Guide for Mushroom Cultivation on Logs

Various techniques, such as the plug spawn and the cut spawn method, can be used for mushroom cultivation on logs.

We will introduce the first method here.

On logs, all types of wood-decaying mushrooms can be cultivated, such as Shiitake, oyster mushrooms, herb mushrooms, turkey tail, and Reishi.

For this method, logs that are approximately 1 meter long and 10 – 25 cm in diameter are ideal. The wood should be as fresh as possible, ideally no older than a month. Older wood is often already infested by other wood-decaying fungi, meaning the desired mushroom faces strong competition when colonising the wood. Additionally, older logs are usually drier, which further hinders the growth of the mushrooms. It is also important to use deciduous wood, as the resin found in coniferous wood acts as a natural fungicide.

Good options include beech, oak, birch, or alder.

Materials & Equipment:

• Wood logs: Deciduous wood, 1 m long, 10 – 25 cm in diameter
• Plug spawn
• Drill with drill bits
• Gypsum, beeswax, cheese wax, or candle wax

Steps:

1. Drilling holes:

The log is drilled 30 – 50 times in a diamond pattern with the provided drill. The holes should be deep enough to fully insert the plugs into the wood.

2. Inoculation:

The spawn plugs are hammered into the drilled holes.

3. Sealing the holes:

The inoculation points are sealed with gypsum or beeswax.

4. Incubation phase:

The inoculated logs are placed outdoors in a shady, moist spot to allow the mycelium to colonise the wood. During the first weeks and months, the logs should be regularly moistened, especially in dry weather.

5. Setting up for harvest:

Depending on the type of wood, the logs should be fully colonised after 12 – 24 months, and the mycelium will be visible on the cut surface. Softwoods (e.g., alder, willow) colonise more quickly but produce a shorter harvest. Hardwoods (e.g., beech, oak) colonise slower but provide a longer-lasting harvest. The mushrooms will fruit seasonally on damp days with temperatures suitable for the respective mushroom species. Depending on the type of wood and location, harvesting can continue for 5 – 10 years.

Additional Tips:

• If the wood is slightly older (1 – 2 months), the logs can be submerged in a rain barrel for 24 – 48 hours to rehydrate the wood.
• For older wood, a few cm from both the top and bottom of the cut surfaces can be removed. Any mushrooms that may have colonised the wood from the air will be removed in the process.
• After colonisation, the logs can be partially buried (about 1/3 into the ground) for optimal moisture supply. This allows the mushrooms to draw the necessary moisture directly from the soil.

You can learn more mushroom cultivation methods in our workshops.