Newbie, help : blue oyster

Newbie here. Trying out growing blue oyster mushrooms in buckets for the first time after hearing about it. The grain spawn has been in my buckets for 2 weeks now, however pictures provided below show what I found. I assume it's contaiminated. I took a look as I haven't found pinning outside the bucket yet, but it looks like it has spread to the straw. I thought I'd find a forum and ask just in case, because I know that blue oysters turn blue.
A question I have, is what can I do if anything to "save" them and still get edible mushies?
And is there a better way to go about it next time? Like a bale of straw outside in the shade instead where they can get more airflow?
Thanks.

Hi Penny, Welcome to Permies!

From the look of things, I think that your oyster mushrooms are doing exactly what they are supposed to do--they are aggressively colonizing all that straw you have in the bucket.  At this point you should not see any pins.  I would expect the fungus to completely consume the straw before producing any pins.  As it is, your project looks great!

Eric

Eric Hanson wrote:Hi Penny, Welcome to Permies!

From the look of things, I think that your oyster mushrooms are doing exactly what they are supposed to do--they are aggressively colonizing all that straw you have in the bucket.  At this point you should not see any pins.  I would expect the fungus to completely consume the straw before producing any pins.  As it is, your project looks great!

Eric

That is relieving to hear but the black stuff is concerning. As a newbie idk if that's normal for these mushrooms or if it's a black mold issue.

I am not certain what the black stuff is or what it is doing, but the rest of the fungus looks great.  It looks like it has healthy, rapid growth and is apparently colonizing the straw well.  With only 2 weeks in, I think you have some great progress.  My suggestion is to just keep an eye on it and hopefully it will rapidly consume all that straw and then start producing actual mushrooms!

Eric

Eric Hanson wrote:I am not certain what the black stuff is or what it is doing, but the rest of the fungus looks great.  It looks like it has healthy, rapid growth and is apparently colonizing the straw well.  With only 2 weeks in, I think you have some great progress.  My suggestion is to just keep an eye on it and hopefully it will rapidly consume all that straw and then start producing actual mushrooms!

Eric

Well I checked them today so I could remove whatever since molds move quick. One bucket looks alot better so I just sprayed it again since there were some black specks still around. It looked like the Mycelium densed up very well and is a rubbery white. Seems like there is more on the top layer.
Since the Hydrogen Peroxide seemed to help, I am gonna assume the black specks are some Pin Head Mold. Idk if that is something that would make any fruiting inedible. I would assume it wouldn't if there isn't much there and the Blue Oyster manage to fruit? People end up eating buried contaminated substrate if it fruits later it seems.

My other bucket wasn't so nice. It had some patches of denser speckled black areas, nothing caked like that one pic. So I just removed that whole layer, then I found what looks like picnic beetles? (sap beetles?). Well I think it is safe to say it is contaminated lol. They were on top of the mycelium. The buckets have been outside ever since I noticed the black. There were about 5 beetles and I picked them out and sprayed it down really well with the Hydrogen Peroxide. Didn't see any larva but I bet there will be some in the future. Marked the bucket and will probably toss it. (Can I clean the bucket and use it another time?) I guess the beetles coexist with fungi but, I'm not so sure that they are an ok sign even with the buckets being outside. Would they be around mushrooms out in the open outside or did the bucket change things? I am curious to know now, if I just had a bale of straw setting out in the open in the shade with spawn plugs for nature to do its thing, if those bugs would have bothered that. The bucket that appeared to be better didn't have any that I know of.

Yeah that is black pin mold and likely will eventually ruin the whole bucket. If I could offer you some advice for your next try: cut up your straw. You want the substrate to be more consistent; there are tons of air gaps if you just take straw right from the bale and stuff it in the bucket. I used to run straw twice through a wood chipper and that rendered a very nice consistency. You could even use a push lawnmower; just run it over the straw a few times.

Without knowing your particulars; temps, spawn amounts, etc. I hesitate to say this; but generally if your bucket or bag is not fully colonized in 2 weeks it is already contaminated or will be soon.

Chris, thanks for that very specific and useful information.  I noticed in your profile that you are a pro at growing mushrooms, so it is really great to get your advice.  I have tinkered with some success, but I certainly can’t compare my experience with yours, so thanks again!

Eric

Glad to be helpful!

Christopher G Williams wrote:Yeah that is black pin mold and likely will eventually ruin the whole bucket. If I could offer you some advice for your next try: cut up your straw. You want the substrate to be more consistent; there are tons of air gaps if you just take straw right from the bale and stuff it in the bucket. I used to run straw twice through a wood chipper and that rendered a very nice consistency. You could even use a push lawnmower; just run it over the straw a few times.

Without knowing your particulars; temps, spawn amounts, etc. I hesitate to say this; but generally if your bucket or bag is not fully colonized in 2 weeks it is already contaminated or will be soon.

Thanks so much for your insight. I'll do that next time if I go with straw again. I think I may try wood chips or a log next time though.

I found this today in bucket that I found picnic bugs in in before. My other bucket doesn't have any.