Shiitake Mushroom Logs

Grow delicious and nutritious shiitake mushrooms in any shaded location with this step-by-step guide. Each log will produce about 2 to 3 pounds of mushrooms.

You Will Need:

• Healthy white oak log, approximately 6 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 feet long at most
• Drill with 5/16-inch drill bit
• Rubber mallet
• Wood dowels, inoculated with shiitake mycelium (available from fieldforest.net or fungi.com)
• Wax for melting
• Mini slow-cooker
• Small paintbrush

Shiitake Mushroom Log How-To

1. Drill several 1-inch-deep holes, about 4 inches apart, into surface of log using a 5/16-inch drill bit.
2. Using a rubber mallet, hammer wood dowels that have been inoculated with shiitake mycelium (the living body mass of the fungus) into the holes. The mycelium will enter the log and spread throughout the wood.
3. Melt wax in slow-cooker. Using a small paintbrush, cover each hole with melted wax.
4. Place log in well-shaded place, like the north side of a shed or underneath a porch. Water regularly, keeping log wet. Mushrooms should bloom in approximately six months, and the log should continue to produce mushrooms every six months for about six years.