Maitake - Mycelium on wooden dowels

Grifola frondosa, Clustered polypore, Hen of the woods

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is an edible mushroom prized for its delicate taste and pleasant texture. In addition to its culinary qualities, it has been used for centuries in Chinese and Japanese traditions. This mushroom is particularly rich in natural compounds such as beta-glucans, notably the D-Fraction and MD-Fraction, which attract interest for their bioactive properties. Today, maitake is also appreciated in various food products and extracts, offering a versatile way to enjoy its many benefits.

Warning, the fruiting of this mushroom is relatively more complex than that of most other cultivated mushrooms and is therefore more suited to experienced mycologists.

For more information, we recommend reading our guide: "Cultivating on logs"

How to inoculate logs with mycelium on wooden dowels?

Necessary equipment

• Log or recently cut wood block (max 3 months). Avoid coniferous woods. Most hardwoods are suitable. Contact us if you want more specific information. Log diameter: between 10 and 25 cm. Length: between 50 and 150 cm.
• Mycelium on dowels: For a length of 1 m, multiply the diameter of a log by 2.5. Example: a log 1 m long and 20 cm wide requires 20 x 2.5 = 50 dowels.
• Drill and 8-9 mm bit
• 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 the holes in your log. The holes should be slightly deeper than the height of the plug. Space the holes about 10 cm apart. A 1 m long log requires about 50 plugs.
• Insert the plugs into the holes using a hammer. The plugs should not protrude from the hole.
• Cover with wax. Wax is used to protect the mycelium from insects and diseases as well as from drying out. Alternatively, you can also use paraffin, cheese wax, or green clay.

• Wait: Place your logs in a shaded area sheltered from the wind. 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 tarp. In case of heat, occasionally pour a watering can of water over the logs to prevent them from drying out.
• Harvest and enjoy your production. A log made under good conditions can produce mushrooms for 3 to 5 years.

For more information, we recommend reading our guide: "Cultivating on logs"

Notes

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

The main enemy of this culture is dryness: cover the wood with a tarp or 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 plugs with a mixture of grains and wood shavings. It is therefore normal to have some sawdust mixed with the plugs. This remaining sawdust can also be used as inoculum.

Our quality commitment:

We produce our myceliums under laboratory conditions, which guarantees purity of strains and optimal quality.

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