The shiitake mushroom is, especially in Japan and China, what the champignon is to us: The he althy medicinal mushroom is grown in its homeland in quantities of several 100,000 tons. For several years now, it has been possible to cultivate this mushroom, which is not native to us, in this country, with several options available to you.
How to grow shiitake mushrooms?
To grow shiitake mushrooms, you need freshly cut, moist wood from beech, birch, alder, cherry or chestnut. Inoculate the wood with fungal spawn, close the inoculation holes and keep the substrate moist and cool, but frost-free.
Shiitake is preferably grown on wood
Shiitake is a mushroom that is traditionally grown on wood. Of course, you need the appropriate space and a suitable location for such a trunk: the mushrooms do not like temperatures above 22 °C and cannot tolerate direct, intense sunlight. Therefore, a shady, sheltered spot in the garden is best suited to setting up a mushroom cultivation base. However, you also have the option of choosing to grow shiitakes using a ready-made growing kit instead. Here, not whole tree trunks are used as a substrate, but instead sawdust.
Select and inoculate wood
Shiitake grows best on woods such as beech, birch, alder, cherry or chestnut. Choose freshly cut, he althy and moist wood, which must not be older than three months and must not have a “fungal” smell. In addition, the tree trunk should not be treated with fungicides, otherwise fungal growth is impossible. The inoculation takes place according to this scheme:
- Jack up the trunk.
- Now cut it in staggered, crosswise cuts.
- The cuts should be at least ten centimeters deep.
- This works best with a chainsaw.
- Now insert the grain substrate or the inoculation dowels deeply.
- Close the vaccination holes, for example with gauze bandages.
- Now water the wood. Only use fresh tap water.
With this method, it can take a few months until the trunk is covered in mycelium and the first mushrooms appear. Make sure that no frost occurs during the growing phase or, if necessary, move the inoculated tree trunk to safety. Frost kills the fungus. Even temperatures below eight degrees Celsius are not conducive to fungal growth.
Tip
When purchasing shiitake mushroom spawn, read the cultivation instructions carefully. This can vary depending on the brood and manufacturer.
