How to grow king oyster mushrooms indoors?

Growing king oyster mushrooms indoors is surprisingly easy and rewarding! I've been doing it in my apartment for 2 years:

You'll need mushroom spawn and substrate - they love supplemented sawdust or straw. I use pre-sterilized grow bags from online suppliers to avoid contamination issues. Mix spawn with substrate, seal bags, and incubate in dark around 70-75°F for 2-3 weeks.

Once fully colonized (white mycelium throughout), cut an X in the bag and place in fruiting conditions: high humidity (85-95%), fresh air exchange, and indirect light. Mist the cut area daily to maintain humidity.

Harvest before caps fully flatten by twisting gently at base. You'll get multiple flushes from the same block over 6-8 weeks! Their meaty texture is incredible for cooking.

North Spore's king oyster guide has detailed instructions!

Hey urban mushroom grower here! I grow king oysters in my small apartment using simple methods. Here's what works for me:

I use the five-gallon bucket method with pasteurized hardwood pellets. Drill 2-inch holes around the bucket, layer spawn and hydrated pellets, and keep in a dark closet for 3 weeks. Then I move it to my bathroom where humidity is naturally higher.

The key with king oysters: they need higher CO2 to develop those thick stems we love. I sometimes put a loose plastic bag over the bucket to maintain CO2 levels. They also prefer cooler temperatures than other oysters - 60-70°F is ideal.

Harvest when stems are thick and meaty, before caps fully open. I get 3-4 flushes over 2 months. They're so versatile in cooking - I slice and sauté them like scallops, and they have amazing texture!