Emma Wilson
Mushroom cultivation is a rewarding process that requires patience and precision. To begin, it is important to understand the seven main steps of mushroom growth: strain selection, substrate preparation, inoculation, incubation, initiation, fruiting, and harvest. This introduction will focus on the inoculation step, specifically when to plug spores. The best time to inoculate logs with mushroom plugs is in late winter, when logs have higher sugar concentrations. Some species, like Oyster mushrooms, have shorter incubation periods and can be planted in late winter to fruit in the fall of the same year. Before inoculating, it is crucial to gather the right tools, such as a one-inch bristle paintbrush, a 5/16 bit, and hardwood dowels laced with mushroom mycelium, also known as plug spawn.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushroom cultivation methods | Using mushroom plugs, All-in-One-Bag, growing from spores |
| Mushroom types | Oysters, Shiitake, Agaricus, Cubes, Button mushrooms |
| Mushroom plugs | Hardwood dowels laced with mushroom mycelium, plugged into freshly-cut logs or stumps |
| Mushroom plug species | Oysters, Shiitake |
| Mushroom plug inoculation time | Late winter, after the last frost date in your local area |
| Mushroom plug incubation period | 9 months to 2 years |
| Mushroom plug fruiting period | Seasonal crops for up to 5 years or longer |
| Mushroom spore collection | Remove the cap from a mature mushroom, place it gill-side down on a sterile surface, and collect the spores |
| Mushroom spore cultivation | Inoculate a prepared substrate (like compost or substrate blocks) with the collected spores, keep conditions humid and dark |
| Mushroom spore sterilization | Use distilled water boiled 2-3 times, sterilize syringe needle by holding it in a flame for a few seconds |
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What You'll Learn
The best time to plug spores into logs is late winter
Choosing the Right Mushroom Species
When plugging spores into logs, it's important to choose the right mushroom species. Oyster mushrooms and Shiitake mushrooms are great species to start with. Oysters are a low-tech option that can be grown on straw, and they have a shorter incubation period. Shiitake mushrooms, on the other hand, have a longer incubation period and may take up to two years to produce mushroom bodies.
Preparing the Logs
To prepare your logs for spore plugging, you'll need a few tools such as a one-inch bristle paintbrush, a 5/16" bit, and a mallet or hammer. Freshly cut logs or stumps are ideal for spore plugging. Drill holes about six to eight inches apart down the length of the log, creating a line of holes every three inches around the log to form a diamond pattern. Tap your plug spawn into the holes, making sure they sit just below the bark and are flush with the wood.
The Cultivation Process
Once you've plugged the spores into the logs, it will take about a year for the mycelium to start producing fruiting bodies. This process can vary depending on how long the log takes to fully decompose, but you can expect seasonal crops for up to five years or more. Growing mushroom logs is a waiting game, but the payoff is worth it as you'll get to enjoy your own backyard mushroom farm!
Sterilization and Contamination Prevention
It's important to prioritize sterilization and contamination prevention throughout the cultivation process. Always sanitize your work area, hands, and equipment, and wear a mask and gloves. Contamination can easily ruin your crop, so make sure to follow best practices to create a sterile environment for your mushrooms to grow.
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How to collect mushroom spores
Mushroom spores are the "seeds" of mushrooms. Each mushroom produces spores by the millions, and they are microscopic in size. To collect mushroom spores, gently remove the cap of a mature mushroom and place it on a sterile surface, such as paper or foil. The spores will fall from the cap and create a print on the paper that replicates the gill pattern of the mushroom. This is called a spore print and can be used to cultivate and grow mushrooms.
To create a spore syringe, work in a sterile environment and use distilled water that has been boiled 2-3 times to ensure any bacteria has been eliminated. Make sure the syringe needle is sterile by holding it in a flame for a few seconds. Rehydrate the spores using the sterile water and use the syringe to inoculate the growing medium.
Another method of collecting spores is to create a spore solution. Mix the spores with water and squirt them around your yard and planter beds where there is composted material. This method is super low-tech but also has a low success rate. It is not recommended as it often leads to contamination and can be expensive.
If you are a beginner, Oyster mushrooms are a good variety to start with as they are beginner-friendly and have a shorter incubation period. They can be grown indoors using kits or substrates.
Once you have collected the spores, you can move on to the process of inoculation, colonisation, and fruiting. Supplies you will need include gloves, masks, 70% isopropyl alcohol, a spray bottle for the alcohol, a lighter, and syringes. Sterilisation is extremely important, as contamination can easily ruin your work. Always put on a mask and gloves, and sanitise your work area, hands, and equipment before beginning.
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Preparing the substrate
Firstly, choose the right substrate for your mushroom type. Cardboard is a good option for beginners as it is cheap and easy to find, and it retains moisture well. Straw is another inexpensive and effective option, and coffee grounds can also be used, although this is more prone to contamination.
