Have any of you tried growing mushrooms by using the plugs you can buy to inoculate logs?
Seems interesting and I would like to give it a try.

Thanks, Zim

Following

In for info

I'm no help but when I bought my lake property the previous owner's wife was a Botany Professor and had white oak logs set in the woods for that purpose- there was a pile of wood chips that I used as mulch not realizing it was being cultivated for mushroom spores- they came up everywhere. I'll be following also.

I grew some shiitake mushrooms using the “plug” spawn. I got mushrooms for a few years then neglected them.
I probably should try it again, if memory serves me I ordered the spawn from an outfit in Wi??

At our farmer's market there is a guy that sells shiitakes and shiitake "logs". His logs are actually compressed small bales of straw and nutrients tightly bound in perforated plastic. In his atmosphere controlled mushroom room he produces 12 months out of the year.

I do

I have , you need to have a good shady spot and check them regular you can get good mushrooms and have the go past in just a few days

green wood cut , drill the holes , plugs in the holes , paint wax over the top

when we get a good rain be checking every day after

I lost a lot of my shade last year so my spot is done for now I may try again under a different tree.

if you can put them where they will be easy to see regular , nice walking path through the woods , north side of buildings in good shade

PSB has a nicer set up than I had , good pictures

I just had 3-4 logs that I did , with a little kit purchased at a farmers market

Thanks guys. PSB1011 thanks for the pictures, just what I was looking for.
Schweg2, the outfit I was looking at is Field and Forest, they are out of Peshtigo.

Zim

Ive grown some shitake and tried lions mane. The lions mane never came.
I did try this box last year. First spawn was good. Not much on the second. Testimonials claim a lot of people get multiple spawns with the box. Kinda pricy

I have grown Shiitake mushrooms for the past 25 years. I buy sawdust spawn and innoculate red oak logs every other spring. Usually have 100 logs that produce mushrooms each summer. I buy all my spawn and needed tools from: https://www.fieldforest.net/









I will be innoculating 40 logs this spring.

Chris

What kinds of logs are you growing the oyster mushrooms on?

Tulip Poplar.

Do y'all soak your logs before inoculating them?

I didn't, but I did use very fresh dropped logs.

Are the other mushrooms also on Tulip Poplar?

No,the Shitakis are on oak logs.

Zim,

I get the shiitake spores and mix with my wet sawdust. I use iron wood, as it seems to last longer and I drill 1" holes in the logs and pack with the wetted spore/sawdust mix. Crisscross stack in a shady spot in the woods and makes sure that you watch the weather and mist if it's been dry.

These logs sop I'll produce throughout the year and beyond if the logs stay together.

If you cook those mushrooms in butter, DO NOT splash any up on your forehead...... Your tongue will slap your brains out trying to get to it!

What if a person did this in a cellar where it's more climate controlled? Do they need any sunlight?