Ready Growing King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit
Ready Growing King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit
King Oyster Mushroom - Pleurotus eryngiiThe King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit grows Pleurotus eryngii on a ready-growing log that arrives already colonised, topped with its own bag of casing soil. It is the meatiest oyster we grow, with thick white stems that hold their shape in the pan and slice into convincing vegan scallops. Stand the log on a plate, add the casing soil, mist daily, and hold it around 17 to 18°C. The first crop comes in about 7 to 14 days and gives roughly 800g or more, most of it on the first flush. Every kit is hand-planted in small batches at our farm in Storrington, West Sussex.
Note: King Oyster is different from our other oyster kits. It fruits from the top of a log under a casing layer, not through side holes — stand it on a plate, add the soil, and mist the surface daily.
Ready to Grow
Ready growing.Our King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit is designed for beginners in mushroom cultivation. With minimal effort and clear instructions, you'll soon be harvesting delicious King Oyster mushrooms! Your kit will be supplied, ready growing and crop within weeks. Much faster than an un-inoculated log would take.
Meaty Texture
Meaty texture. King Oyster, also called the king trumpet mushroom, has a firm stem that barely shrinks when cooked. Scored and pan-fried it stands in for scallops; sliced into strips it makes a vegan bacon.
Casing Method
Casing method. This kit fruits from a log topped with casing soil rather than through side holes. Trim the wrapper, add the soil, mist the surface, and the mushrooms push up through the top. Full King Oyster growing guide included.
Family Farmed
Family farmed. Hand-planted in small batches on our family farm in West Sussex, drawing on six generations of growing experience. Substrate is organically certified.
Good Yield
A good weight of mushrooms. Around 800g or more across 1 to 2 flushes, the bulk of it on the first crop, ready in about 7 to 14 days.
Cooler-Room Variety
Cooler-room variety. King Oyster fruits best around 17 to 18°C, which makes it a good winter and shoulder-season grow when the house is cooler.
In the Box
In the box. An organic mushroom log, a bag of casing soil, and printed care instructions.
Product Dimensions: 8in x 8in x 8in approx (20.3cm x 20.3cm x 20.3cm) |
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Ready Growing King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit
Product reviews
29 reviews
Excellent Kit! Super fast delivery. Within 2 days there was movement and within 5 days my 'shrooms were actively growing and I picked my first ones to eat at 10 days. Loads more growing and lots of tiny pin heads forming, so it looks like I'll be enjoying king oyster mushrooms for a while... Many thanks I will order more!
Bought them as a Christmas gift for my dad. They started growing every so fast. Dad may have left them a bit long before harvesting, as they were huge. About two hand spans. Very good product.
I'd never grown king oysters before and they're impossible to find in the shops where I live, so I gave this a go, based on the success I'd had with other Merryhill kits. Really good value, a decent crop, and above all, they're fresh – you really can taste the difference. I'll be getting another kit.
Gourmet King Oyster Mushroom Kit
 | Meaty. Versatile. Ready in days.Keep the log in a light room out of direct sunlight, mist the casing soil daily, and the first King Oyster mushrooms push through the top within about 7 to 14 days. This is a ready-growing log, already colonised, which is what separates it from inoculated hardwood logs that can take a year or more to fruit. King Oyster is the meatiest oyster we grow, thick white stems that hold their shape in the pan, slice into convincing vegan scallops, or fry into a smoky mushroom bacon. Every kit delivers gourmet mushrooms straight to your doorstep, fresher than anything you can find in the shops, guaranteed. This kit produces a total yield of 800g+ of thick, meaty King Oyster mushrooms across 1 to 2 flushes, with the majority coming on the first crop, ready in 7 to 14 days. Explore our full range of Mushroom Kits for more types of mushrooms. |
About the King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit
King Oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) is the largest species in the oyster family and the only one grown for its stem rather than its cap. It is native to the Mediterranean grasslands of southern Europe, North Africa and Central Asia, where it grows on the roots of umbellifer plants rather than on wood. In the kitchen it is prized across Asia and increasingly in Britain for a dense, meaty bite and a mild, savoury, faintly smoky flavour. Where a soft button mushroom collapses in the pan, King Oyster holds firm, which is why chefs reach for it as a plant-based swap for scallops, bacon and calamari.
