The Growing Instructions for Shiitake Mushrooms

Locate a healthy white oak tree from which you can take logs for growing shiitake. Select a branch that is 3 to 6 inches in diameter and shows no signs of decay, and remove it from the tree with a chainsaw. The branch can be as long as you want. Cut down the branch during the winter, when the tree is dormant.

Drill inoculation holes into the log with an electric drill. The holes should be 5/16 inch in diameter and 1 inch deep. Drill the holes in rows with 6 inches between each hole and 2 inches between each row. Alternate the hole spacing in each row.

Insert one shiitake spore plug into each hole, and use a hammer to pound them down so they lie flush with the surface of the log.

Lean the logs against a tree or building that will provide shade. If you have many logs, lay three to four on the ground so they do not touch, then stack three to four on top of them, perpendicularly. You can stack the logs four to five layers deep in this way. If you select a sunny site, cover the logs with a tarp.

Water the logs with a sprinkler for 48 hours if they become dried out. Wait six to 18 months after you inoculate the logs for the mushrooms to sprout. The shiitake logs will usually fruit in the fall and spring, each year for about six years.

Harvest the mushrooms every day in the afternoon by twisting them at the base.