Shittake Logs - After Workshop Care

Shiitake Logs After - Care

 

 Patience: 

Shiitake cultivation requires patience. It can take several months for the mycelium to colonize the logs fully. Be prepared to wait patiently for the mushrooms to fruit.

 

 Moisture Management:

During extreme dry periods feel free to wet your logs! As mentioned in class, you can start to wet them every week or so in the late fall to help promote a early flush

 

 Storage: 

Place the inoculated logs in a shaded area with good air circulation, avoid placing them in a tight enclosure. Avoid direct sunlight, as it can dry out the logs and impede colonization. STAND UPRIGHT, or lean against something. They don’t like to be laid down flat to the ground, or soil.

 

 Harvesting: 

Once the mycelium has fully colonized the logs, you can expect to see mushroom fruiting bodies emerge.

 Harvest the mushrooms when they reach the desired size, typically when the caps are fully expanded but before they begin to flatten out.

 You will notice your first fruits in 6-12 months. Ideal temperatures will be between 55-75 degrees after a period of heavy rainfall.

The quickest and easiest way to tell if your shiitake is ready to pick is to simply feel underneath the cap to see if there is gill exposure. 

If you can feel the gills, you can pick. If you cannot feel the gills, let it grow!

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Rehydration

 After each harvest, soak the logs in cold water for 24 hours to rehydrate them. This process helps stimulate the production of new fruiting bodies.

 Duration:  Mushroom logs will be produced year after year!  Typically one - two years for each inch of diameter of the log. Each log used in class was between 4-6! So be sure to pack it with you if you move