Kritsada Panichgul
You might be surprised to see that growing shiitake mushroom-shaped cloud ( Lentinula edodes ) is easier than grow most crops , although there is unique up - front piece of work you wo n’t meet elsewhere . The cognitive process imply gather appropriate logs , inoculating them with shiitake spawn ( a fungus ) , and sealing them so they do n’t dry out out . Then , the log sit in a fly-by-night spot , and you wash them during wry spells . Otherwise , they ’re on their own .
longanimity is necessary because it takes 6 to 14 months before the shiitake bug out producing , but once they do , the inoculated log contain delicious mushroom-shaped cloud for at least four or five long time . That ’s a considerable retort on your initial investing of try , and no weeding or gadfly command is needed .
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms at Home
1. Gather the logs.
Shiitake mushrooms grow best on oak , but other hardwoods such as elm , sweet gum , maple , and alder also work well . Harvest logs in winter while they ’re still abeyant . bracing , dormant tree contain an copiousness of sugars and nutrients that support shiitake growth . Do n’t apply log that have been rest on the ground ; they must be new glean . The logs need to be about 4 to 6 inches in diameter and 3 to 4 ft longsighted . This size of it is easy to handle while giving the mushroom enough substrate . The logs should be well covered in barque . One reason oak is a favored wood for growing shiitakes is that its bark persists for a long prison term , which help oneself reduce the invasion of other fungi .
set aside the log to perch for a dyad of weeks , and then soak them in a large bath of pee for a full daylight . They are now quick for inoculation .
2. Inoculate the logs.
Using a exercise with a 3/8 - in bit , drill 1 ¼ -inch deep holes into the logs , make a clear mark on your practice session chip to be sure you drill to the appropriate astuteness . Space the holes 5 to 6 in aside in a row all the way down the log . Then , move about 6 inches around the log and make another row start midway between the first two holes so they create a diamond convention . cover drilling holes in rows until you are back where you started . When you ’ve made the pickle all around the log , it ’s time to inclose the plugs .
With a hammer or hammer , gently tap the plugs in place . They should suit snugly in the drill hollow . Dab some melted wax ( paraffin or cheese wax ) over the first step of each hole to varnish it . The wax keep wet in and preclude other kingdom Fungi from entering . Finally , label the log with the particular date . If you add more inoculated logs to your “ shiitake farm ” in future twelvemonth , you will be intimate which unity are the onetime and when to replace them .
3. Set the logs in the shade.
Find a shady spot in your yardand set up the log slenderly off the earth ( use bricks or pit for the bottom logs ) . If you prepared several logs to assure a generous supply of mushrooms , place two on the bottom and the next two across the ends of the first two . Continue stacking the logs in duo , keeping the center open .
Now , it ’s up to the shiitakes to colonise the logs with their mycelium . If you experience a dry turn or know in an orbit with low rainfall , the logs will benefit from redundant moisture . Give them a rob spray every week or two .
4. Harvest and enjoy the shiitakes.
After 6 to 12 months or so , the fruit bodies ( the mushroom ) start to appear on the airfoil of the log , first as rounded buttons . These quickly spring up into full - sized Oriental black mushroom in a few days . Fruiting normally follows a salutary soaking rain . Once mushroom production has begun , you could induce fruiting by soaking the logs in a large vat of cool piddle for a daylight . The good fruiting occurs in give and fall ; the fungus may need to perch in between . However , continue to check the log . A heyday of raw mushrooms might appear a few days after a summer shower .
Harvest the mushrooms pronto as soon as they hand a decent size . habituate them forthwith for a delightful kickshaw , orstore them in the fridge for a few days . You may find that you are harvest mushroom faster than you may use them . If this bechance , order the supernumerary in a dehydrator and dry them to add towinter lather , pasta dish antenna , soups , and casseroles . Store the dried mushrooms in glass jars .
Frequently Asked Questions
Pine is not a good selection for growing shiitakes because it is rich in terpenes and other chemical compound that inhibit the ontogeny of fungi . It ’s best to puzzle to hardwoods such as oak tree , maple , elm , alder , sweetened gum , or ironwood .
Yes . Two other common mushrooms that can be grow on logs are oyster mushrooms and lion ’s mane mushrooms . Spawn plugs for these are available from online supplier , and they insert into logarithm like shiitakes plugs . Do n’t grow more than one type of mushroom on a unmarried log , and label the log so you sleep with which mushroom-shaped cloud to wait .
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
