How to Grow Reishi

Find or cut a seasoned hardwood log. Let it sit a few weeks before inoculating the log with the fungi spawn. If planting outside, find a well-shaded, warm location for your fungi bed. Reishi can be grown indoors in a greenhouse, buried in nutrient-rich soil for at least six months.

Drill rows of 2-inch-deep holes in the log, spaced a few inches apart. Each row should be about 4 inches from the next. Drill as many holes as you need to hold all the fungi spawn plugs you want to grow.

Place one spawn or spore plug per hole, hammering each deep into the hole. Fill all the holes in your log.

Melt beeswax or paraffin over medium heat. Brush melted wax over each hole in the log to seal in the reishi spawn.

If planting outdoors, use a shovel to dig a trench in moist, composted soil, in a shaded area. Place the log in the trench half-buried or on its side, and scoop soil around it.

Cover the reishi log with clear plastic sheeting or shade cloth, tented to maintain a high level of humidity. Monitor closely, misting or watering daily to maintain moisture. It will take six to 12 months for the first signs of mushrooms to appear.