@marfskitchengarden: I will never get tired of watching mushrooms grow, they are mesmerising. You need 3 things to grow oyster mushrooms - mushroom spawn, substrate (in this case straw) and something to grow them in (here a bucket) Oyster mushrooms are very beginner friendly and perfect for growing on a kitchen windowsill, I like to grow them in the winter when the garden is sleeping. Top tip : you need to keep everything super clean when growing mushrooms. The bucket needs a really thorough wash and then sanitising with an alcohol wipe / rubbing alcohol. The straw needs to be submerged in boiling water and left to cool. Wash your hand really well with hot soapy water. This is because if any other spores or bacteria get in to your bucket which is damp warm and full of straw they will grow and compete with / contaminate your mushrooms. I’m quite obsessed with growing mushrooms. This year I’ve grown shiitake, lions-mane, and all kinds of oyster mushrooms in my home over winter. The easiest way to grow them is to get a kit which comes ready to fruit. But for more of a DIY experience making your own kit with spawn and straw is extremely satisfying and fun. Mushrooms are only the fruiting body of the organism which is mostly made up of mycelium - when the mycelium has fully colonised the bucket it will produce fruiting bodies - mushrooms! Leave the mushrooms too long and they will release spores as they attempt to reproduce. Make sure to harvest your mushrooms when the caps flatten and before the edges start to curl upwards. Once they start to release spores Mushrooms will be tough.

Martha

Open In TikTok:

Region: GB

Thursday 29 January 2026 18:09:17 GMT