Shiitake Growing On Logs

[Short Game]

I did 16 five foot alder trunk wood logs four years ago. This year I have done 23 four foot alder limb wood logs. Of course there will be no mushrooms from these until next year. I'm not finished yet, as I have another batch of spawn ordered.

Still getting a few mushrooms from the old logs. The new ones should last years longer, as the wood is so much denser, and the bark and sapwood on limbs is so much thicker (important). If you live where there is oak, that's about the best.

My old logs, this year:

Pressure washing the moss and lichens off, careful not to harm the bark:

Logs in the que:

My inoculation station (wax pot on hot plate behind):

The sawdust spawn:

The drilling (lots of holes--six inches apart lengthways, rows staggered three inches apart) There is a poly-pipe stop wired onto the drill bit to limit the hole to one inch of depth That twist drill takes a lot of pushing. I have a special drill bit coming that has a lead screw to pull it into the log:

Drill a row, fill a row, wax over a row (I made the tool, but you can buy one for about $30):

The wax goes on between 250 and 300 degrees:

Some finished logs:

It's a lot of work at the outset, but years of yummy shiitakes down the line.

 

[BayouMan]

Now that is an interesting process. Where do you store them after processing? How long before you can start harvesting?

Really neat project.

Mike

 

[old hank]

that is a cool project :laughing::thumbsup::thumbsup::licking::licking::licking::licking:

 

[Botabill]

I always wanted to try growing mushrooms. Great photos and advice. Thanks!

 

[JB4310]

Yes very interesting, wish I liked mushrooms more.

Just did a little google research and they claim they are good for your health in many ways.

found this video
Growing and Marketing Shiitake Mushrooms on natural logs - YouTube

I have plenty of oak, I could have a mushroom farm.

Do they taste like most other mushrooms?

JB.

 

[Short Game]

Where do you store them after processing? How long before you can start harvesting?

In a cool shady place. They may have to be watered in dry times. They should begin fruiting next fall. Fruiting can be forced by soaking the logs in a tank, or you can just be lazy and let them do it in their own time.

Just did a little google research and they claim they are good for your health in many ways.

I have plenty of oak, I could have a mushroom farm.

Do they taste like most other mushrooms?

They are delicious. I cut them up in small bits and just brown them up. Nice nutty/meaty flavor.

They sell for $12.99 a pound in the supermarkets around here.

If you put them in the sun before you cook them, they are supposed to collect a lot of vitamin D. Also supposed to be anti-tumor.

=================

Admittedly, I'm a bit of a boot at this myself. I did just about everything wrong the first time. I'm going to get it closer to right this time. I cut these logs a little too soon from what I've been told. When my next bag of sawdust spawn arrives, I will cut down another tree for it's big limbs. Will need it for firewood anyway. I've been advised to cut my logs after the leaves have fallen and before the buds swell in the spring.

There are many tutorials on line, and probably one for anyone's region.

 

[creekbend]

:thumbsup: Your project has all the qualities of a "Labor of Love". This is just a thought because I have never engaged in growing mushrooms before. Would attaching a hole saw of small diameter to your drill help in drilling the holes? Your work gets a BIG A-PLUS.:thumbsup:

 

[Qapla]

I will be monitoring your progress if you keep posting. We are planing to start growing these as a business.

Seems Florida is actually a good place to grow them. It was once thought that it was too hot here, but that can be dealt with and we can produce in the winter months.

Also, the time between inoculation and fruiting is much less. Also, we have OAK :thumbsup:

 

[creekbend]

I will be monitoring your progress if you keep posting. We are planing to start growing these as a business.

Seems Florida is actually a good place to grow them. It was once thought that it was too hot here, but that can be dealt with and we can produce in the winter months.

Also, the time between inoculation and fruiting is much less. Also, we have OAK :thumbsup:

If you intend to cultivate mushrooms for farming purposes, you may find this website informative. Shroomery - Shiitake Mushroom Gardening

 

[lhfarm]

My wife purchased a kit a couple of years ago and I have been avoiding this project. But the rewards sound great. Thanks for posting and giving me a push to get started.

 

[20 20]

thanks for share, interesting

 

[JB4310]

For the lazy man I saw where you can buy a small log all ready to fruit, just put it in ice water for a couple of days to start the process.

Didn't see the price but they were selling like a gift basket idea.

JB

 

[Car Doc]

Cool project! I have never tried a shiitake are they like a portobello? Looks like more work than I have time for but thanks for the education!

 

[forgeblast]

I have used the plugs, but have put them on tree stumps, I may be getting some mushrooms next year from them.
Are you useing the plugs or sawdust ?
Do you see an improvement with the wax, or I should say do you need the wax?
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Short Game]

I have used sawdust. If you don't wax, little critters eat the sawdust, or it can become infected with other spores or bacterias that can overcome the strain you want.

A hundred years ago, the Chinese and Japanese would put the logs in a pool with the spawn and hit the oak bark with hammers or cut it with saws to allow the spawn to enter the logs. There was no control of what strain might enter the log that way so it is not a popular method today.

Shiitake Lore

 

[OldMcDonald]

Short Game, I think you have delivered a really good lesson in how to do it. Congratulations.

I grew shiitake in Scotland as part of my farming business before moving to Portugal. I did notice that a few logs I had standing upright in a damp place (and permanent shade) on the North side of a building fruited quicker and better than my other logs. I do not know for sure why that was, but I suspect the permanent dampness helped the mycellium permeate the log quicker. I used Silver Birch because that was the wood we had growing on the farm.

 

[cdaigle430]

I have used sawdust. If you don't wax, little critters eat the sawdust, or it can become infected with other spores or bacterias that can overcome the strain you want.

A hundred years ago, the Chinese and Japanese would put the logs in a pool with the spawn and hit the oak bark with hammers or cut it with saws to allow the spawn to enter the logs. There was no control of what strain might enter the log that way so it is not a popular method today.

Shiitake Lore

I likie, thinking of giving some of these for Christmas.

 

[Short Game]

I just gave one of my new logs to a computer tech who is trying to fix my box while I am using his that he loaned me. The logs do seem like fun gifts, for those who will take care of them.

 

[deereman75]

That is really neat, I might have to try that.

 

[lstinthot]

May have to try this project. I like every mushroom I have tried, never tried ****ake.