Hi all, I just wanted to see if anyone else here dabbles with growing their own mushrooms?
For the last few years I have been inoculating logs with Shiitake mushrooms. This year we added Lions Mane and Wine Caps to the garden. I can take some photos when they get going. We wont see the Lions Mane till next year but should have a good crop of Shiitake and Wine Caps going by the end of summer.
How has it worked for you!? I’ve been interested in trying to grow our own as well. I’ve seen the “mushroom” logs you can make or buy, but I’m intimidated lol. What process do you do to grow your own? What kind of yield do you get?
Just keep the log moist and in the shade?
I stopped the inoculating three or four years ago when I found out I was allergic to mushrooms, but I still have Shitaki logs and some Oyster logs that produce if we get wet weather at the right time. Ma eats them up. My favorite was the Shitakis. I had four different strains. Some were dinner plate sized.
If you have the time, the space and the hankering to try growing them, then its likely worth the effort. Once the grow are is established there isn’t a whole lot to do other than baby sit them periodically. When they fire up you’ll be swimming in mushrooms, especially about the second year’s fall period. Keeping the logs hydrated is essential.
How has it worked for you!?What process do you do to grow your own? What kind of yield do you get?
Its super easy to be honest. They sell a smaller kit that sell wood dowels and the wax so the only tool you need is a drill, hammer and a small crock pot or something to melt the wax. Here is a photo of the 1st two logs I did with this method.
The last two years I joined a group of guys and we use sawdust spawn and he has all the tools for inoculating fast. We can run about 150-200 logs in a day and everyone gets to take a few home. I believe I have about 30 logs now so will get more mushrooms that a guy can use.
Wine caps are grown in the ground. You can buy 5 lbs of sawdust spawn for 25 bucks and this species will grow right in your straw garden covering or wood mulch. I am finishing my garden bed tonight and will take a photo. It is 6×6 ft and will hold all my logs and the ground cover will be wine caps. Looking forward to seeing how it does.
shiitake-logs.jpg
Just keep the log moist and in the shade?
Yep! cool, shaded areas that get moisture or you can water them yourself as well. You can also purge/soak the logs in water to speed the process and force them to grow. However this will burn out your logs fast. Most logs will produce for 4-6 years but if you push them hard by soaking it will cut that cycle in half.
If I have plans to cook a big meal and need a few pounds of mushrooms you can soak the one or two logs 8-10 days before this. I usually soak mine for 1.5 days and then stand them up in a shaded area. The Shiitake’s will go crazy (20-25 per log) and be mature in 7-8 days after a good soaking.
I’ve been working my way through a huge pile of maple chips from storm damage in June 2022. Would those chips be useable for wine caps? It was loaded with some type of white mycelium on the south facing side once I got into the wetter stuff two weeks ago. Would that be detrimental to another type of fungus?
Its super easy to be honest. They sell a smaller kit that sell wood dowels and the wax so the only tool you need is a drill, hammer and a small crock pot or something to melt the wax. Here is a photo of the 1st two logs I did with this method.
The last two years I joined a group of guys and we use sawdust spawn and he has all the tools for inoculating fast. We can run about 150-200 logs in a day and everyone gets to take a few home. I believe I have about 30 logs now so will get more mushrooms that a guy can use.
Wine caps are grown in the ground. You can buy 5 lbs of sawdust spawn for 25 bucks and this species will grow right in your straw garden covering or wood mulch. I am finishing my garden bed tonight and will take a photo. It is 6×6 ft and will hold all my logs and the ground cover will be wine caps. Looking forward to seeing how it does.
Great info! Thank you. I’m going to have to give it a go. Love fresh mushrooms. Hopefully we’ll get a break in the rain tomorrow and can get some foraging in. It’d be awesome to be able to walk into the backyard though!
Post a pic of your mushroom garden when you get it going! I need ideas. 
I’ve been working my way through a huge pile of maple chips from storm damage in June 2022. Would those chips be useable for wine caps? It was loaded with some type of white mycelium on the south facing side once I got into the wetter stuff two weeks ago. Would that be detrimental to another type of fungus?
I am sure the Wine Caps would do good in those chips. Its good material for them. The issue with foreign mycelium is that its just more competition for the Wine Caps. Maybe add in some straw to give it a good kick start when you spread the sawdust spawn for the wine caps. I am sure it will work fine either way. You will just get less mushrooms and want to make sure you picking the correct species if there is other mycelium in there!
Post a pic of your mushroom garden when you get it going! I need ideas.
Here is how my garden ended up. The vines will give me some good head cover once they get green. I lined the bottom with cardboard and then layered straw and hardwood chips. 3 layers of each with sawdust spawn spread in the straw layers. About 7-8 inches of straw and wood chips total. The logs are all Shiitake logs. I will add more next year if it goes good in the box.
Mushroom-Garden.jpg
I am sure the Wine Caps would do good in those chips. Its good material for them. The issue with foreign mycelium is that its just more competition for the Wine Caps. Maybe add in some straw to give it a good kick start when you spread the sawdust spawn for the wine caps. I am sure it will work fine either way. You will just get less mushrooms and want to make sure you picking the correct species if there is other mycelium in there!
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That’s a really good point. I’ll keep using the chips as mulch and walking paths around the garden. I’m barely confident enough to positively ID a morel.
Dear God I have enough hobbies already…why do you taunt me 
I’m closing my eyes and shaking my head to pretend I never read this thread 
Cool, I think I will give this a try. Where do you get sawdust spawn?
Here is how my garden ended up. The vines will give me some good head cover once they get green. I lined the bottom with cardboard and then layered straw and hardwood chips. 3 layers of each with sawdust spawn spread in the straw layers. About 7-8 inches of straw and wood chips total. The logs are all Shiitake logs. I will add more next year if it goes good in the box.
Thanks for all the info! This is on my to-do list.
Cool, I think I will give this a try. Where do you get sawdust spawn?
There are many suppliers. This is the product I used for the wine caps. If your looking for shiitake and want to start small then look into the wood dowels for inoculating logs. Super easy!
Came across this site for buying mushrooms and supplies – North Spore. Question for those growing, looking specifically at the Shiitake mushrooms. If am using logs, I am thinking of laying the grow/spore logs on some old logs or pallets laid on the ground so they are close to the ground to keep moist, is this a good idea? Other questions is how many grows do you get, meaning do you have to harvest so they grow again and how many years would a log last/produce? Not sure if this is worth it if you don’t use mushrooms for cooking all the time. Thoughts?
Do the logs have to be older or can you use green logs the first year?
North Spore had a video on making the logs, not much on after and how you harvest or how often. They used fresh cut 4-6” oak or maple (preferred) after they leafed out to help with the mycelium growth I believe so there was sap in the logs for Shiitake mushrooms. They had a chart showing what type of logs were good for the different types of mushrooms, so it looks like depending on what type of mushroom would determine what type of tree was used, but just guessing.
Do the logs have to be older or can you use green logs the first year?
Green cut logs before the leaves come on is best.. This is when the tree has the most sap and energy in it. However you can use summer cut or old logs. You will just get lower harvest from old logs.
You will not see mushrooms the 1st year. I lay the logs down on pallets or old logs at this time and let them (incubate) in a cool and moist area. After this you can lean them up or stack them log cabin style. They just need room for the mushrooms grow and harvest at this point.
White or red oak logs are best. 4-5 inch diameter but can use larger or smaller.
Second choice is a hard maple.
Avoid locust, ash or any evergreen. I might play with cottonwood, elm, or soft poplar just to try it sometime. I can get piles of elm and do not see it mentioned. Would have to believe it works good.
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