What is Masters Mix and why is it popular for gourmet mushrooms?

Masters Mix is a 50 50 blend of oak hardwood and soy hulls. It provides both structure and nutrition, so mycelium colonizes fast and fruits heavily. Pellet form makes it simple to hydrate and measure consistently across batches.

Do I need to add supplements to Fast Fruiting Pellets?

Fast Fruiting Pellets already include the soy plus hardwood ratio most hardwood loving species want. Many growers add nothing else. If you want to experiment, small amounts of wheat bran can boost yield, but too much can raise contamination risk.

Which mushrooms grow best on oak based substrates?

Oak substrates are ideal for wood loving gourmet species like oyster, lions mane, shiitake, reishi, and pioppino. Oak provides a steady lignin and cellulose food source that supports dense fruiting blocks and multiple flushes.

When should I choose straight soy hull pellets instead of a blend?

Straight soy hull pellets are best as a nitrogen rich supplement you mix with hardwood to form your own Masters Mix. They are also useful when you have local hardwood but need a consistent high nutrition add in pellet form.

Are straw pellets good for indoor gourmet mushroom farming?

Yes, straw pellets are a solid choice for oyster and other straw friendly species. Pellets rehydrate evenly, pasteurize well, and reduce chopping and dust. They are often used for bucket grows or smaller indoor production runs.

How does a bag shaker help a growing farm?

A bag shaker breaks up spawn and mixes substrate evenly in seconds. That improves colonization consistency, reduces manual strain, and cuts labor time. It is especially helpful once you are running multiple batches each week.

Why use a flow hood for inoculation?

A flow hood pushes hepa filtered clean air across your work area. That keeps airborne spores and bacteria off your grain and substrate during inoculation. Cleaner starts mean fewer lost blocks and more predictable harvest schedules.

Cooking Tips from the UK - Mushroom Media Online

In this blog

Growing Tips

Ingredients

2 king oyster mushrooms
olive oil
40g of unsalted butter, cubed
1 sprig of thyme, (optional)
1 garlic clove, bashed (optional)
flaky sea salt

Carefully slice the mushrooms in half lengthways. Lightly score a 5mm diagonal crisscross pattern into the cut side of the mushrooms. This will help the mushroom cook more evenly as well as allowing the seasoning to thoroughly penetrate the flesh

Place a pan over high heat. Once the pan is almost smoking, add a drizzle of oil and the mushrooms cut-side down. Turn the heat down to medium-high

Cook for 3–5 minutes depending on the size of the mushroom, until they turn a nice golden color

Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the thyme and garlic and season with salt

Turn the mushrooms over and baste with the foaming butter until they are cooked all the way through

Drain on kitchen roll, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve hot

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Cooking Tips from the UK