Log-Grown vs. Sawdust Shiitake Mushrooms

Growing Medium

• Log-grown shiitake mushrooms use water-soaked hardwood logs for their base. Sawdust-grown shiitake mushrooms use a pre-formed base made from sawdust and other grains mixed together.

History

• Logs have been used to grow shiitake mushrooms for more 900 years, starting in China and spreading to other countries. Sawdust forms have been in use since the 1970s and are the current production method used in China and Japan.

Timing

• Log-grown shiitake mushrooms have a limited harvesting time, mainly spring and autumn, because they are an outdoor crop. Mushrooms grown in sawdust can be grown and harvested any time of the year since they are grown indoors.

Harvesting

• Log-grown mushrooms can take several months to produce a crop and must be harvested by hand. Sawdust-grown mushrooms take weeks to produce a crop and can be harvested by hand or machine.

Value

• Log-grown mushrooms have a higher value and quality than sawdust-grown mushrooms. The difference can be as much as two to eight times the price. Sawdust-grown mushrooms have a higher capital investment required to grow.