Shiitake, also called oak lentin, has been consumed for more than 7,000 years in Japan. It has been cultivated for more than 2000 years on oak logs.
Rich in vitamins (D and B in particular) and trace elements (magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, etc.), its virtues are also multiple: anti-oxidant, stimulant of the immune system and even, it seems, an aphrodisiac. Its color varies from light brown to dark brown. Its flesh is both firm and supple. Depending on how it is cooked, shiitake releases woody, earthy and nutty flavors.
Today, the production of shiitake on a professional basis is generally done on bales of sawdust, which allows production to be accelerated and better controlled.
To grow shiitake on logs, we advise you to use our mycelium- colonized pegs from our store.
Its indoor cultivation is relatively more complex than that of oyster mushrooms. It requires a more specific substrate, generally composed of sawdust and wheat bran. Its incubation goes through three stages (colonization, popcorning, maturation), over a period of 10-12 weeks.
Here is a video on the different stages of growing shiitake indoors:
