Organic Shiitake Inoculation Dowels

Organic Shiitake Inoculation Dowels: grow Shiitake on logs

Growing mushrooms on logs is the oldest cultivation method in the world – and log-grown Shiitake are considered especially high quality. Our organic dowels are wooden plugs fully colonised by Shiitake mycelium. Just hammer them into fresh hardwood, seal and wait.

How to inoculate your logs

1. Use freshly cut hardwood logs (approx. 1 m, 10–25 cm diameter, no older than one month).
2. Drill 25–50 holes (8.5–9 mm) in a diamond pattern and hammer in the dowels.
3. Seal the holes with gypsum or beeswax.
4. Keep the logs in a shady, damp, sheltered spot and let them colonise for 8–24 months, depending on the wood.

Good to know

• Suitable wood: oak, beech, alder and other hardwoods
• Shiitake logs don’t need ground contact for fruiting – lean them or stack them crosswise.
• Soak dried-out logs in water for 24–48 hours to encourage fruiting.
• Available in 100, 500 and 1000 pieces. 100 dowels are enough for 2–4 logs.

All details, ideal conditions and answers to common questions are in our Shiitake plug spawn guide.

For an illustrated guide, see our guide for mushroom cultivation on logs.

Goes well with

• Organic Shiitake Grow Kit XXL