I love being able to grow shiitake mushrooms! It has been one of our most rewarding homestead endeavors.
AND THIS VIDEO TUTORIAL WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Thorough and detailed instructions!
Shiitake logs are actually pretty easy to make and the tools and mushrooms spawn are not that expensive. And shiitake mushrooms are a fantastic crop to grow in the shady parts of your yard where nothing else wants to grow.
Watching the mushrooms pop out of the logs every year is truly magical. While I won’t go into the health benefits of Shiitakes here, know that they have been widely studied and have proven themselves to be an incredible superfood. And if that isn’t enough, they are quite tasty too! I love love love being able to grow shiitake mushrooms in our own backyard!
Watch the video tutorial of how to make and grow shiitake mushroom logs!
Shiitake Mushroom PRINTABLEcheat sheet!
All the details are explained in the video tutorial, and this printable sheet will help make sure you don’t forget any of them! Print this document to help you prepare and make your shiitake logs. (This is intended to go along with the video to serve as a reminder, and are not full detailed instructions.)
You can find written instructions here in a post I made a few years back: How to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms Written Instructions!
Materials List & Cost breakdown for shiitake logs
Assuming you have or can borrow an angle grinder (recommended) or drill, can source the logs for free, and have a few incidental things like a coffee can and safety goggles, here is what you need and how much it costs to make shiitake mushroom logs:
•25 logs, 36-48” long and 3-8” diameter ($0)
•5.5 pound bag of Shiitake Sawdust Spawn ($26)
•Angle Grinder (preferred) or Drill ($0)
•Angle Grinder Bit Adapter if using angle grinder ($36)
•12.5 mm Soft Steel Screw Tip Bit with Stop Collar ($16.50)
•Palm Style Brass Inoculator ($43)
•2.5 pounds of Cheese Wax ($11.50)
•2 Wool Daubers ($1.60)
•Metal can for holding sawdust spawn ($0)
•Something for melting the wax ($0)
•Safety goggles ($0)
•Straw (optional)
TOTAL: $134.60
This will make 25 large logs that will produce multiple times per year for 3 to 8 years! It’s a worthwhile investment.
Disclosure
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ABOUT
Hi, I’m Crystal. I love growing, cooking, and preserving, and we hope to inspire you to do the same!
You can get to know me better over on Instagram where I share a lot of our day to day lives, including what we’re cooking and eating, what the chickens are up to, and how the gardens and orchards are producing.
My YouTube channel is where I share more in-depth tutorials on topics like gardening and orchard care and preserving.
My book, Freeze Fresh, teaches you how to preserve over 50 different fruits and vegetables. I share my time-tested preparation techniques that ensure color, texture, and flavor are retained in the freezer. From familiar favorites like apples, corn, potatoes, and peas to surprises like lettuce, avocado, and citrus fruit. There are over 100 recipes that freeze well, such as Blueberry Maple Pancake Sauce, Pickled Sliced Beets, Mango Chutney, and Honey Butter Carrot Mash–as well as delicious ways to cook the frozen food after thawing, including Tart Cherry Oatmeal Bars, Broccoli Cheese Soup, and Blueberry-Matcha Latte Smoothie.