Emma Wilson
Mushroom logs are a great way to grow your own mushrooms at home. The process is simple and can yield multiple years' worth of mushrooms without needing to re-inoculate the logs. The traditional log method and the pillar (totem) method are the two primary inoculation techniques. The type of mushroom, size of the log, environment, and season of inoculation all influence how long it takes for the mushrooms to grow. It is critical to select logs from healthy trees and to avoid logs with rotted wood or signs of infection. Mushroom logs should be placed in an area with no direct sunlight, access to water, and open air.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of Mushrooms | Shiitake, Oyster, Lion's Mane, Chicken of the Woods, Maitake, Button |
| Types of Wood | Hardwoods, Softwoods |
| Examples of Hardwoods | Oak, Maple, Beech, Alder, Sweet Gum |
| Examples of Softwoods | Pine, Fir, Spruce, Eucalyptus |
| Ideal Time to Cut Logs | Late Winter or Early Spring |
| Inoculation Window | 1-6 weeks after cutting |
| Ideal Diameter for Drilling Methods | 4-6" |
| Ideal Length for Drilling Methods | 3-4' |
| Ideal Diameter for Totem Method | Up to 12" |
| Ideal Height for Totem Method | 6-18" |
| Time to First Crop | 6 months to 2 years |
| Production Duration | 6-7 years |
| Spawn Type | Plug Spawn, Sawdust Spawn |
| Spawn Cost | Sawdust Spawn is cheaper |
| Spawn Speed | Sawdust Spawn is faster |
| Watering | Soak once a month, no direct sun |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right type of wood
Mushrooms are flexible organisms and can grow on a variety of trees. However, matching the mushroom to the correct log species will produce a higher or more consistent yield.
In general, most edible mushrooms grow on deciduous, hardwood trees. Hardwoods like oak, maple, beech, and alder are typically preferred for mushroom cultivation as they provide a more hospitable environment for many types of mushrooms, leading to better colonisation, growth, and yields. Oaks and hard maples are the preferred wood types for most mushroom species because they are very dense and offer plenty of nutrition for a longer, sustained fruiting period. The natural tannins found in oak also help to deter competing fungi, ensuring a healthier mushroom crop.
Coniferous and/or softwoods are not generally recommended due to their rapid decay and contamination by competing fungi and bacteria. However, there are exceptions. For example, Italian oyster mushrooms can grow on some pine family trees, and Phoenix Oyster mushrooms prefer spruce. Poplars and other soft hardwoods will colonise faster and produce mushrooms sooner, but they don't yield as much or for as many years. That being said, oyster mushrooms will be more successful on poplars and aspens than oaks or maples.
When selecting a log species, it is crucial to consider the specific requirements of the mushroom species you intend to grow. Some mushrooms have specific preferences for certain log species, while others are more adaptable. It is always recommended to research the particular needs of the mushroom species you plan to cultivate and choose the log species accordingly.
Other factors to consider when selecting the best tree species for mushroom cultivation include moisture content, nutrient availability, pH level, and the presence of certain compounds in the wood. The wood should be slightly acidic, as mushrooms thrive in such conditions. It is also important to choose healthy trees, as rotted wood or evidence of infection faces an increased risk of competition with pre-existing fungi in the logs.
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Inoculation methods
Inoculation is the process of transferring mushroom mycelium from one growth medium to another. In this case, fresh logs are exposed to sawdust spawn, which is mycelium (the mushroom organism) growing on sawdust. The mycelium grows from these inoculation sites into the rest of the wood, a process known as incubation.
Logs should be cut from healthy, living trees and plugged zero to two months from when the tree was felled. The best time of year to cut is winter to spring when the trees are completely dormant.
The first step in inoculation is to drill holes in the wood. An angle grinder with an adapter is often used for its high speed and power, and a special drill bit with a stop to ensure the hole is the right depth. A diamond pattern is drilled so that all parts of the log have an equal chance of getting colonized by the mushroom mycelium. Each log may have between 50 and 250 holes, depending on its diameter.
The holes are then packed with spawn and covered with wax to seal in moisture and reduce contamination by competing fungi species. Cheese wax or paraffin wax can be used, but paraffin contains petroleum. The wax should be very hot when applied to ensure an airtight, flexible seal.
After inoculation, the logs are stacked in preparation for incubation. They should be kept in full shade with access to water and allowed to get wet in the rain. The logs will get lighter in weight over time as the fungus eats the lignin and cellulose and converts it into mushrooms.
It can take anywhere from four months to two years for the mushrooms to grow, depending on the mushroom and wood species.
