Table of Contents
This is what you need to do: Drill your holes. Use your 5/16″ bit, set to approximately one inch depth using a bit stop or a band of duct tape. Insert your mushroom plugs. Tap your plug spawn into the holes using a mallet or hammer. Seal them in. Set your logs up. Keep them happy.
When should I start mushroom plugs?
Spring is generally the best time to plant mushroom logs for several reasons. First, it is best to cut logs during the dormant season before the buds swell in the spring. Logs can be stored until planting when the daytime temperature consistently reach 40°F or higher.
Can you put mushroom plugs in live trees?
Those mushrooms won’t colonize a healthy tree and if you put plugs into them, they should either die or you as the interfering human effectively started to kill the tree because you damaged the tree which may cause local decay.
How long do mushroom plugs take to grow?
Grown throughout the United States, these plugs contain mushroom spores ready for growing and typically produce an abundance of fresh mushrooms within 6 to 18 months, as long as you provide them with the conditions they need to grow.
How do you seal mushroom plugs?
Cheese wax is used to seal in mushroom plugs once the log has been inoculated with mushroom plug spawn. It can be dripped on or applied with a small foam brush, baster, cotton daubers or other such applicators. One pound of cheese wax will cover 8 – 16 logs @ 30 plugs per log.
Where do you place mushroom logs?
Outdoors, simply place your mushroom log in a cool, shady spot (dappled light or deep shade as under a tree) and out of the direct heat of the sun and strong winds. In the rain is GREAT! You can lay your log down on its side, or stand it up, or you can prop it against something or even hang it.
How often do you water mushroom logs?
It’s advisable to mist or water the logs 1–2 times daily until you start to see mushroom primordia (baby mushrooms) emerge from the logs. This will usually take 7–10 days depending on the temperature and humidity.
What time of year do you inoculate mushroom logs?
The best time to inoculate logs is in spring, within one to two weeks after the logs have been cut. This allows the cells in the tree to die but is not long enough for the log to dry out or for other competitor fungi to become established. Logs can be inoculated with either the drilling method or the totem method.
How long will mushroom plugs last?
Plug and sawdust spawn will store for six months to a year in a refrigerator. The fresher the better, but mycelium is pretty resilient. If you don’t get around to inoculating right away, tuck it away in your refrigerator until you’re ready.
How long do mushroom logs last?
Q. How long will the log last and produce mushrooms? A. With proper care, the logs will last on average 4-5 years.
How long does it take to grow lions mane?
How Long Does it Take to Grow Lion’s Mane? If you are growing lion’s mane on logs, it takes one to two years after inoculation to harvest your first batch of fresh lion’s mane. Lion’s mane is not quick-growing on logs, but once they start producing, you can harvest mushrooms off the same log for up to six years.
How do you use mushroom dowels?
Using a 9 or 10mm drill bit, drill holes every 15cm along the length of the logs. Tap dowels into the drilled holes, making sure they’re flush with the surface of the bark. Seal the holes with wax and wrap the logs in plastic to stop them drying out. You should be harvesting your home-grown mushrooms within six months.
Can you use grain spawn to inoculate logs?
If you want to use grain spawn for inoculating long thin logs for shiitake mushrooms drilling large holes (min. 14 mm diameter) is a good alternative to cutting slots. Then fill the holes with grain spawn and seal the holes with candle wax, cork or round wood discs (same diameter as the drill bit).
How much wax do you put in mushroom plugs?
We recommend approximately 5oz of sealing wax per bag of plugs. Soy wax has a low melt temperature (185* F) so take great care in heating wax to avoid over-heating and possible fire hazards.
What kind of wax do you use for mushroom logs?
A clear food-grade paraffin wax ideal for sealing holes in inoculated logs. One pound of wax is enough to seal about 10 logs with some variability depending on the size of the logs and whether you choose to seal the ends.
Can you use beeswax for mushroom logs?
Using sawdust spawn to grow mushrooms on logs The drill bit for mushroom logs is a little different than a regular drill bit. A source of power if you are using a powered drill. Beeswax or Cheese Wax. A way to melt the wax and keep it melted – camp stove, electric frying pan, Kelly Kettle, wood fire.
