How to grow mushrooms on logs (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to grow mushrooms on a log? ›

Most mushrooms on standard size logs in temperate climates will take about a year to fully colonize before they fruit. This can vary between 6 months to two years. Smaller diameter logs and soft hardwoods will typically fruit sooner, though they'll have less longevity.

You make a hole in the soil (log), you plant the seed (plug spawn) and you seal the hole over (with wax instead of soil). Given the right conditions (shade instead of sunlight) and good moisture, the roots (mycellium) will search out nutrients and when the plant (fungus) is ready, it will set fruit (mushrooms).

Shiitake mushrooms are easy to grow thanks to their ability to be grown both indoors and outdoors, making them ideal for different set-ups. If you have room outdoors, they can be grown on logs kept in a shady place and will continue to fruit for years after their first flush.

Oyster mushroom logs are the perfect addition to any garden. The main requirement is a fully shaded area, or an area that receives only dappled sunlight.

log usually is given about 40 - 50 plugs. The more plugs you use per log, the faster the wood will be colonized with mushroom mycelium. A large stump usually requires 100 holes arranged in a similar hexagonal fashion around the trunk and with holes on the top of the stump as well.

Research at Cornell's Arnot Forest has shown that winter and spring inoculations are ideal; however, summer and fall inoculations also produce sizable harvests. Logs can be inoculated immediately after they are felled; there is no need to “cure” the log for a few weeks.

Find a nice shady spot in your yard for your mushroom log that is out of direct sunlight. You can lean the log against a shady fence or a tree. The end of the log should be elevated off the ground a few inches.

Oaks and hard maples are the preferred wood-types for most mushroom species because they're very dense and offer plenty of nutrition for a longer, sustained fruiting period.

Healthy, living trees can be felled for mushroom bolts nearly any time of year, though to maximize yield and longevity you can time harvest with sap flow. Traditionally, log cutting and inoculation happen in late winter and early spring before bud swell.

Do mushrooms come back every year? ›

The fungus will continue to grow and persist as long as there is plenty of organic matter to feed upon. Mushrooms will emerge again as soon as the growing conditions are right, which may not be for another year.

Soft Hardwoods: We do not recommend using aspen or other soft hardwoods. These species might be appropriate for other types of mushroom production, such as oysters. Evergreen Species: Do not use wood from any coniferous evergreen tree (pine, spruce, hemlock, etc.).

A typical 3 foot log should produce 2-3 lbs. of mushrooms every fruiting, or 1 pound per linear foot.

It takes about three weeks to produce the first mushrooms for harvest. Throughout the growing period, mushroom farmers play Mother Nature, manipulating water, airflow, temperature fluctuation and more.

Mushrooms can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks to grow on a tree. The exact time frame depends on various factors like the type of mushroom, environmental conditions, and the health of the tree. Moisture, temperature, and availability of nutrients play crucial roles in the growth process.

Many mushroom species are suitable for cultivation on fresh wood. The easiest to cultivate are shiitake and oyster mushroom, as they are less demanding species. Still, it is possible to cultivate most mushrooms that naturally grow on wood – tree stumps, trunks of dying or dead trees, branches, etc.