Pleurotus Ostreatus Var. California Substrate
The Pleurotus Ostreatus var. Florida substrate allows you to easily grow mushrooms inside the Grow Box. Simply make a few cuts on the packaging and place the block inside the machine. The ideal product for beginners, it does not require complex sterilization operations or mixing of mycelium and culture medium. Let's discover its characteristics together!
Basics
Class: Basidiomycetes
Scientific name: Pleurotus ostreatus
Common names: Oyster Mushroom – Oyster Cap – Tree Oyster.
Characteristics
Cap: 5-15 cm, fleshy, eccentric, shell-shaped, flattened, smooth, variable brown color, involute margin.
Gills: dense and decurrent, cream white.
Stem: full, firm, short, eccentric, white.
Flesh: white, somewhat tough, faint odor and sweet taste.
Spores: violet-gray in mass.
Natural habitat
It is a saprophytic-parasitic fungus found on tree trunks, especially broadleaves. It typically fruits in the autumn-winter season: with the grow-box, you can extend the maturation period, allowing for harvests even in late spring and early summer!
Cultivation requirements
Temperature: 20-28°C for mycelium growth, 15-20°C for fruiting
Humidity: 90-95% during colonization, 80-85% during fruiting
Tips
- Growth phases: most mushrooms have two main growth phases: substrate colonization by the mycelium and fruiting (production of fruiting bodies). These phases often require slightly different conditions.
- Ventilation: in addition to temperature and humidity, proper ventilation is crucial, especially during the fruiting phase. It helps prevent the formation of unwanted molds and bacteria and stimulates the formation of fruiting bodies.
- Substrate: the type and quality of the substrate significantly influence growth. Each species has specific preferences for the substrate.
- Light: although mushrooms do not perform photosynthesis, many species require a certain amount of light to stimulate fruiting and determine growth direction. In this area, the Grow Box with its lighting is useful for cultivation!
- pH: the pH of the substrate is another important factor. Most mushrooms prefer a slightly acidic environment, with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. In the case of a ready-to-use substrate like this, it is not an element you need to worry about as the product is already mixed and inoculated!
- Thermal shock: thermal shock can create problems in mycelium propagation or fruiting, generating molds and contaminants in the substrate, on primordia, or on the mushrooms themselves. Only some species, like Shiitake, benefit from a thermal shock (temporary exposure to lower temperatures) to stimulate fruiting.
- Humidity cycles: some growers practice humidity cycles, alternating periods of high humidity with periods of slight drying to stimulate the production of fruiting bodies. In this case, it will be sufficient to monitor the tray and display. If the temperature rises excessively and the humidity drops below a certain threshold, it is recommended to temporarily turn off the lights.
- Contaminations: controlling temperature and humidity is also crucial to prevent the growth of contaminating organisms such as molds and bacteria. If yellow spots or yellow liquid appear on the substrate, it means the mushroom has come into contact with a contaminant and is reacting by producing an antibiotic substance (the liquid).
- Adaptation: fungal species can slightly adapt to conditions different from the optimal ones, but this can affect the yield and quality of the fruiting bodies.
- Constant monitoring: given the sensitivity of mushrooms to environmental conditions, constant and precise monitoring of temperature and humidity throughout the growth cycle is essential. Since the grow box is not only a cultivation tool but also a piece of furniture, you can always keep your mushrooms under surveillance comfortably in your living room!
Organoleptic properties
This edible mushroom is a highly cultivated mushroom. With a sweet fragrance, it has a delicate taste and good texture. To enjoy it at its best, it should be consumed no later than a couple of days after harvest.
Nutritional properties
Pleurotus are among the most cultivated mushrooms in the world, after button mushrooms and shiitake, and are highly appreciated. They have a high protein content (some species up to 35%), high digestibility, and high fiber and mineral content, including potassium. Clinical studies on Pleurotus are not abundant, but some suggest cholesterol and blood sugar-lowering effects. The beta-glucan fraction contained in these mushrooms, once extracted, has anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects.
