How Do You Breed Mushrooms?

Get Ready to Grow Mushrooms

• 1

  Order pelleted mushroom spores or spawn, called dowels, from an online source locally if available. Three different strains are suitable for various areas of the country.

• 2

  Prepare an area that remains shaded and where your logs are disturbed. North-facing slopes often remain shaded. In areas where the sun peeks through, plant more trees or use shade cloth. An 80 percent shade-to-light ratio is required. Protection from wind is desirable.

• 3

  Collect healthy, undamaged, hardwood logs from arborists, the local forest service or cut some from your trees. Begin growing mushrooms with only one or two logs if you wish to start small. The logs should be 3 to 4 feet long, and 3 to 8 inches around for easy handling. Logs from trees that retain their bark, such as sugar maple, red oak or white oak, are appropriate for growing mushrooms. Harvest logs in a dormant state before the sap flows.

• 4

  Drill holes in the log 6 to 8 inches apart in rows with 2 to 4 inches between them to about 1/2 inch deep. The holes should be large enough to hold the spawn pellets.

• 5

  Inoculate the logs in late winter to early spring, depending on local weather conditions. The dowels should have been at room temperature for a few days. Place the dowels into freshly drilled holes.

Preparing and Placing the Logs

• 6

  Stack inoculated logs into the prepared, shady area. A lengthy incubation period called the spawn run follows. During this time, the mycelium spreads throughout the logs, later producing mushrooms. The time until mushrooms produce can be six to 18 months.

• 7

  Moisture retention is important at this point. Inoculated logs need a 35 to 45 percent moisture level for proper production. Logs may need irrigation. Should drought occur, soaking might be necessary.

• 8

  Moisture retention is important at this point. Inoculated logs need a 35 to 45 percent moisture level for proper production. Logs may need irrigation. Should drought occur, soaking might be necessary.

• 9

  Maintain a log temperature of 72 to 77 degrees.

• 10

  Fruiting begins when the log ends are covered with white, fuzzy mycelium. Other indications include the beginning of mushroom development. Harvest daily when mushrooms produce at an optimum pace.