Organic Shiitake Mushroom Plug Spawn

Lentinula Edodes var.3790

For more information, we recommend reading our guide: “Cultivation on logs”

How to seed logs with mycelium on wooden dowels?

The optimal periods for inoculating logs are fall, winter and early spring, before the sap rises.

Attention: the main enemy of this crop is drought. So cover the woods with a tarpaulin or sail if necessary to maintain the humidity of the logs, especially during incubation.

In terms of wood species, favor the following: maple, native oak, linden, chestnut, hornbeam.

As shiitake mycelium feeds mainly on the sapwood of the wood, it is rather recommended to use sections with a diameter ranging from 8 to 15 cm. A larger diameter may also be suitable but this also makes handling less easy.

Necessary equipment

- Logs of wood cut recently (maximum 3 months). Avoid softwoods. Most hardwoods work well. Log diameter: between 10 and 15 cm. Length: between 50 and 150cm

- Mycelium on dowels: For a length of 1m, multiply the diameter of a log by 2.5. Example a log of 1m and 20cm wide: 20x2.5=50 dowels.

- Drill and 8-9mm drill bit

- Hammer

- Optional: soy wax / beeswax / paraffin / green clay to cover the holes.

Instructions

* Wash your hands before touching the mycelium to maximize the chance of success;

* Make the holes in your log. The holes should be slightly deeper than the height of the dowel. Space the holes approximately 5 cm apart. A 1 m long log requires approximately ±50 dowels;

* Insert the dowels into the holes using a hammer. The dowels must not protrude from the holes;

* Cover with wax . The wax serves to protect the mycelium from insects and diseases as well as from drying out. Failing that, you can also use paraffin, cheese wax or even green clay;

* Wait: Place your logs in a shaded place sheltered from the winds. Avoid direct contact with the ground which could bring small insects and contamination. For example, you can place them on a pallet, covered with a tarpaulin. In case of heat, pour a sprinkling of water on the logs occasionally to prevent them from drying out. For this first incubation phase of 12 to 18 months, the logs can be piled up.  Shiitake plants generally appear in spring and fall. They don't like drought. To speed up new fruiting, you can soak your logs overnight in cool water, which should trigger the appearance of new mushrooms between 5 and 15 days later.

* Harvest and taste your production. A log made in good conditions can produce mushrooms for 3 to 5 years. 

For more information, we recommend reading our guide: “Cultivation on logs”

Remarks

The optimal periods for inoculating logs are fall, winter and early spring, before the sap rises.

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

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

We seed the dowels with a mixture of mycelium on grains and sawdust. It is therefore normal to have a little sawdust mixed in the dowels. This remaining sawdust can also be used as inoculum.

All our products are certified in organic farming “BE-BIO-01”.

 Our mycelia are produced in laboratory conditions, which guarantees the purity of the varieties and optimal quality.

For orders in large quantities, contact us for a quote: contact@lamycosphere.com