How long will the grow kit last?

With minimal care, the grow kit should last about 6-8 weeks and give 3 flushes (harvests). But, with a bit more care, basically just soaking it in a bucket of water, it could last over 6 months and give many flushes. Its yield, however, will diminish the older it gets. Our focus is on our customer's experience, so we provide much support and tips to help them get the maximum potential from each bag.

What are the Oyster Mushrooms grown on?

We use organic Pine sawdust with a little Soy as nutrition plus rainwater No nasty chemicals are used in production, no sprays, or herbicides. We use highly sustainable production methods with low environmental impact Our products are 100% NZ made. Everything is grown on our permaculture farm in Horowhenua It's common that Oyster mushrooms to be grown on agricultural waste products. In NZ this has commonly been straw. In tropical countries, it's often waste from the sugar or rubber industries. In nature, these mushrooms will only grow on deciduous hardwoods like oak & hickory trees. Ohau Gourmet Mushrooms is the first NZ based mushroom grower to perfect the use of Pine as the major component in the substrate. We started our business we used imported oak pellets. Then, through a controlled process, we perfected the use of Pine and moved our process to this. We have been happy to share how to do this with other small mushroom growers, where it has now become the dominant ingredient in the making of substrate.

Easy, Fun and cheap to grow

No. 1 - NZ Mushroom grow kits
Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms

prices range from $30 to $50

Kick Start your NZ mushroom growing adventure

Fun

We have purposely under packaged, so you can see everything happening inside. Fun for kids young & old

Cheap

For the price, our grow kits are bigger than others, so you’ll harvest more mushrooms

Easy

We have done all the hard stuff, so you can just kick-back, relax and watch the mushrooms grow

Fast

Mushrooms will be growing about 2 to 3 weeks after delivery. Once they start, they are ready in 5 days

What variety should I get?

If you have not tried these mushrooms before, here’s a brief description our mushroom grow kits; what they taste like, and how to cook

Grey Oyster Mushroom

This is the easiest mushroom to grow in NZ conditions. To eat, you can use it in any dish where you would use chicken, and cook it similarly. It's a great vegetarian or vegan staple. If you are a meat-eater, it pairs very well with white meats including fish. The texture is not “spongy” like a field mushroom but more fleshy.

Grey Oyster Mushroom Info

Pink Oyster Mushroom

This mushroom growing kit is perfect during the NZ summer but can still be grown in winter with little bit more care. They have a wonderful umami flavour and a very meaty texture. It is a playful ingredient in the kitchen, works well in curries, is a fantastic topping for pasta dishes, and is our favourite in tacos. Tip: fry it as one would do bacon, where it has similar crisp and a slightly smokey or earthy flavour.

Pink Oyster Mushroom Info

mushrooms for vegans plan based meat substitute

The Shiitake

More technical to grow than the Oysters but a favourite for the mushroom connoisseur & fungi aficionados. They are what the word Umami was invented for. Shiitake take much longer to grow than Oysters, but we have a method that has sped up the process. Our shiitake grow kits are sold as very mature, meaning they're close to pinning. Due to demand we often have a waitlist.

Shiitake Info

Want to Grow Mushrooms in NZ? Learn Here

These FAQ's cover general questions for people new to growing mushrooms in NZ. Please see the individual page for questions specific to each variety. We have made our mushroom growing kits as easy to use as possible, but also have all the tips necessary to be successful. If you are already growing, see our in-depth mushroom grow guide.

What is the yield? What size grow kit should I get?

The bag size (weight) will influence the yield. The general rule of thumb: you should get about half the bag's weight in mushrooms.

Over the life of the mushroom bag, estimates are:

3kg - Good for a single person, or a couple of occasional mushroom eaters. About 1.5kg
4kg - a couple, or a single person on a plant-based diet. About 2kg
5kg - household of 4 or a couple on a plant-based diet. About 2.5kg

If you care for the grow kit, you should get more. See our guides on how to do this.

How long will the mushroom grow kit last?

With minimal care, the grow kit should last about 6-8 weeks and give 3 flushes (harvests). With care, basically soaking it in a bucket of water, it can last over 6 months and give many flushes.

Our focus is on our customer's experience, so we're here to help get the maximum potential from each bag.

Are the mushrooms easy to grow?

With our kits, everything is done, so there is nothing to do until the mushrooms start to grow.

When they do grow, care is required for the 5 days that the mushrooms are actually growing.

At its simplest and in ideal conditions, the only equipment you need is a spray bottle, and your only job is to mist them frequently when they are growing. Luckily, the right conditions for NZ mushroom growing are perfect for most of the year.

Do mushrooms grow in the dark?

Short answer: Nope! In nature, these mushrooms grow on trees in the deep shade of the forest. So, inside light is about right. They are okay with a little sun, but be careful not to let this dry them out. Interestingly the UV in sunlight will help them produce vitamin D in a similar way our body does.

However, they do not need light to grow (as a plant does) so they are okay without light.

What are the Mushrooms grown on?

We use certified organic Pine sawdust with a little Soy as nutrition plus rainwater
No nasty chemicals are used in production, no sprays, or herbicides.
Our products are 100% NZ made. Everything is made and grown on our permaculture farm in Horowhenua

Do you have a guarantee?

If the grow kit fails due to a problem on our part, we will replace it free of charge.

We are a small company but have BIG customer care. We're 100% committed to providing you with the best possible experience.

You will receive emails with tips and an explanation of what to do. These are timed to arrive at the key stages of the grow.
See our comprehensive grow guides, faqs and tips in the support section of our website.

Do you ship to my location?

We can only ship within NZ and the Chathams Islands.

Shipping

North Island: Generally a next day service and 2-3 days rural.
South Island: We use the Economy service. This is usually 2 days to metro areas, 3 days regional, and 4-5 days rural.
We do not charge extra for rural deliveries.

Shipping cost

We are aware that the price of shipping is steep. However, these are heavy items, so the shipping cost reflects this. We pass on the straight cost of shipping and in many cases, we are subsidising the rate in an effort to keep the overall cost reasonable. NZ Post has presently increased shipping by 7% this extra charge we have not passed on.

Fulfilment

For products in stock, we usually despatch orders the following day.
For backorder there may be several days delay as well will make the bag to order, based on the availability of the 'spawn' to make the mini-farm.

Pick-up

You can pick it up from the farm gate or from the market. This option will only display as a shipping option if you select the wellington region as an address. Any special pickup instructions (like the market and date) please put them into the notes section at checkout. Here is a list of the markets.

We pride ourselves on our customer care.

We are more concerned that you have an awesome experience than making a quick sale.

See our 5-star reviews on FB & Google.

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Detailed Grow Guides Recipes

Grow your own Mushrooms at home

Growing mushrooms NZ ? Our grow kits are the largest for the price, meaning you can grow more mushrooms. More economical and longer lasting!

No. 1 - NZ Mushroom grow kitsShiitake and Oyster Mushrooms