Shiitake

OMS's cultivation guru
Ed Foy shows that you
don't need elaborate
equipment for
cultivation: keep
it simple!

We first used this method for growing Lentinus Edodes well over 15 years ago and have found that it still produces a nice crop.   Just follow the directions and add a full measure of patience. You'll be harvesting shiitake in about 2 months.

Materials

Bleach solution of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water

Spawn - 1 bag inoculates about 20 1-2 gallon size autoclavable bags

Large container in which to mix the substrate

20 autoclavable bags, 1-2 gallon size

Paper clips

Masking tape

Pressure cooker

Substrate

Substrate (by volume)

16 parts alder sawdust

8 parts alder wood chips

1 part rice bran

Dechlorinated water - from a well or lake or rain water

Preparing the bags of substrate and spawn

Rinse hands and the large container in which to mix the substrate with the mild solution of chlorine bleach.  Using disinfected hands, combine sawdust, wood chips and rice bran.  Add dechlorinated water to moisten thoroughly.  Allow mixture to rest and absorb water.  When you can squeeze the mixture and it holds together and water doesn't drip from it, it is ready to use.

Ed Foy of OMS prefers to grow shiitake
on logs. Logs take about 18 months to fruit.

Loosely pack the autoclavable bags to about the half way mark.  Fold the tops over and secure with paper clip.  Label with date of processing.

Pressure cook for 45 minutes at 15 psi.  Allow to cool.

Add 1/2 cup spawn to each bag.  Gently massage bags to allow spawn to
thoroughly mix with substrate.  Tape top with masking tape by off setting the edges to allow for gas exchange. 

Incubation and
fruiting

Place bags in a warm, moist atmosphere until the mycelium has done a good of running thru the substrate and the sawdust is solid and white.  An ice chest with a heating pad in the bottom and an open jar of water sitting in the bottom is a great incubator. 

The mycelium should run through the bags in about 2 weeks, creating the white substrate.  Don't be concerned when the substrate starts to turn a brownish color.  This is a natural progression.

When the substrate is solid, shock the bags by placing them in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.  Remove from the refrigerator.  Turn the top of the bag down about half way or remove the bag completely.  Place in a humidified environment and wait for clusters of shiitake to form. 

Enjoy your fruitings!