Organic Shiitake Grain Spawn
- 🍄 SHIITAKE GRANULE MYCELIUM 3790: Lentinula edodes, a strain prized for its umami flavor.
- 🌱 LONG BUT STEADY INCUBATION: Approximately 8 to 10 weeks before fruiting.
- 💪 strain : A vigorous variety, suitable for growing in enriched, sterilized sawdust.
- 🍽️ GOURMET MUSHROOM: Firm texture, woody flavor, and intense aroma in cooking.
- 🌍 LOCALLY GROWN AND ORGANIC: Certified BE-BIO-01 by Certisys.
To grow your own shiitake mushrooms:
Shiitake – Lentinula edodes #3790
Shiitake, also known as the “fragrant mushroom,” is one of the most popular mushrooms in Asian and gourmet cuisine.
It is distinguished by its firm yet tender flesh, its intense aroma, and its woody, earthy, and sometimes slightly nutty flavors, depending on how it is cooked.
Shiitake mushrooms have flat caps, typically 3 to 6 cm in diameter, ranging in color from light brown to dark brown. Their firm texture and rich flavor make them a highly sought-after mushroom in cooking.
Variety #3790 is a strain , prized for the quality of its fruiting bodies. However, it requires a longer incubation period than oyster mushrooms: it is a slower-growing crop, but well worth the effort for producing high-quality mushrooms.
🔬 This is mycelium on grains, intended for making your own growing media.
Shiitake mushrooms require a long, stable incubation period. It is important to avoid moving or handling the bags during the browning phase to minimize stress on the substrate.
❄️ Storing the mycelium: Store in the refrigerator, ideally between 1 and 4°C.
For best results, use it within one month of receipt.
👉 See also: How to use our mycelium
Our Commitment to Quality
We produce our mycelium under laboratory conditions to ensure varietal purity and optimal quality.
Our mycelia are organically produced and certified BE-BIO-01 by Certisys under the Belgian Organic Agriculture program.
🌱 Growing conditions
Shiitake mushrooms require a longer incubation period than many other cultivated mushrooms. This phase is essential for producing a mature block capable of yielding high-quality fruiting bodies.
The incubation of substrates generally takes place in three stages:
- Colonization: approximately 2 to 4 weeks
- Pop-corning: about 2 to 3 weeks
- Browning/ripening: about 2 to 3 weeks
Incubation generally takes about 8 to 10 weeks. Maintain a stable temperature of around 20 to 24°C and avoid moving the bags during this time.
Tip from La Mycosphère: At the start of fruiting, slightly lower humidity can limit the number of primordia and promote the development of larger, better-formed mushrooms.
🛠️ Recommended growing media
In indoor cultivation, shiitake mushrooms are typically grown on enriched, sterilized sawdust.
For simple and consistent results, we recommend our ready-to-use substrate, which is particularly well-suited for wood-decaying varieties, including shiitake.
Outdoors, shiitake mushrooms can also be grown on logs using mycelium on pegs.
📊 Growing conditions
Inoculation: 5 to 10% grain mycelium relative to the weight of the moist substrate.
| Phase | Temperature | Humidity | Duration | CO₂ | Fresh air | Light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incubation | 23–24°C | - | Inoculation: 2–3 weeks Resting/maturation: ±8 weeks |
- | - | - |
| Formation of primordial cells | 10–15°C | 95–100% | 2–3 days | 500–800 ppm | 4 to 8 cubic feet per hour | 500–1,000 lux |
| fruiting | 10–20°C, ideally around 15°C | 85–95% | 5–7 days | 400–800 ppm | 5 to 8 cubic feet per hour | 500–1,000 lux |
📚 Estimated data from *Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms* by Paul Stamets. Results may vary depending on the strain, substrate, humidity, ventilation, and growing conditions.
📈 Productivity
On average, use 200 to 300 grams of fresh mushrooms per kilogram of moist substrate, spread over one or two harvests, depending on the substrate and growing conditions.
FAQ – Shiitake
Is it easy to grow shiitake mushrooms?
It grows more slowly and is more demanding than oyster mushrooms, but it is still manageable with a well-prepared substrate and stable incubation conditions.
Why does incubation take so long?
Shiitake mushrooms must first colonize the substrate, then mature and turn brown before they are ready to produce fruiting bodies. This maturation process is essential for a good harvest.
What type of growing medium should I use?
Enriched and sterilized sawdust is generally the most reliable choice. Outdoors, shiitake mushrooms can also be grown on logs.
What temperature should you aim for to encourage fruiting?
Aim for an incubation period of around 10–15°C, followed by fruiting 10–20°C, ideally around 15°C.
What inoculation rate should be used?
We generally recommend using 5 to 10% grain mycelium relative to the weight of the moist substrate.
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