Blue Oyster Colonized Agar Plate
Blue Oyster Colonized Agar Plate is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
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Blue Oyster Colonized Agar Plate
Description
Description
Fully colonized Blue Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus) agar plate, grown from our master culture and 1st-generation isolated genetics — the same vigorous strain we use in our Blue Oyster liquid culture syringes and grow kits. Each plate is produced fresh at our Illinois lab on standard malt extract agar (MEA), fully colonized before it ships, and ready to ship from inventory — usually within 1 business day.
Unlike most agar plate sellers who make plates to order with 2–4 week lead times, our plates are colonized and held in inventory — ready to ship from our Illinois lab. Most orders ship within 1 business day; multi-item orders may take an additional 1–2 days to process.
Why Blue Oyster on Agar?
Blue Oyster is one of the most rewarding species to work with on agar — and one of the most popular for good reason. The mycelium is aggressive, fast-growing, and forms strong rhizomorphic patterns that are easy to evaluate visually on amber-colored MEA. Blue Oyster colonizes faster than almost any other gourmet species, which makes it ideal for:
- Beginners learning agar transfer technique — mistakes are forgiving because the mycelium outpaces most contamination
- Building large genetic libraries quickly through plate-to-plate expansion
- Rapid grain spawn production for high-turnover commercial cultivation
- Cold-weather cultivation — Blue Oyster fruits at lower temperatures than most oysters
The deep blue-gray caps it produces in cool conditions also make it one of the most visually striking gourmet mushrooms to grow at home.
Shatterproof Polypropylene Plates
Every Blue Oyster plate ships in a 90mm polypropylene Petri dish — not the standard polystyrene used by most agar sellers. Polypropylene flexes under impact instead of cracking, which means your plate arrives intact even after rough handling in transit. This is a meaningful upgrade: a cracked plate isn't just a damaged product, it's a contamination risk, since a crack breaks the parafilm seal and exposes the culture to airborne contaminants. We chose polypropylene specifically to eliminate that problem.
(The exception in our lineup is Lion's Mane, which uses clear polystyrene to maximize contrast against our specialty black agar.)
What You'll Receive
- One 90mm polypropylene Petri dish, parafilm-sealed for sterility during transit
- ~18mL malt extract agar (MEA) — our standard formulation for gourmet species
- Fully colonized with healthy, white Blue Oyster mycelium (typically 90–100% coverage at ship time)
- 1st-generation isolated genetics from our master culture — the same strain in our Blue Oyster LC syringes and grow kits
- Lab-inspected for contamination before ship
- Produced fresh at Myco Labs (Illinois, USA)
How to Use Your Agar Plate
A single colonized agar plate is one of the most versatile tools in mushroom cultivation. From one plate, you can:
- Transfer to grain — cut a small wedge of colonized agar and place it onto sterilized grain (rye, our 5-grain blend, etc.) to create grain spawn. Blue Oyster colonizes grain in 10–14 days under good conditions.
- Create liquid culture — transfer agar wedges into sterile liquid media to produce your own LC syringes
- Expand to more plates — Blue Oyster's aggressive growth makes it ideal for dividing one plate into 8–10 fresh plates for a long-term genetic library
- Isolate strong sectors — pick the most vigorous growth and transfer it to a fresh plate to refine your genetics over generations
New to agar work? See our grain transfer tutorial.
Blue Oyster Growing Characteristics
| Latin name | Pleurotus ostreatus var. columbinus |
| Mycelium appearance | Bright white, aggressive, strongly rhizomorphic |
| Colonization speed on agar | Fast — typically 7–10 days at 70–75°F |
| Preferred grain | Rye, our 5-grain blend, or supplemented hardwood |
| Fruiting substrate | Straw, hardwood sawdust, supplemented hardwood pellets, masters mix |
| Fruiting temperature | 45–65°F (cool-weather fruiter) |
| Cap color | Deep blue-gray when cool, fading to gray/tan in warmer temps |
| Difficulty | Beginner-friendly — among the most forgiving gourmet species |
| Use category | Gourmet (culinary) |
Plate Specifications
| Plate size | 90mm Petri dish |
| Plate material | Polypropylene — shatterproof, flexes under impact |
| Agar type | Standard malt extract agar (MEA) |
| Agar volume | ~18mL |
| Seal | Parafilm M, lab-grade |
| Sterility | Poured and inoculated under HEPA-filtered laminar flow |
Sterility & Quality Standards
Every plate is poured, inoculated, and inspected at Myco Labs under HEPA-filtered laminar flow. Plates are sealed with parafilm immediately after inoculation and incubated in a dedicated clean room until fully colonized. Each plate is visually inspected for contamination before being approved for shipment — if it doesn't look right, it doesn't ship.
Shipping & Handling
All agar plates are produced ahead of time and held in inventory — they are not made-to-order. Most orders ship within 1 business day of being placed. Multi-item orders (especially those including grow kits, grain spawn, or other made-fresh products) may take 1–2 additional business days to process so we can pack everything together. Orders placed Friday afternoon, weekends, or holidays ship the next business day.
Plates ship in insulated, padded packaging via USPS Priority Mail (typically 2–4 days in transit). In summer months (May–September) or to hot-climate destinations, we include a cold pack at no additional cost. Inspect your plate within 24 hours of arrival — minor condensation on the lid is normal and harmless. Store in a cool, dark place (55–70°F) until ready to use; an unopened, sealed plate stays viable for 60–90 days at room temperature, or 6–12 months refrigerated at 35–40°F.
