This is related to my mushroom post of a few days ago. I'm growing shitake mushrooms in oak log segments which are roughly 18" in diameter and 9" high. This is about 1.3 cubic feet of wood. That's a lot of wood to be turned into mushrooms; how long should I expect it to keep producing fruit? And about how many pounds or ounces will it yield in total? I know the answers depend on a lot of variables, but I was just curious as to round number estimates.
Thanks,
Paul
I can't help you too much. A few years ago we wrote about mushroom culture here and I was recommended this book.
Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. By Paul Stamets.
isbn-10: 1-58008-175-4
has MUCH info on SHITAKE AKA LENTINULA EDODES (BERKELEY) PEGLER
Book is a bit too much for my little brain but perhaps as a reference and a visit to your local library.
Bill who buys rooms and gathers them from my back yard .
ps Beautiful book and I am glad you are venturing there.
To answer my own question,
"Left to nature, a log will fruit for as many years as its diameter in inches. Forced fruiting speeds crop production but also shortens the productive life, since each log has a fixed available quantity of nutrients, which, once exhausted, are gone."
from an excellent website on the subject:
To answer my own question,
"Left to nature, a log will fruit for as many years as its diameter in inches. Forced fruiting speeds crop production but also shortens the productive life, since each log has a fixed available quantity of nutrients, which, once exhausted, are gone."
from an excellent website on the subject:
If you lose the bark on your logs the fruiting will stop. If you have cherry wood (even wild cherry of choke cherry) consider inoculating a few logs. Shiitake grown on cherry is highly prized in Japan.
That one year per inch rule is variable. Softer wood will be less, good dense oak could be more.
There are now many strains of shiitake available. Check out
To answer my own question,
"Left to nature, a log will fruit for as many years as its diameter in inches. Forced fruiting speeds crop production but also shortens the productive life, since each log has a fixed available quantity of nutrients, which, once exhausted, are gone."
from an excellent website on the subject:
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These threads got me thinking about the dozen new oak stumps I have from fallen and harvested timbers. I think I might try my hand at inoculating them with a couple varieties of shrooms. Thanks for bringing this up. Here's also a very good place for supplies and knowledge:
Steve Young
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