Emily Johnson
Maitake mushrooms, also known as Sheepshead, Hen of the Woods, or Grifola frondosa, are highly prized for their culinary and medicinal uses. They are often compared to shiitake mushrooms in flavour and use, and are believed to have anti-cancer properties. These mushrooms are slightly parasitic to their host trees, so they require a different planting strategy than most other log-grown mushrooms. To grow maitake mushrooms, you'll need to cut logs from healthy, living oak trees, and treat them by pressure cooking, steaming, or boiling. After treatment, the logs are inoculated and incubated indoors for 2-3 months, then planted outdoors by partially burying them in a shaded spot, leaving the top exposed.
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right wood
The oak logs should be cut from healthy, living trees or branches. Avoid using diseased trees or logs that have been on the ground for a long time, as they will not work well. Cut logs that weigh more than 2 pounds (1 kg) and are around 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter and 8 to 11 inches (20 to 28 cm) long. This size works well for bags, pressure cookers, or large pots.
White, red, or bur oak trees are the best sources for oak logs. If you plan to use plug spawn, drill holes in the logs before heat-treating them. Heat treatment is an essential step to kill any competitor organisms and can be done through pressure cooking, steaming, or boiling. Pressure cooking is the recommended method, but steaming or boiling are effective alternatives if you don't have access to a pressure cooker.
After heat treatment, the logs should be inoculated and incubated indoors for 2-3 months. Then, they can be planted outdoors by partially burying them in a shaded spot, leaving the top exposed to allow the mushrooms to breathe.
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Sterilisation and incubation
Firstly, sterilisation. This step is essential to prevent unwanted bacterial and mould growth and to prevent contamination. There are several ways to sterilise the substrate, including:
- Soaking the substrate in a bath of hydrated lime-treated cold water for 24 hours. This raises the pH of the water, destroying pollutants.
- Soaking the substrate in hydrogen peroxide water for an hour will kill foreign germs and competitor spores.
- Using a pressure cooker at 15 psi for 90 minutes. This method is particularly effective for killing any potential competitor organisms.
- Sterilising wood chunks in a pressure cooker, or steaming/boiling the wood.
After sterilisation, it is important to let the substrate cool completely before inoculation. This can take 8 hours or more and will prevent thermal shock to the spawn.
Once the substrate has been sterilised and cooled, it is ready for incubation. The incubation period for Maitake mushrooms is typically between 2 and 4 weeks, and the environment must be carefully controlled. The ideal temperature for incubation is 70°F (21°C), and the area should be dark and sealed to prevent any light from entering. It is also important to ensure that the relative humidity is maintained at the correct level during this period.
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Burying the log
Now it's time to bury the log. Choose a shady spot outdoors and bury the log vertically, leaving the top exposed. This mimics the natural habitat of maitake mushrooms and encourages fruiting. Mark the location of your buried log so you can find it later. Maitake mushrooms will fruit from the top of the colonized log and emerge through the layer of soil above the log. In the right conditions, they can fruit for seven years or more.
The best time to harvest maitake mushrooms is typically late summer to fall, about a year after you've buried the logs. Look for the fronds to reach a length of 1-2 inches; this is when they are most succulent and ready for harvest. Harvest the mushrooms by gently twisting and pulling them off to avoid damaging the log and encourage future yields. After harvesting, clean the mushrooms thoroughly to remove any debris.
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Maitake mushroom growth
Maitake mushrooms, also known as Hen of the Woods, are highly prized for their culinary and medicinal uses. They are often compared to shiitake mushrooms in flavour and use. They are slow-growing and require more patience than other mushrooms, but the rewards are richer flavour and higher nutritional value.
Maitake mushrooms grow outdoors on oak logs. They are slightly parasitic to their host trees and require a different method than most other log-grown mushrooms. The best logs are cut from white, red, or bur oak trees. Logs should be cut from healthy, living branches, weighing more than 2 pounds (1 kg) and around 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter and 8-11 inches (20-28 cm) long.
Before burying the logs, they must be sterilised by pressure cooking, steaming, or boiling to kill any potential competitor organisms. Then, the logs are incubated in sealed bags with a filter until fully colonised. Finally, they are buried outdoors in a shady spot, with just the top exposed, mimicking the natural habitat of Hen of the Woods.
Maitake mushrooms will fruit from the top of the colonised log and emerge through the layer of soil. They typically take a year or more to fruit, and growers should look out for them in late summer to fall. Harvest the mushrooms when the caps are 1-2 inches long, gently pulling and twisting the cluster to avoid damaging the log and encouraging future growth.
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Harvesting and storage
Maitake mushrooms are typically ready for harvest in late summer or fall, about a year after burying the logs. The fronds should be 1-2 inches long, and the caps should be 1-2 inches long with their edges still turned under. This is when they are most succulent and ready for harvest. Harvesting is done by gently twisting and pulling the mushrooms to avoid damaging the mycelium, which encourages future growth.
After harvesting, the mushrooms need to be cleaned thoroughly to remove any dirt and debris. Use a soft brush or a damp cloth to gently wipe away any dirt. Avoid soaking the mushrooms in water, as they can quickly absorb moisture and become soggy. Examine the mushrooms for any damaged or discolored areas and trim them away with a sharp knife. If the mushroom has a tough, woody base, remove it.
Maitake mushrooms are best consumed quickly, as they have a delicate texture. If you need to store them, place them in a paper bag or wrap them loosely in a damp paper towel to maintain their moisture without making them too damp. They can be stored in the refrigerator, ideally in the vegetable crisper drawer, where the humidity is slightly higher. Maitake mushrooms should keep well for up to a week, but it is best to use them within a few days for optimal flavor and texture.
If you want to store the mushrooms for longer, you can freeze them. To freeze maitake mushrooms, place them in airtight containers or bags to prevent freezer burn. Cook the mushrooms straight from frozen to maintain their texture and flavor.
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Frequently asked questions
Maitake mushrooms grow almost exclusively on oak species. The best logs are cut from white, red, or bur oak trees.
Logs should be sterilised by pressure cooking, steaming, or boiling to kill any potential competitor organisms. After sterilisation, the logs are inoculated and incubated indoors for 2-3 months.
Bury the logs outdoors in a shady spot, partially, with just the top exposed. This mimics the natural habitat of maitake mushrooms and allows them to breathe.
Harvest the maitake mushrooms when the fronds have grown 1-2 inches long, typically from late summer to fall, about a year after burying the logs.
