Chaga - Mycelium on organic wooden plugs

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Description of Chaga

Chaga, a mushroom that naturally grows in cold climates, develops by parasitizing birch trees, often following an injury to the tree. Its growth visible on the outside of the tree can take several years. Chaga generally appears as a black and irregular mass on the bark of birch trees.

Choosing trees

It is crucial to choose mature trees for the development of chaga, as this fungus feeds on the nutrients of the tree. A young or small birch could be severely weakened by the presence of chaga. Older and larger trees often have more developed immune defenses, which can promote a healthier balance between the fungus and the tree, allowing the chaga to develop without killing the host tree too quickly. Prefer birches aged 15 to 20 years, with a minimum diameter of 20 cm.

Cultivation and harvesting

The intentional cultivation of chaga remains experimental and is not guaranteed. Sustainable forest management practices and responsible harvesting should always be prioritized to maintain the health of forest ecosystems.

For more information, see our guide: La culture sur bûche.

How to inoculate substrates with chaga mycelium?

The optimal periods to inoculate the substrates are autumn, winter, and early spring, before the sap rises.

Necessary equipment

• Mycelium on dowels: For a length of 1 m, multiply the diameter of a log by 2.5. Example: a log of 1 m and 20 cm wide requires 20 x 2.5 = 50 dowels.
• Drill and bit of 8-9 mm
• Hammer
• Optional : vegetable wax, beeswax, paraffin, or green clay to cover the holes.

Instructions

• Wash your hands before touching the mycelium to maximize the chances of success.
• Make holes in your birch log. The holes should be slightly deeper than the height of the dowels and spaced about 10 cm apart. A 1 m long log requires about 50 dowels.
• Insert the anchors into the holes using a hammer. The anchors should not protrude from the hole.
• Cover the ankles with wax to protect the mycelium from insects, diseases, and drying out. Alternatively, you can also use paraffin, cheese wax, or green clay.

Remarks

The optimal periods to inoculate the logs are autumn, winter, and early spring, before the sap rises.

The main enemy of this culture is drought: cover the wood with a tarp or a veil if necessary to maintain the moisture of the logs, especially during incubation.

We prepare our bags by weight, so there may be slight variations compared to the indicated number.

We inoculate the dowels with a mixture of grain spawn and wood shavings. It is therefore normal to have some sawdust mixed with the dowels. This remaining sawdust can also serve as inoculum.

Our commitment to quality:

We produce our mycelia under laboratory conditions, which ensures the purity of the varieties and optimal quality.

We produce our myceliums in a 100% organic way and all our products are certified "BE-BIO-01, Agriculture Belgium" by CERTISYS.