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Placement and care
Mushroom logs should be placed in a consistently shady and wind-sheltered spot outside, out of direct sunlight. They can be placed directly on the ground, or propped up on an object like a brick or a rock. If you are placing the log directly on the ground, you can bury one end a couple of inches below the surface so that it can wick moisture from the soil. This will eliminate the need for watering, except during extended periods of little to no rainfall. If you are propping the log up, it should be elevated off the ground by a few inches.
If you are growing your mushroom log indoors, it should still be placed in the open air, out of standing water, and in a spot that gets no direct sun. The fungi still need air that moves, so avoid closed spaces like a box, cabinet, or closet.
To keep your mushroom log healthy, the key is to ensure it remains well-hydrated. Logs should not be allowed to dry out, as this will kill the fungus. You can check if your log needs water by picking it up and feeling its weight. If it feels light, it may need to be soaked. Logs should be soaked in non-chlorinated water for no more than 24 hours. Soaking for longer than this will cause the bark to fall off. You can use tap water, but you will need to let it sit for at least 24 hours before placing your log in the container to allow the chlorine to evaporate. Logs should be soaked at the beginning and end of each season, and after harvesting.
If you are growing your mushrooms outdoors, the logs should be able to receive natural rainfall. In times of drought, you can give them extra water with a garden hose. Logs should be flipped end over end once every few weeks. It is always a good idea to keep an eye on the logs and check for healthy white mycelium.
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Harvesting
Oyster mushrooms have a short incubation time, so it is possible to harvest them from logs in the autumn of the same year they were inoculated. Logs can produce oyster mushrooms from spring to autumn once established, and they can be harvested for up to seven years from the same log.
Shiitake mushrooms can be harvested by grasping the lower portion of the stem and pulling the mushroom from the log with a slight twisting motion. They can also be cut as close as possible to the log surface with a sharp knife or scissors. To minimize the accumulation of bark flecks and other debris on unpicked mushrooms, pick the mushrooms from the bottom of the log and work your way up. After harvesting, the stems can be trimmed to remove any remaining debris. Picked mushrooms should be placed in a basket, box, paper bag, or other breathable containers. Avoid plastic bags as they can cause the mushrooms to decompose faster.
The optimal time to harvest logs is during the colder months. During this time, trees are in a state of dormancy, so their sugar concentration is higher and their bark is more bonded to the tree. To promote mycelial growth and inhibit pinning, the moisture content of the logs should be maintained between 30% and 40%. Warm temperatures, between 60°F and 77°F, will speed up the recovery of the logs, after which they can be soaked for another flush of mushrooms.
To ensure a successful harvest, it is important to keep the logs properly watered and protected from freezing temperatures and direct sunlight. Logs should be placed in a laying or stacking position that works best for your site and left to rest for one to three months.
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Troubleshooting
- The ideal time to cut logs is late winter or early spring when the leaves have fallen off the trees or have not emerged from the branches in the spring. If you are inoculating more than 15 logs, you can cut them year-round.
- Logs should be inoculated within a week or two of cutting. The window of inoculating hardwood logs is anywhere from 1 week to 6 weeks after cutting.
- Logs should be inoculated within a week or two before another fungus starts to take hold of the log.
- If logs are inoculated in the spring, the mycelium will likely fully colonize the logs by winter.
- Generally, it can take anywhere from 6 to 24 months for your logs to fruit, depending on the size, type of logs, your environment, and the strain of the mushroom you planted.
- The mycelium (mushroom spawn growth) typically takes 6-12 months from the inoculation date shown on the tag before it starts fruiting.
- Mushrooms need temperature fluctuations and moisture/humidity to grow and produce fruit.
- If your logs dried out, soak them and then remove them after 24 hours.
- If your logs are outdoors, slugs, beetles, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer might be a problem. Protect your logs with some kind of barrier, like fencing.
- If you are using an angle grinder to drill holes for sawdust inoculation, purchase a bit specifically manufactured for high-speed drilling. Do not use a regular drill bit for high speed.
- If your mushroom type has recently fruited, forcing will probably not work.
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Frequently asked questions
The ideal time to cut logs is when the leaves have fallen off the trees or have not emerged in the spring. If you are inoculating more than 15 logs, cut them in the fall, stack them, and cover them with a tarp to overwinter, then inoculate in the spring.
Any size log will work, but smaller diameters will colonize faster. For drilling methods, a 4-6” diameter with a 3-4’ length is ideal. For the totem method, they can be up to a foot or more in diameter and 6-18” high.
Keep your log in the open air, out of standing water, and with no direct sun. Soak it once a month and be patient. Place it somewhere with moving air, but not too much, and not too hot or dry.
There are several ways to stack shiitake logs, including log cabin style, leaning them against trees, or laying one log down on the ground and then placing several logs perpendicular to it.
You can use paraffin, cheese, or beeswax to seal your logs and prevent moisture loss.
