Emma Wilson
If you're interested in growing mushrooms outdoors, mushroom log cultivation is a great low-tech and low-maintenance method that mimics how mushrooms grow in the wild. This technique involves inoculating freshly cut logs or stumps with mushroom plugs, which are small wooden dowel colonized with mushroom mycelium. The ideal time to plant mushroom plugs depends on various factors, including climate, temperature, and the type of mushroom being cultivated. In general, spring is considered the best season for planting mushroom logs, as it allows more time for mushrooms to colonize the logs before fruiting. In places with distinct seasons, like East Tennessee, February and March are ideal months due to the weather and sap run. For novice growers, shiitake plugs are recommended as they can grow on various types of hardwoods.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ideal time to plant mushroom plugs | - Spring is generally the best time to plant mushroom logs as it is the dormant season before the buds swell. |
- In East Tennessee, February and March are the best months to plug logs due to the weather and sap run.
- In warmer climates, planting can be done throughout most of the year.
- In cooler climates, it is best to plant in the spring or early summer to speed up the time from planting to picking.
- If your region experiences frost and heavy winters, plant at least four weeks before the first frost. | | Location | - North-facing wall out of the wind.
- Under a shady tree.
- Stack logs in a lean-to or log cabin style so that air can circulate.
- Logs should not be in contact with the bare ground.
- Logs should be kept in a shady area where precipitation is not impeded. | | Tools | - One-inch bristle paintbrush.
- 5/16″ drill bit.
- Mallet or hammer.
- Sealing wax. | | Process | - Soak logs for 12-24 hours before plugging with spawn, but allow the bark to dry out before plugging.
- Drill holes starting two inches from the end of the log and spacing them approximately six inches apart.
- Drill holes about one inch deep.
- Tap the plug spawn into the holes.
- Wax over with bees or soy wax. | | Time taken | - The mycelium will start producing fruiting bodies after a full year of growing and can produce every year for up to five years or more.
- Spring-inoculated logs may be ready to fruit their first mushrooms as soon as fall.
- Larger logs and those planted with plug spawn will take longer to colonize until fruiting. |
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What You'll Learn
The best time of year to plant mushroom plugs
The ideal time to plant mushroom plugs depends on whether you are growing them indoors or outdoors, and where you are located.
For outdoor growing, the best time of year to plant mushroom plugs is typically in the spring or early summer, especially in cooler climates. This allows you to capitalise on the shorter growing season and speed up the time from planting to harvesting your mushrooms. Spring is generally the best time to plant mushroom logs as it is the dormant season before buds swell. Logs can be stored and planted when daytime temperatures consistently reach 40°F or higher. However, logs should not be stored for too long, making spring ideal for planting. Furthermore, planting in the spring gives the mushrooms more time to colonise the log.
In East Tennessee, a good time to plug logs is in February and March due to the weather and the sap run. Logs plugged during this time have produced mushrooms within 4-5 months.
For indoor growing, mushroom plugs can be planted year-round in a climate-controlled room. Indoor growers often plant regularly on a scheduled cycle throughout the year to ensure continuous mushroom production.
It is important to note that mushroom plugs should be used within a certain timeframe after the tree has been felled, with some sources recommending plugging logs zero to two months from the date the tree was felled. Additionally, mushroom plugs should not be exposed to cold conditions in the first six weeks after inoculation.
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Location and climate considerations
The ideal time to plant mushroom plugs depends on whether you are growing them indoors or outdoors. Indoor growing can be done year-round in a climate-controlled room. Outdoor growing is more dependent on the seasons. Most mushroom varieties are perennial crops that can be planted throughout the growing season, starting when outside daytime temperatures reach 40 °F or higher. For growers in warmer climates, this may mean planting throughout most of the year. For cooler climates, it is best to plant in the spring or early summer to speed up the time from planting to picking. If your region experiences frost and heavy winters, plant at least four weeks before the first frost.
Spring is generally the best time to plant mushroom logs. Logs should be cut during the dormant season before buds swell in the spring and stored until daytime temperatures consistently reach 40 °F or higher. Logs should not be stored for longer than the warmer months, so spring planting is ideal. Planting in the spring also allows more of the growing season for the mushrooms to colonize the log. Once planted, most mushroom logs require a minimum of five months before producing mushrooms.
In East Tennessee, February and March are the best months to plug logs because of the weather and sap run. Logs plugged during this time have produced mushrooms in 4-5 months. However, successful log plugging can be done all year as long as the logs are recently cut (within the month) from a disease-free tree.
Mushrooms require a shady area with good moisture and airflow. A north-facing wall out of the wind or under a shady tree is ideal. Slugs can be a problem, so you may need to move the log to a slug-free area while it is fruiting. Stack logs so that air can freely circulate over most of the surface. Logs should not touch the bare ground, where competing fungi may be present. Pavers or bricks can be used as barriers. Avoid excessive drying of logs.