Recommended Companion Products
- Blue Oyster Liquid Culture Syringe — same genetics, ready-to-inject format
- Grain Spawn Bags — for transferring your colonized agar to bulk
- Blue Oyster All-in-One Grow Kit — for fruiting from the same strain
- Agar Supplies — sterile plates, scalpels, parafilm
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast do these ship compared to other agar plate sellers?
Most orders ship within 1 business day. Compare that to other agar plate sellers (including the larger names in the industry) who make plates to order, meaning you wait 2–4 weeks after ordering for the plate to be poured, inoculated, and colonized. Ours are produced on a rolling schedule and held in inventory fully colonized, ready to ship the moment you order. Multi-item orders may take an additional 1–2 business days to process so we can pack everything together.
Why do you use polypropylene plates instead of polystyrene?
Polypropylene plates flex under impact instead of cracking. A cracked plate isn't just damaged — it's a contamination risk, since the crack breaks the parafilm seal and exposes the culture to airborne contaminants. Polypropylene eliminates that problem entirely. The plates cost us more, but the result is that your culture arrives intact and uncontaminated. (Our Lion's Mane plates are the one exception — those use clear polystyrene to maximize visual contrast against our specialty black agar.)
Are these the same genetics as your liquid culture syringes and grow kits?
Yes. Every agar plate is grown from our master culture and 1st-generation isolated Blue Oyster strain — the same genetics in our LC syringes and grow kits. Lab-tested, commercial-grade, and refined over multiple generations for vigor and yield.
How long will the plate stay viable?
An unopened, parafilm-sealed plate stored at 55–70°F in a dark place stays viable for 60–90 days. For longer storage, transfer the culture to a refrigerated plate at 35–40°F, where it can stay viable for 6–12 months.
Can I use this plate to make grain spawn directly?
Yes — that's one of the most common uses. Under a still-air box or laminar flow hood, cut a small wedge (about the size of a pencil eraser) from the colonized plate and drop it into a sterilized grain spawn bag or jar. Blue Oyster typically colonizes grain in 10–14 days.
Is Blue Oyster a good species for beginners?
Yes — Blue Oyster is one of the most beginner-friendly gourmet species. Its aggressive growth outpaces most contaminants, it fruits in a wide temperature range, and it accepts a variety of substrates (straw, hardwood, masters mix). If you're new to agar work or to mushroom cultivation in general, this is an excellent species to start with.
What if my plate arrives contaminated or damaged?
We guarantee every plate ships in clean, fully colonized condition. If you receive a contaminated or damaged plate, contact us within 5 days of delivery with a photo and we'll replace it free of charge.
Let customers speak for us
Fast and easy colonization! These grain jars showed growth after just 10 days. My previous efforts with the all-in-one bags are taking MUCH longer but also working. Thank you Midwest Grow Kits 🙏
I love the people and the products. The people at MWGK clearly care about the integrity of the community they serve.
The monotub works amazing only had it a couple of weeks and about to have second harvest I used AIO grow bag for first flush and move to tub for second and its great not having to watch 24/7. Thanks Midwest
Four days after mixing grain, Select substrate, and the Midwest horse manure booster - the results speak for themselves.
It has everything you need for a fast, large flush success with fewer moving parts than a standard monotub. It is a surprisingly versatile option for more advanced students. Pic is 5 grain jar at 8 days. GT LM This is where I shop, now.
Rich, perfectly field-wet, sterile and it is perfect for those many varieties that won’t thrive quite as well in Bulk Substrate and Casing Mix, which I’ve seen as best for psilocybes/cyanescens. I’m using it for the first time with Lions Mane and King Trumpets. So far so good, 7 days and primordial and pins are starting to flourish. It drains better and is lighter than MGK’s Bulk Casing and Substrate. Great product.
Love the heater and how even and exact it heats. I set mine to 76 degrees and my room fluctuates from 64-75 and it holds solid at 75 degrees. I used a probe thermometer to double check the substrate level temp and its exactly 1 degree less than the heater setting. Another tip, I only needed to use the round monotub thermometer to check my humidity levels every so often. I would leave a filter disk on that hole instead of the thermometer. The only time it came in handy was after my first flush when humidity started to drop. I was able to use that gauge and check whether I needed to mist. Overall great kit and worth the money!
Ive bought mutiple jars before i came up with my own recipe, every jar produced healthy cultures, even if ones damaged in shipping they replace immediately, highly recommend
Very small chance that you get a contaminate you already had it and you’re either culture spores etc. their stuff is 100% sterile every time 100% of the time everything is viable never had a problem been shopping with them for sometime
It’s very good product and I highly recommend it to everyone.👏👏👏
I love my magnetic stir plate it works great for Liquid culture jars.
My bag had a slow start, but excellent finish. Oak Ridge.
Great product for my cannabis best deal around arrived fast thank you Midwest grow kits definitely will be purchasing again
So far it seems very sturdy and I will give another review after I fill her up. Im just getting started with this life changing hobby and this will hold up strong
It was a price commitment, however it equated to less than I would spend on most any DIY project. I decided to purchase it and have since done spore work, agar transfers to agar and grain, culture to spawn bag inoculations, cloming and prints all with a 0% contamination rate. I practice about as good a sterile technique as I can mustard, considering I perform all my work on my kitchen table. Im consistently amazed by how flawless everything has turned out since adding this to my operations. I consider it indispensable. Instead of the double sided tape provided, i purchased some plastic velcro tape from the Gnome Depot and use it to affix the pvc guards to the sides. When i am done, i have also made it so i can sandwich them together and store them one the front to protect that precious filter when not in use. If you can swing it, buy it. Takes the risk out of procedure. Im bummed i cheaped out on the stainless riser offered at a discount with purchase of the LFH. That would have been exceedingly useful, but I have since utilized a baking drying rack to much success. Now go forth and frolic in the dung!
