamor (pink oyster; growing temperatures and substrates).