You will also see it sold as king trumpet, French horn mushroom or eryngii, all the same species. The stem is pale and thick, the cap small and brown, and both are edible, though the stem is the prize. Home-grown King Oyster tends to come out firmer and fresher than the trimmed, shrink-wrapped ones on a supermarket shelf, because you cook it within hours of cutting.
What's in the kit
Log: one organic, colonised Pleurotus eryngii mushroom log.
Casing soil: a bag of topsoil that sits on the log to trigger and feed fruiting.
Included: printed care instructions.
Options: a single kit, a double kit, or paired with a Black Pearl King Oyster kit or a Nameko kit to grow two gourmet varieties at once.
Why a ready-growing log matters
A traditional gourmet log is inoculated with spawn and then left to colonise, a wait that can run past a year before the first mushroom shows. We do that colonisation for you on our family farm in West Sussex. The log reaches you already run through with healthy mycelium and primed to fruit, which takes out both the wait and the contamination risk that comes with the colonisation stage.
Storage before you start it
Unopened kits keep for 7 to 10 days, simply remove from the postal box and keep the entire kit within the fridge until ready, this makes our King Oyster grow kit a practical gift. We can set delivery to land on a chosen date for a birthday or Christmas. Whatever you decide, take the log out of the postal box on arrival so it can breathe, and do not wrap it airtight.
King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit
Quick and Easy Mushrooms to grow at home, made in UK
This King Oyster Mushroom GrowingKit comes ready growing (Don't leave it within the postal box) and its growth when in crop is really spectacular, Your kit is already growing so your first crop will be ready to pick within a matter of weeks!
Indoor Grow Your Own King Oyster Mushroom Kit
Ready Growing Product which will have it's first crop within a few days, Please bare in mind if intended for a gift. Gifting Information
- CheckOrganic Mushroom Log
- CheckBag of Casing Soil
- CheckSimple care instructions included
- CheckIdeal Temperature 17-18°C
Why choose our kits?
Our ready growing mushroom kits stand out from other brands due to the fact that the mushroom growing process has been partially started.
This unique feature provides several advantages.
It eliminates the need to carry out the lengthy inoculation, saving time and effort.
By receiving the kits at a stage where the kit is pre started, we can ensure the mycelium is healthy before shipping, ensuring healthy crops.
The riskiest part of mushroom growing is avoiding any contamination on the substrate during colonization, so we have taken care of this portion of the process, prior to dispatch.
King Oyster Mushroom Growing Kit Information
This King Oyster comes ready growing (Don't leave it within the postal box) and it's growth when in crop is really spectacular, Your log is already growing so your first crop in weeks rather than years.
These kits come in an outer protective wrapper, which needs to be trimmed soon after delivery. Simply cut and remove the top portion of the bag, then place the tospoil onto the log, whilst standing on a dish or plate. Spray the topsoil and inside of the wrapper whist the mushrooms develop and shortly your King Oyster log will be fully covered with fresh mushrooms. Ideal Temperature 17-18°C
Cooking Tips
A gourmet Mushroom. Very popular throughout Asia where it originated. Can be used in all the ways you normally use mushrooms but Ensure they are cooked.
They are firm in texture and do not shrink much when cooked. Use all the stalk by cutting into strips down the length of stem. Delicious scored and pan fried as a vegan “bacon”. They can be grilled, sautéed, or stewed to be added to soups, stews, sauces, pasta, vegetable dishes, meats, and seafood. If prepared whole, allow a longer cooking time for this meaty mushroom, cook until brown.
King Oyster may naturally contain chemicals that stimulate the immune system. Dietary intake of King Oyster may function as natural cholesterol lowering dietary agent.
Gifting Tips
Ready Growing Product which will have it's first crop within a few days, Please bear in mind if intended for a gift. DO NOT Leave within the postal box and if wrapping as a gift, to avoid suffocation, please wrap at the latest possible opportunity.
**Add a Gift card to your order for that Extra special touch**
Nothing beats the flavour of freshly picked mushrooms, and it's great fun watching them grow and children love them too! Each kit contains a colonised King Oyster log, already run through with mycelium and ready to fruit. Growing King Oyster mushrooms at home has never been easier, simply stand the log on a plate, add the casing soil, mist the surface daily, and the thick stems push up through the top within 7 to 14 days.
