Shiitake Growing On Logs

[kebo]

Just some curious questions, can you stagger them and get mushrooms year round? Or, is it a seasonal thing? If you were to try to do it as a side business, what is the potential in $$$ revenue? That $12.99/lb sounds like it could be somewhat profitable. Once you remove the mushrooms, how do you package and store them? Do they need to be refrigerated? How long will they keep once you "pick" them? Thanks for sharing the knowledge, one more reason I like this forum so much. You can learn a lot more here than just about tractors!

 

[Qapla]

I have a DVD from a agricultural meeting where they discuss growing Shiiitake's in Florida and Alabama.

The man in the video from North Florida has about 2500 logs under shade cloth. He uses the dowels because he found in our climate that driving them into tight holes he does need the wax.

He drives the dowel and cuts it flush. Makes it simpler.

 

[Short Game]

I can't answer the questions about doing it commercially. I do it because it seems a good thing to do.

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My computer was terminal so I bought the loaner.

They gave me a good deal, so I'm going to give them another log.

 

[woodlandfarms]

We are considering growing truffles commercially. Big startup costs scare me, and the whole thing becoming overpopulated and prices crashing really scares me.

 

[SPIKER]

I have a half dozen or so firewood sized logs with them in now for 3 years. fruited the first year in late august and again spring thru summer. I had some pretty nice ones last month here in ohio. summer months they get too dry if not watered for them to fruit.

I used Red Oak and Hard (Sugar) Maple. the Oak fruits better than the maple for sure I think the maple logs have rarely fruited up. The were on top of the pile and I think a lot of the spore dies off the first summer when they got too dry.

I also tried a bunch of other varieties of mushrooms Morels, Chicken/Hen of the woods, and several more. so far only ones to produce and get onto the table have been the Shiitakes and have had several size of a small dinner plate 1~2" thick. I get some wild mushrooms as well usually Morels and Cauliflower ones that we eat. There are also plenty of wild meadow mushrooms and Puff Balls on my place.

I bought plugs and sawdust spawn. the Shiitakes were plugs and I did seal some with wax but again not sure if that was needed?

I have a hard time with Slugs getting to all mine as they are all over at my place.

mark

 

[OldMcDonald]

kebo, Try some for your own use first. Commercial scale is an extremely variable costs/return scenario that depends originally on where you are situated climatically (in my experience) followed closely by an enormous range of management decisions. I would always wax seal for instance, never take the chance on an unwanted strain of wild fungus beating the shiitake to it, or birds pecking out sawdust spawn. The price is high, but so is the labour requirement even if all goes according to plan. If you want to get really hooked on mushrooms and growing them read Stamet. He has/had a company called Fungi Perfecti and is extremely knowledgeable. I bought one of his books about 15 years ago and still read it for interest from time to time.

Spiker, Try standing a couple of the logs in a water bath. The water need not be more than an inch or so deep to stop the slugs. I found the logs benefit from being kept permanently moist.

 

[ihuntbear]

will these grow in eastern canada.I retired a year ago and looking for some thing to do .Maybe make a few extra bucks

 

[Short Game]

I just received my new batch of spawn and special drill bit. The leaves are mostly fallen. Time to knock over another tree and get back at it.

 

[Short Game]

I felled a 29 inch alder today. It is one with nice big limbs. Now I'm supposed to wait a week for the tree's natural fungicidal properties to fade before bucking the limbs to size and starting to inoculate them. I'm also going to inoculate the stump to see if it makes shiitakes.

 

[lstinthot]

Who is a reputable supplier for the fungi?