The Life Cycle Of a Mushroom Box (Pink Oyster)

Alec Scott

May 19, 2025

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The Life Cycle Of A Mushroom Box

Understanding the different stages of mushroom growth not only helps you become a better grower-it makes the experience even more rewarding!

Let’s take a closer look at the journey of the pink oyster mushroom (Pleurotus djamor), from start to harvest:

Day 1: Pinning:

The First Signs of Life
Once the mycelium has fully colonized the substrate and conditions are just right (think high humidity and fresh air), tiny pink “pins” begin to appear. These pins are the very first baby mushrooms-keep an eye out for these exciting changes around days 9–14.

Day 4-5: Ready For Harvest:

When your mushrooms are this size, when the caps begin to fan out and the edges start to curl slightly, your pink oyster mushrooms are getting ready to drop spores! Harvest now for a chance of regrowing a 2nd & 3rd flush.

Day 6-7: Fully Grown + WARNING

If left unharvested, the mushrooms will begin to drop spores. Which may reduce the chances of the next set of mushrooms growing.

For the best eating & growing experience, harvest before this stage. (Twist and pull the whole cluster off )

If harvested at the correct time you should grow 2-3 bonus flushes over the next 2 months.

At The Mushroom Box, we believe in making home-growing easy, educational, and sustainable. Watching each stage unfold is part of the magic-so enjoy the process, and let us know if you have any questions along the way!

Happy growing,
TMB Team