Mushrooms will continue to grow if left between 10 and 20°C, with 17 to 18°C being ideal, a kitchen or utility room suits it well. In daylight or shade but not direct sunlight. Full growing advice is provided on the instructions, with FAQ's on our website, and our contact details are always on hand should you require guidance. You can also view our full King Oyster growing guide here.
How to Grow King Oyster from the Log
Growing King Oyster from a ready-growing log comes down to a moist casing layer and a steady, cool room. The log is already colonised, so you are not waiting for the mycelium to establish — you are triggering it to fruit. Trim the wrapper, add the casing soil, keep it damp, and hold the kit around 17 to 18°C out of direct sun. The first mushrooms break through the surface in about 7 to 14 days.
1. Unpack straight away
Take the log out of the postal box as soon as it arrives. Left sealed in the box, it cannot breathe.
2. Trim the wrapper and add the casing soil
Cut and remove the top portion of the outer bag. Stand the log on a plate or dish, then tip the bag of casing soil evenly over the top of the log.
3. Mist the surface
Spray the casing soil and the inside of the wrapper with clean tap water so the surface stays damp, not waterlogged. A consistent, moist casing layer is the single biggest factor in how well the log crops. Our guide on how much water each kit needs covers misting by variety.
4. Position the log
Keep it somewhere that holds around 17 to 18°C. It will grow anywhere between 10 and 20°C, but King Oyster is heat sensitive, so keep it under 21°C and out of direct sunlight. A kitchen or utility room suits it well. Daylight or shade both work.
5. Watch for pinning and harvest
Small white pins push up through the casing and swell into thick stems over a few days. Harvest each mushroom when the cap has opened but is still flat, by twisting or cutting cleanly at the base. The first flush is the heaviest.
6. Rest and re-crop
After the first flush the log rests. Keeping the casing lightly misted encourages a second, smaller flush.
To see how each stage looks before your kit arrives, our day-by-day growing timeline walks through the cycle in photos.
Troubleshooting
Dry casing, no pins
The most common cause of a slow start. Keep the casing soil visibly damp and mist more often, especially in a heated room.
Slow growth in a warm room
Above 21°C King Oyster stalls and the stems can stretch. In summer, move it to the coolest room in the house. Our guide on growing mushrooms in warm homes covers this.
Long, thin stems
Usually too little fresh air. Give the log more ventilation and the next flush comes back stockier.
Aborted or shrivelled pins
A sign the surface dried out during pinning. Small pins need steady humidity, so mist lightly and often rather than heavily once a day.
Nothing after three weeks
Check the room is not too cold or too warm and the casing has stayed damp throughout. If unsure at any point, do contact us via the product support form so we can assist.
King Oyster in the Kitchen
King Oyster earns its gourmet status in the pan. The thick stem is the part you cook, and it takes on colour and flavour far better than a soft mushroom. Sliced into discs and scored, it sears into golden scallops. Cut into strips and fried hard, it crisps into a smoky bacon. It grills, sautés and stews, holds its shape in a curry or a stir-fry, and soaks up soy, garlic, butter and miso. Cook it rather than eating it raw, and take your time, because a longer, hotter cook is what draws out the flavour.
How to Cook King Oyster Mushrooms
Cut the stems into thick discs or long strips and cook them hot in butter or oil until the edges caramelise and turn golden. They do not shrink much, so a single kit goes a long way. For the vegan scallop, score a criss-cross into thick discs, sear both sides until golden, then finish with garlic and butter. Our king oyster mushroom scallops recipe walks through it, and the blog on how to cook oyster mushrooms covers more everyday dishes.
Ways to Use King Oyster Mushrooms
Vegan scallops. Thick discs, scored and seared, finished with garlic butter.
Mushroom bacon. Thin lengthways strips, fried hard with a little smoked paprika and soy until crisp at the edges.
King oyster steaks. Whole stems halved, scored, pressed and pan-roasted, then rested like a small steak.
Stir-fries and noodles. Torn or sliced, they hold their bite alongside greens, ginger and soy.
Roasts and traybakes. Chunked and roasted with oil and thyme until golden, they add heft to a vegetable roast.
