I just got a mushroom in a bag kit

[gixxerific]

I went to Rural King today, kind of a Wal Mart for farmers, hunters and general rednecks, I just love that place.

I happened across a mushroom kit. They had two kinds I got the Shitake I believe the other was White Oyster or something. Under $20 it came with about 100 plugs and wax to seal the holes. I have one log soaking now I will probably do another. I hope this works I have been wanting to do this for a long time. But most kits are like $40. I couldn't pass this up plus there it was in my face so..........

OH yeah MADE IN AMERICA! Indianna. https://www.mushroomfarm.com/

[img]https://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj185/gixxerific/Gardening/DSC06071.jpg[/img]

[DoubleDogFarm]

Hope you are using a fresh cut log of hardwood.

Eric

[gixxerific]

how fresh is fresh?

[PunkRotten]

I got a kit for oyster mushrooms. You grow it in the box it came in. There is a bag of composted coffee grounds with the spores already inoculated. You are supposed to cut out a 3x5 plus sign into the bag and mist it twice daily. The instructions said in 10 days you get a harvest of about 1-1.5 lbs. I had no such luck getting any to sprout. Luckily you can turn the bag over for a 2nd try. I did that 2 days ago. So I hope I get something.

[DoubleDogFarm]

You don't want to use any log that may have other fungi on it.

When I try this, I will be cutting Alder and try to inoculate the same day. Stack them on clean pallets in the shade.

Eric

[gixxerific]

Been watching vid after vid on You Tube just now. I have heard several times to let a fresh log sit for about two weeks before inoculating. Espeacially Oak since it has anti fungals in it that would kill the mycelium.

I suppose an 1 year old log would be fine. It say's in the directions to soak it a day or two. I have seen many peopl soaking logs even one guy who put ice in the water saying it fools the mycelium in to thiking it has gone through winter.

Oh yeah I have also seen professionals that just srub off any fungi on the log first with a wire brush. Mine are fungi free for the most part you and I both know they are in there in some form.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Oops. Yes three weeks or so before inoculating.

Our Plug Spawn prefers to grow on hardwoods, with the exception of the Phoenix Oyster, which grows well on firs. Most species can be grown on either logs or stumps. Non-aromatic hardwoods such as oak, poplar (cottonwood), elm, maple and similar woods are very good candidates for log cultivation. Alder is a good wood for the cultivation of Oyster and Shiitake mushrooms, but must be kept above ground because it will decompose quickly in contact with the soil. (We do not recommend using aromatic woods such as cedar or pine.) Thick-barked woods are preferable over "paper-bark" woods such as birch, and any log that is shedding it's bark should not be used. Logs should be cut at least two weeks in advance of plugging. Cutting your logs in the late Winter or early Spring helps to insure that they have a high sugar content, although this is not strictly necessary. Freshly-cut logs should not be immediately inoculated; trees naturally produce anti-fungal compounds, which degrade in two to three weeks from cutting. Aged deadwood is also not recommended for plugging, as it has a poor nutrient base for supporting mushroom growth. Logs or stumps with fine cracks (called "checks") running through them are more quickly colonized with mushroom mycelium than those without.


Reishi mushrooms growing from an alder log partially buried in a flower pot
Logs should be cut to lengths of 3-4 feet, and are best if they do not exceed 14 inches in diameter. Use a 5/16" drill bit in a high-speed drill to drill 2-inch deep holes no more than 4 inches apart, evenly spaced in a "diamond" pattern along the length and around the full circumference of the logs. Stumps should be inoculated along the circumference of their face, in the border between the bark and the heartwood. Insert 1 plug per hole and whack it in with a hammer. A 3-4 foot log can take 50 or more plugs, while stumps usually hold 30-50 plugs The more plugs you use per log, the faster the wood will be colonized with mushroom mycelium. Holes can be sealed with cheese wax or beeswax to protect the mycelium from weather and insects while it is growing; although this step can be helpful, it is not absolutely necessary.

Eric

[applestar]

Yep I was going to say 2 wks to a month, 2 months at most -- is the information I have according to my notes.

Keep us posted! This is something I've been wanting to do, but I'm not sure if I live in the right climate because we ALWAYS have drought in the summer and I can't see how I could keep the logs from drying out without a natural watersource like a stream or at least well water. I'm looking into some drought tolerant strains....

[gixxerific]

Alder is a good wood for the cultivation of Oyster and Shiitake mushrooms

I hear that Oak is the prefered wood for shitake. It is the main wood it grows in over in Asia, it's origin. Also that in markets Oak grown shitake fetches more $ a lb than others. Just what I have seen.

Are you planning on selling these at the market you go to? $20 a lb sounds good to me, well to sell them not buy them. If you had a huge setup you rake in the dough. It is a tiny bit pricy and a whole lot of work to get started but the returns could be great. Not too mention you have a bunch of fresh mushrooms Yum Yum!!

Been thinking about changing my carrer path, Garlic and Mushrooms.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Yep I was going to say 2 wks to a month, 2 months at most -- is the information I have according to my notes.

Keep us posted! This is something I've been wanting to do, but I'm not sure if I live in the right climate because we ALWAYS have drought in the summer and I can't see how I could keep the logs from drying out without a natural watersource like a stream or at least well water. I'm looking into some drought tolerant strains....

I will most likely place an order with Dripworks. Set up some kind of timer and sprinkler , misters or foggers.

Eric

[gixxerific]

if you had a way to dip them in your pond that would be ideal with less wasted water. Some soak them for 24 hours between each flush, others just once a year or so unless needed like it would be this year.

Was also thinking the ones that put ice in the water. If that really has an effect why wouldn't you just freeze the plugs let them thaw to reduce any shrinkage while thawing in the log. Seems easier to me.

But than again I over analyze everything.