Chicken of the Woods - Plug Spawn

Laetiporus sulphureus, also known as the Chicken of the Woods, is a spectacular mushroom that forms large, overlapping caps ranging in color from sulfur yellow to orange.

It grows mainly onoak (both living and dead), but also on willow, cherry, chestnut, and poplar, where it causes brown rot. It is most commonly found from late spring through fall.

Features

• Culinary excellence (young): firm, fibrous flesh, a texture similar to chicken, and a mild, slightly lemony flavor.

• Morphology: rosette-shaped caps ranging from 5 to 25 cm (sometimes much larger) with pale, wavy edges; underside with fine pores (no gills), lemon-yellow.

• Best when young: choose young, tender, and juicy edges; as they age, the flesh becomes tough and less pleasant.

• Culinary uses: excellent stir-fried, breaded, or in stews. Always cook thoroughly (never eat raw); younger cuts are suitable for blanching and freezing.

Precautions

• Do not consume specimens growing on yew trees (Taxus baccata) or other conifers.

• Some people may experience digestive discomfort: start with a small, well-cooked portion.

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

Usefresh logs of oak, chestnut, cherry, wild cherry, willow, or poplar(Ø 15–25 cm, 80–100 cm). Inoculate quickly,seal the entry points, then incubate in a shaded, humid environment. Allow 12 to 24 months before the first fruiting, usually in spring or fall, with irregular but sometimes spectacular yields.

How do you inoculate logs with plug spawn ?

Required equipment

• A log or piece of wood that has been recently cut (no more than 3 months old). Avoid softwoods. Most hardwoods are suitable. Contact us if you would like 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 that is 1 m long and 20 cm wide requires 20 × 2.5 = 50 dowels.
• Drill and drill bit 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 your chances of success.
• Drill 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-meter-long log requires about 50 dowels.
• Insert the dowels into the holes using a hammer. The dowels should not protrude from the holes.
• Cover with wax. The wax protects the mycelium from insects and diseases, as well as from drying out. If you don’t have wax, you can also use paraffin, cheese wax, or green clay.

• Be patient: Store your logs in a shaded area sheltered from the wind. Avoid direct contact with the ground, which could attract small insects and cause contamination. For example, you can place them on a pallet covered with a tarp. In hot weather, occasionally pour a watering can of water over the logs to prevent them from drying out.
• Harvest and enjoy your crop. A log prepared under the right conditions can produce mushrooms for 3 to 5 years.

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

Notes

The best times to inoculate logs are in the fall, winter, and early spring, before the sap begins to flow.

The main threat to this crop is drought: cover the wood with a tarp or a cover if necessary to keep the logs moist, especially during incubation.

We fill our bags by weight, so there may be slight variations from the stated amount.

We inoculate the logs with a mixture of spores and sawdust. It is therefore normal to find some sawdust mixed in with the logs. This remaining sawdust can also serve as inoculum.

Our commitment to quality:

We produce our mycelium in laboratory conditions, which ensures the purity of the strains and optimal quality.