Shiitake Growing On Logs

[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 Shitake.