Nutritional Profile per 100g (raw)
Calories: around 35 kcal
Protein: around 3.3g
Dietary fibre: around 2.7g
Carbohydrate: naturally low, which is why the variety suits lower-carb cooking
B vitamins: niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), riboflavin (B2)
Minerals: potassium, with some copper and selenium
Beta-glucans: polysaccharides associated with immune cell activity
Ergothioneine: a sulphur-containing amino acid found almost exclusively in mushrooms
We list the compounds King Oyster contains rather than making health claims. As a meaty, low-calorie, high-fibre mushroom, it is a popular swap for meat in plant-based cooking. Our blog on adding more mushrooms to your diet has more.
Can You Eat King Oyster Mushrooms Raw?
Cook them. King Oyster is not eaten raw. Cooking develops the meaty texture and savoury flavour, and firm searing is what makes the most of the stem. More is on our blog, can you eat mushrooms raw.
Storage After Harvest
Keep fresh King Oyster in a paper bag in the fridge, never sealed in plastic, and they hold for up to a week. For longer, slice and sauté the surplus in butter or oil, cool it, and freeze in a flat layer. Cooked and frozen this way, the texture holds far better than freezing them raw. Our guide on how to freeze mushrooms covers the method.
Looking for another type of mushroom? Explore our full range of Mushroom Kits here.
King Oyster Mushrooms: Frequently Asked Questions
What are King Oyster Mushrooms?
King Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii), also called king trumpet mushrooms, are the largest member of the oyster family, grown for their thick, meaty stems rather than their caps. They have a firm texture and a mild, savoury, faintly smoky flavour, and they are a favourite plant-based swap for scallops and bacon.
How do you grow King Oyster mushrooms at home?
Use a ready-growing kit like this one, which arrives already colonised. Trim the wrapper, tip the casing soil over the top of the log, stand it on a plate, and mist the surface daily. Hold it around 17 to 18°C, out of direct sun, and the first crop pushes through in about 7 to 14 days. King Oyster is heat sensitive, so keep it under 21°C.
How is the King Oyster kit different from the oyster kits with growing holes?
Our pink, white and yellow oyster kits fruit through pre-cut holes in the side of a box. King Oyster fruits from the top of a log topped with casing soil instead, which is why the setup uses a plate and a soil layer rather than side misting. Both are ready growing and both crop in days, not months.
What do King Oyster Mushrooms taste like?
Cooked, they are savoury and mildly umami with a faint hint of the sea, and the texture is dense and springy, closer to scallop or squid than to a soft mushroom. That firmness is why they are used as a meat and seafood substitute. Raw, the flavour is mild, so the cooking is what brings it out.
Can King Oyster mushrooms be eaten raw?
Cook them. King Oyster is not eaten raw. Cooking develops the meaty texture and savoury flavour, and firm searing is what makes the most of the stem. More is on our blog, can you eat mushrooms raw.
How much will one kit produce, and how many flushes?
Around 800g or more of thick King Oyster mushrooms across 1 to 2 flushes, with the majority on the first crop. Yield moves with how damp you keep the casing and how steady the temperature stays.
How do you cook King Oyster Mushrooms?
King Oyster mushrooms can be grilled, sauteed, pan-fried or stewed. Their firm texture makes them versatile in cooking, with pan-frying being particularly effective in bringing out their meaty qualities. Try cutting into long strips and frying whole, or slice into thick discs for vegan scallops. Check out our guide on how to cook oyster mushrooms for recipes, and our king oyster scallops recipe for the plant-based scallop method.
King Oyster or Black Pearl - which kit should I choose?
Both are meaty gourmet mushrooms from the oyster family, but they grow and cook a little differently. Our blog on King Oyster vs Black Pearl Oyster sets the two side by side so you can pick.
How do you store King Oyster Mushrooms?
Keep fresh King Oyster in a paper bag in the fridge for up to a week, never sealed in plastic. For longer storage, sauté and freeze them - this preserves the rich flavour and texture far better than freezing raw. Our guide on how to freeze mushrooms covers the method.
Can I give a King Oyster kit as a gift?
Yes. Unopened kits keep for 2 to 3 months in the postal box at room temperature, so the recipient controls the timing, and we can set delivery for a chosen date. Order before 2pm for same-day dispatch and next-day UK mainland delivery via DPD. Full guidance is in our gift ordering guide.
And make sure to check out our handy guide on how to cook oyster mushrooms, containing lots of different recipes for you to try with your own harvest!
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