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Preparing the logs
Selecting the Logs
Choose freshly cut hardwood logs such as oak, maple, birch, alder, beech, or cottonwood. Ensure the logs are free from any signs of disease, decay, or other contamination. The logs should be cut during the dormant season (winter) and used within a month for optimal results. The ideal diameter is 4 to 10 inches, and the length should be consistent at 2 to 4 feet.
Soaking the Logs
Before drilling and plugging the logs, it is recommended to soak them for 12-24 hours. However, if the logs are less than ten days old, soaking is not necessary. Allow the bark to dry before plugging, and start the soaking process two days before plugging to ensure adequate drying time.
Drilling the Logs
Use a 5/16-inch drill bit to create holes in the logs. Set the drill bit to approximately one inch in depth. Starting about 2 inches from the end of the log, drill holes spaced 4 to 8 inches apart in a diamond or triangular pattern. Create staggered rows about 1 to 4 inches apart. Drill the holes 1 to 1.25 inches deep.
Inserting the Plugs
Tap the mushroom plugs into the drilled holes using a mallet or hammer. Ensure the plugs are tight and below the bark, flush with the wood, leaving space for sealing. If the holes are larger, use a rubber mallet to secure the plugs, and make sure they are below the bark.
Sealing the Plugs
Seal the plugs and the log ends with wax to prevent contamination and retain moisture. Melt wax, such as cheese wax or beeswax, in a double boiler or a heat-resistant container placed in boiling water. Pour or dab a small amount of melted wax over the plugs and log ends to seal them.
Now that your logs are prepared and plugged, you can move on to the next steps of caring for your future mushroom crop!
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Drilling and plugging techniques
Drilling Techniques:
Before drilling, it is important to select the right log. The log should be freshly cut, typically within zero to two months from the date the tree was felled. Hardwoods such as aspen, birch, poplar, oak, and maple are commonly used, while softwoods and fruit trees are generally avoided. The log should be cut to a manageable length, typically between 2 and 4 feet, and aim for a diameter of 6 to 10 inches.
When drilling, use a drill bit that matches the size of your mushroom plugs, usually 5/16-inch or 3/8-inch. Drill holes starting about 2 inches from the end of the log, spacing them approximately 4 to 8 inches apart. Create staggered rows about 1 to 3 inches apart, forming a diamond pattern around the log surface. Drill the holes about 1 to 1-1/4 inches deep, ensuring they are deep enough to accommodate the plugs. Clear the sawdust and woodchips from the holes to make room for the plugs.
Plugging Techniques:
After drilling, tap the mushroom plugs into the holes using a mallet or hammer. Ensure the plugs are flush with the wood of the log, leaving space for sealing. If the holes are too large, wax may be necessary to fill the gaps and ensure proper contact between the plug and the wood.
Once the plugs are in place, seal the holes with wax to prevent them from drying out. You can use paraffin wax, beeswax, or soy wax for this purpose. Melt the wax in a crockpot or old pot on low heat, being careful not to ruin the pot for future cooking. Apply a generous amount of melted wax over each hole, as well as any areas where the bark is damaged or branches were removed.
It is important to note that the drilling and plugging process should take place soon after the log is cut, preferably within the same month, to ensure the health of the log and reduce the risk of contamination.
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Aftercare and maintenance
Once you've planted your mushroom plugs, the waiting game begins. Mushroom cultivation is a low-tech and low-maintenance process, but it requires patience. The plugs need time to colonize the logs, and the mushrooms will only emerge when the weather conditions are right. This can take anywhere from six to eighteen months, depending on the fungus strain, log size, and environmental conditions.
During the incubation period, proper hydration is critical. Keep your logs off the ground and out of direct sunlight. You can stack them in a lean-to or log cabin style, ensuring that air can freely circulate over most of the surface of the logs. Avoid excessive drying of the logs, and water them if natural rainfall is insufficient.
It's important to protect your logs from competing fungi and bacteria. Keep them in a shady area, and allow the bark to dry periodically to prevent unwanted fungal growth. A north-facing wall out of the wind is ideal, or you can place them under a shady tree. Slugs can also be a problem, so you may need to bring the logs inside to a slug-free area while they are fruiting.
To force your logs to fruit, soak them for 24 hours. However, keep in mind that the more often you force fruiting, the shorter the life expectancy of your logs. We recommend a four- to six-week resting period between forced fruitings. For Shiitake logs, you can initiate a good flush by beating the ends with a baseball bat or rock after soaking, but be careful not to damage the bark.
With careful management and the right conditions, each log should produce around two pounds of mushrooms over its lifetime, providing you with seasonal crops for years to come.
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Frequently asked questions
The best time to plant mushroom plugs is in early spring, specifically in February and March. This is because logs are typically stored until planting when daytime temperatures reach 40°F or higher, which happens in spring. Spring planting also allows more of the growing season for the mushrooms to colonize the log.
Mushrooms will typically start growing 5-18 months after planting, depending on the strain and temperature. If planted in spring, you may be able to get your first mushrooms in the fall of the same year. However, it is not uncommon for mushroom logs to take until the following year to produce their first mushrooms.
Mushroom plugs can produce mushrooms for up to five years or even longer, depending on how long the log takes to fully decompose.
