Lentinula
edodes
Siitake – Chinese black mushrooms
Siitake – Chinese black mushrooms
Division:
Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Marasmiaceae
Genus: Lentinula
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Marasmiaceae
Genus: Lentinula
Shiitake
are native to Japan, China and Korea. It is now a popular fungi and is
cultivated in many places around the world.[1]
Caps of shiitake mushrooms are brown to tan. The common size of their caps are
8 to 10 inches across. In diameter they can range from three to six inches. They
thrive from Spring to Autumn.[2]
Shiitake can begin to fruit within six months of inoculation. It usually
matures within a 2-3 week period. Shiitake can be found on many varieties of
wood. It grows most plentifully on hard wood such as oak. It can also be found
on Sweetgum, Ash, Chestnut, Hornbeam, Ironwood, Maple and Hickory. [3]
Harvesting
The
best stage to harvest is when the edges of the mushroom cap are slightly inward
curved or rolled under. If the edges of the mushroom cap begin to flatten out,
this is a sign that the mushrooms are ready to harvest. To harvest, carefully
cut the mushrooms off with clean scissors or knife at the base of each stem,
leaving as little stem on the surface of the log as possible.[4]
Taking Care of the Shiitake on Oak
Once your logs and stumps are sealed and the wax has hardened, it’s time to position your logs for incubation. The logs should be placed so they are off the ground, on pallets, cinder blocks, or other logs. We do not recommend incubating your logs in direct contact with soil. Logs should be stacked in crisscrossed piles called “ricks” to help conserve moisture and space. The ricks should be located in a moist, shady area under dense forest canopy or shade cloth. (A space has been cleared out on the backside of the stables). It’s important that sufficient moisture is maintained to support the growth of the mushroom mycelium. Water your sealed logs once or twice every other week for 5–10 minutes at a stretch until freezing temperatures or heavy rains begin. You only need to water them when they are not getting regular moisture. You can help with moisture retention by covering your logs or stumps with a sheet of burlap or shade cloth. Place boards or similar braces on top of your logs under the material to keep it suspended 2–4 inches away from the logs. Do not use plastic to cover your logs as this will encourage mold or
Once your logs and stumps are sealed and the wax has hardened, it’s time to position your logs for incubation. The logs should be placed so they are off the ground, on pallets, cinder blocks, or other logs. We do not recommend incubating your logs in direct contact with soil. Logs should be stacked in crisscrossed piles called “ricks” to help conserve moisture and space. The ricks should be located in a moist, shady area under dense forest canopy or shade cloth. (A space has been cleared out on the backside of the stables). It’s important that sufficient moisture is maintained to support the growth of the mushroom mycelium. Water your sealed logs once or twice every other week for 5–10 minutes at a stretch until freezing temperatures or heavy rains begin. You only need to water them when they are not getting regular moisture. You can help with moisture retention by covering your logs or stumps with a sheet of burlap or shade cloth. Place boards or similar braces on top of your logs under the material to keep it suspended 2–4 inches away from the logs. Do not use plastic to cover your logs as this will encourage mold or
bacteria to form on your logs. Incubation will
require 6–12+ months for the mycelium to fully colonize the wood. The length of
time needed for colonization depends on the species of mushroom, wood type, and
the size of the log. Smaller diameter logs (4–6 inches) will colonize more
quickly compared to larger (8+ inch) logs. Depending on the wood type and
diameter of your logs and the species of mushroom you are cultivating, your
logs may be ready to fruit in as little as 6 months. The longer you wait to
“force fruit” your logs, the greater the level of colonization. Preferably, we
recommend waiting 9–12 months before attempting to initiate your logs for fruiting
(possibly longer if you used a denser wood like Oak). Visually check if the log
is ready to fruit by looking at the waxed cut face of the log. When
sufficiently colonized, you should see a “mottling” pattern covering approximately
65% of the end of the loges separate so cross-species competition does not occur.
[5]
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiitake
[2] http://www.foodterms.com/encyclopedia/shiitake/index.html?oc=linkback
[3]
Fungi Perfecti
[4]
Fungi Perfecti Harvest Guide
[5]
Fungi Perfecti Log Cultivation
The
supplies I used for cultivating Shiitake on oak are as follows:
Shiitake sawdust spawn ordered from Fungi Perfecti
Oak logs cut to 3ft
Power Drill with a 12mm drill bit with a stopper
Sawdust Palm Inoculater
Tap Measure
Bees Wax
Paint Brush
Hot Plate
Shiitake sawdust spawn ordered from Fungi Perfecti
Oak logs cut to 3ft
Power Drill with a 12mm drill bit with a stopper
Sawdust Palm Inoculater
Tap Measure
Bees Wax
Paint Brush
Hot Plate
I
drilled rows in the oak, spacing 4 inches between each hole using a 12mm soft
steel screwtip bit with a stopper that maintained the correct depth needed for
the spawn. To ensure areas of the wood were not being over colonized I spaced
each row 4inches apart and staggered them in a diamond shape.
I filled
the inoculation tool with the sawdust spawn and inoculated the drilled holes.
I melted my bees wax
using a hot plate and used an old paintbrush to cover the spawn. To ensure that
no competing fungi grew on the logs and to lock in moisture, I waxed the
barkless, exposed areas.
