Choosing a growing strategy

Choosing a Growing Strategy

 We recommend you begin growing oysters in either Spring(March to May) or Fall(September to November). Because of the warmer waters, oysters generally experience the greatest growth and disease exposure from June through August. Starting your oyster garden in the Fall reduces the exposure to disease such as Dermo  during the early stage of oyster growth and also limits your oysters to a single disease exposure period only (the following Summer) during the culture cycle.

Scientists have advocated a strategy whereby oyster gardeners buy “Fall Seed(spat).” This strategy maximizes the number of growing seasons prior to reaching two disease exposure seasons. The use of Fall Seed normally results in very rapid growth during the first Fall season.