Topic

Substrate & Spawn

Straw, sawdust and coir, pasteurization, sterilization and spawn.

A dense cluster of oyster mushrooms growing from a bag of straw

How to Pasteurize Straw for Mushrooms: Hot Water, Lime and Other Methods

By The Sporestead Team · Oct 5, 2026 · 3 min read

How to pasteurize straw for growing mushrooms at home: hot water at 160–170 °F, hydrated lime bath, peroxide and cold fermentation, plus how wet the straw should be.