Once you have your substrate, you will need to add water and potentially extra nutrients. If using straw, you can add supplements like straw or coffee grounds to provide additional nutrients. You may also want to use chemicals like peroxide or calcium hydroxide, or ferment the straw for a week or more.
The next step is to sterilize or pasteurize the substrate. This kills off any competing mould or bacteria. You can do this by putting your substrate in an oven or autoclave, but this will dry out your substrate, so you will need to rehydrate it with distilled water afterward.
Finally, once your substrate is sterilized and in its final container, you can inoculate it with mushroom spawn or spores. This is the introduction of spores or spawn into the substrate, which will then grow and produce mushrooms.
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Inoculation methods
Inoculation is the process of introducing mushroom spores or mycelium into a suitable substrate to kickstart the growth of your chosen mushroom species. The substrate refers to any material that is a food source for mushroom mycelium. The inoculation method you choose will depend on your goals, experience, and the mushroom species you want to grow.
Grain-to-grain inoculation
This method involves transferring colonized grains to new sterilized grains for expansion. First, inoculate a small amount of sterilized grains with spores or mycelium. Then, allow the grains to fully colonize. Next, transfer the colonized grains to a larger batch of sterilized grains. Repeat the process to create a larger inoculum.
Plug spawn inoculation
This method is commonly used for outdoor mushroom cultivation, especially for species like Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms. Drill holes into logs or wooden dowels. Then, inoculate the holes with mushroom mycelium plugs. Seal the holes and wait for colonization to occur within the log.
Spore syringe inoculation
Spore syringe inoculation is one of the most common methods for mushroom cultivation, especially for gourmet mushrooms. It involves injecting a spore solution into a sterilized grain spawn. Prepare a spore print or spore syringe containing the mushroom spores. Sterilize your substrate (commonly a mix of vermiculite and brown rice flour).
Through-spawning
Through-spawning refers to shaking the substrate after inoculation to distribute the spawn throughout the substrate. This method generally results in shorter colonization times. Layering is a form of through spawning and involves adding alternating layers of spawn and substrate. This method is often used when growing mushrooms outdoors in beds.
Top-spawning
Top-spawning is the process of adding the spawn on top of the substrate and letting it grow down.
Other methods
Other inoculation methods include using agar culture, liquid culture, or cloning mushrooms using mushroom tissue on an agar plate.
Timing
The optimal time for inoculating mushroom logs is in early spring when the logs are still fresh. However, it is possible to inoculate logs in winter, provided the right conditions, especially temperature and humidity, are maintained.
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Incubation and colonisation
Incubation
Incubation is the period after inoculation, during which the mycelium grows vegetatively. The mycelium is the portion of the mushroom that grows underground and can be considered the "roots" of a mushroom.
Colonisation
Colonisation occurs after inoculation. This is when the mycelium starts to take over the grain that was inoculated with spores. This period usually lasts between three to six weeks, depending on the strain and environmental conditions. The ideal conditions for this phase are in a dark place with a temperature between 72 F and 80 F.
Inoculation
Inoculation is the introduction of spores or spawn into a substrate. The substrate is any material that is a food source for mushroom mycelium. Substrates generally don't have enough nutrients to support mushroom growth. Therefore, the conventional method is to inoculate sterile grains to make mushroom grain spawn. Once the grain spawn is colonised and free of contamination, you can mix the grain spawn with the substrate.
Spawn
Spawn is intentionally cultivated mycelium from a known species that has been isolated, generally in a sterile lab facility, to ensure it is free of outside contaminants. Spawn comes in three common forms: grain, sawdust, and plug.
Substrate
Preparation of the substrate will depend on the grower's goals, available resources, and infrastructure. Lower-tech methods tend to use low-nitrogen, high-carbon materials like oyster mushrooms on straw or shiitake on logs. Higher-tech methods generally use higher-nutrient materials to increase the speed of colonisation and yield.
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Frequently asked questions
The best time of year to inoculate logs with mushroom plugs is in late winter, when logs have higher concentrations of sugar. Some species are more delicate and need to be inoculated after the last frost date in your local area.
First, use a 5/16″ bit to drill holes about six to eight inches apart, starting about two inches from the end of the log. Drill down the length of the log and make a line of holes every three inches around the log to create a grid of holes in a diamond pattern. Next, tap your plug spawn into the holes using a mallet or hammer. Finally, seal the holes with melted sealing wax.
First, collect spores by removing the stem from a fresh, healthy mushroom and placing the cap gill-side down on a piece of paper or foil. Optionally, add a drop of water on the cap. Cover with a bowl and leave for 24 hours. Then, remove the bowl and cap to reveal your spores. To grow mushrooms, re-hydrate the spores using sterile water and inject them into a growing medium, such as sterilized grain or substrate blocks.
