Pin in five days.
Harvest in fourteen.
The block did the slow work before it shipped.
The Three Phases of Mushroom Growing
Smart Chamber. Bone White Single
- 2.8L tank, 90% humidity automatic
- App-controlled, plug-and-play
- 6 lb block ceiling, in stock
Smart Chamber. Obsidian Black Single
- Same hardware as Bone White
- Matte black premium finish
- Pairs with any kitchen palette
Every gourmet mushroom passes through three phases. The kit you buy and the question "how long does it take" depend on which phase you start at.
- Phase 1: Colonization (2 to 4 weeks). The mycelium grows through a sterilized substrate, eating and digesting it until the block is fully laced with white. This happens at the supplier before shipping.
- Phase 2: Pinning (3 to 7 days from your kitchen). Tiny mushroom primordia appear at the cut face on the block. Humidity and airflow trigger this phase.
- Phase 3: Fruiting (7 to 10 days). The pins grow into harvestable mushrooms. Most species double in size every 24 to 36 hours during peak growth.
When you buy a fruiting block, you skip Phase 1. That is why the answer to "how long" depends on whether you mean from scratch or from a block.
Most species double in size every 24 to 36 hours during peak growth. The change is visible day to day.
How Long Does Each Mushroom Species Take?
Same chamber, same humidity, same fruiting block format. The variable is genetics. Pink oyster is the racehorse; shiitake is the slow burn.
Block-to-harvest, by species
Days from setting up a colonized 5-pound block to first harvest, in a Lykyn chamber.
Day-by-Day: What to Expect from a Fruiting Block
Day 0: Setup
Block out of the box, sealed bag still on. Acclimate it on the kitchen counter for 24 to 48 hours so the mycelium recovers from shipping. Cold-shock optional for shiitake.
Days 1 to 3: Acclimation
The block sits in your kitchen, sealed. The mycelium settles, sometimes putting out a few faint white tendrils on the surface. Nothing visible to harvest yet.
Days 3 to 7: Pinning
You cut a small X on the block (or remove the bag for shiitake). Within 3 to 5 days, tiny primordia appear at the cut face. They look like small white knots, 1 to 3 millimeters across.
Days 7 to 12: Growth
The pins double daily. Caps form, gills appear underneath (oysters), or spines start to point down (lion's mane). The cluster fills out.
Days 10 to 14: Harvest
Caps fully unfurled but edges still flat. Twist the cluster off in one motion to keep substrate intact. A 5-pound block delivers 1.0 to 1.5 lb fresh on the first flush.
Days 14 to 28: Flush 2
After the first harvest, soak the block in cold water for 6 to 8 hours, drain, return to the chamber. Pins reappear in 7 to 14 days. Yield drops to roughly half the first flush.
Days 28 to 42: Flush 3 (optional)
A third flush is possible but yields drop again to roughly a quarter of the first. Many growers compost after the second flush and start a fresh species in the chamber.
Why a Smart Chamber Hits the Lower End of the Range
The day ranges in this guide cover both DIY setups (humidity tents, plastic bags) and smart chambers. A Lykyn chamber consistently lands at the lower end of each range. The reason is humidity stability.
Fuel Your Mushroom Journey
Smart Mushroom Grow Chamber
Plug-and-play smart chamber with humidity, light, and airflow dialed in for every species. Beginners harvest their first flush in days, not months.
Add to cart $299- Steady 85 to 90 percent humidity. Manual misting averages 75 to 85 percent with regular dips to 60. Pins abort at humidity dips below 70 percent.
- Hourly fresh air exchange. The chamber cycles air every hour automatically. Manual setups need the lid opened (which spikes contamination risk) or skipped (which slows pinning).
- App-controlled species presets. Each species has different humidity and airflow needs. The chamber auto-tunes; manual setups average across species.
Net effect: shaving 2 to 4 days off the timeline of most species, plus higher yield per flush.
Pins abort at humidity dips below 70 percent. The chamber stays at 85 to 90 percent. That single number explains most of the time difference.
How Long Does It Take to Grow Mushrooms from Scratch (No Kit)?
Starting from spore (no pre-colonized block) takes 6 to 10 weeks for most species. The timeline:
- Week 1. Inoculate sterilized grain spawn with a spore syringe or liquid culture. Incubate at 75°F.
- Weeks 2 to 4. Spawn fully colonizes (white throughout). Mix into bulk substrate (sawdust + bran).
- Weeks 4 to 8. Bulk substrate fully colonizes (4 to 6 weeks).
- Weeks 8 to 10. Initiate fruiting (cut, drop in chamber). Pins in 5 to 7 days, harvest 7 to 10 days later.
Most home growers skip this and buy pre-colonized blocks. The supplier handled the slow phase under sterile conditions, which avoids the contamination losses that defeat 30 to 50 percent of from-scratch attempts.
Two weeks of waiting.
Two weeks of harvest.
A year of fresh mushrooms on your counter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to grow oyster mushrooms?
Pearl oyster: 10 to 14 days from a fruiting block. Pink oyster: 8 to 12 days (fastest). Blue oyster: 11 to 15 days. Yellow oyster: 10 to 14 days. All assume a colonized block as the starting point.
How long does shiitake take?
21 to 28 days from a colonized block. Shiitake is the slow species: it browns the block first, may need a cold-shock to trigger pinning, then fruits over 5 to 7 days.
How long does lion's mane take?
10 to 14 days from a fruiting block. Pinning starts around day 5 to 7. The cluster forms its signature spines around day 10 to 12. Harvest at peak before spines start curling up.
Can I speed it up?
Two ways: pick a fast species (pink oyster, pearl oyster) and use a sealed chamber that holds humidity steady. The chamber alone shaves 2 to 4 days off most species.
How long does the whole growing process take from spore?
6 to 10 weeks total. Most home growers buy pre-colonized blocks and skip the 4 to 6 week colonization phase that suppliers handle under sterile conditions.
How often can I get a new harvest?
2 to 3 flushes per 5-pound block, spaced 14 to 21 days apart. With a Lykyn chamber, that is roughly one fresh flush every 2 weeks year-round if you stagger blocks.
Bottom Line
If you start with a pre-colonized fruiting block, expect 10 to 14 days for most gourmet species and up to 4 weeks for shiitake. A Lykyn smart chamber shaves 2 to 4 days off the lower end and bumps yield. If you start from spore, expect 6 to 10 weeks total.
Ready to put a block on your counter? browse Lykyn fruiting blocks, or see the Lykyn Smart Mushroom Grow Box if you do not have a chamber yet.
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