There are several ways to grow shiitake mushrooms. However, the most effective cultivation method is to grow mushrooms from spawn (from logs).

Before starting to grow shiitake mushrooms, you should give some thought to the number of trees in your forest. White oak is ideal, but elm, alder, sweetgums, and maple are also good logs. Evergreens and dogwoods are not good choices for growing shiitake mushrooms. However, if you do not have a forest or only coniferous trees grow in the forest, then you need to buy logs.

If you have a forest, you need to know the size of the logs and the amount of bark on the tree. The logs should be 10 to 15 cm wide and 90 to 120 cm long. The more bark a hardwood logs has, the more shiitake mushrooms it will produce. If there is not enough bark on the stem, the shiitake mushrooms will not bear fruit.

Then cut the hardwood logs. After the logs have sat for two weeks, let them soak in the container for a day. This will give the logs enough moisture for the shiitake mushrooms to grow.

Now you can start the seeding process to grow shiitake mushrooms. Start with a drill with an 8 1/2-millimeter bit to drill the first row of holes in the wet logs. Each of these holes should be five inches apart and an inch and a half deep. The next line should be five inches diagonally from the first row of holes. Continue this process for the other two sides, creating a diamond shape.

The next step in the shiitake mushroom inoculation process is to insert the plugs into the logs for this, you can use a mallet. Then seal the dowels in the holes by brushing melted wax into each hole. Paraffin or cheese wax is the recommended wax, but while beeswax can also work, it can attract unwanted bees to your shiitake log. The wax will keep the log moist and prevent moss and mold from growing on it, allowing the shiitake mushrooms to grow freely.

The final step in the shiitake growing process is finding a well-shaded, open spot in your woods. However, if you don’t have a forest near your home, your house, apartment, condo, shed, or barn will do. Once you’ve placed the shiitake stems where you want them, wait for them to fruit. However, if there is a drought or you live in an arid area, such as the western United States, you will need to check your logs every two weeks to see if they need watering.

Your shiitake mushrooms are now ready to grow. You will have to wait between six and twelve months for your shiitake mushrooms to bear fruit. Once shiitake mushrooms fruit, they can fruit for three to five years. Ideally, you should wait until the shiitake plants are a reasonable size before harvesting. You now know everything you need to know about how to grow shiitake mushrooms from seed.

Resources

Clark, Belinda. 2018. “Time to get your shiitake together – grow shiitake on logs.” Accessed January 26, 2023, https://forestfungi.com.au/blogs/forest-fungi/time-to-get-your-shiitake-together-grow-shiitake-on-logs

Koncepts, Kapp. 2022. “How To Care For Your Logs.” Accessed January 26, 2023, https://2funguys.com/how-to-care-for-your-logs/#:~:text=2.,shady%20fence%20or%20a%20tree.

Lyon, Erica, et al. “Shiitake Mushroom Production: Inoculating Logs with Spawn”. Accessed 26, January 2023, https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/f-0040#:~:text=damage%20the%20bark.-,Inoculation,conditions%20for%20the%20spawn%20run.

Russell, Stephen. “The Essential Guide To Cultivating Mushrooms”. North Adams, Massachusetts. Storey Publishing. 2014.

Solderheim, Eric. 2014. “EXPERT TIP: “Choosing and Preparing Logs for Shiitake Mushroom Production”. Accessed 26, January 2023, https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/expert-tip-choosing-and-preparing-logs-for-shiitake-mushroom-production/#:~:text=For%20the%20sake%20of%20easy,from%20soaking%20to%20encourage%20fruiting.