Contents
Growing Shiitake
Brief description of the fungus, features of its growth
In Europe, the shiitake mushroom is better known as Lentinus edodes. It is a representative of a large family of non-rotten fungi, which has about one and a half thousand species of fungi that can grow not only on decaying and dying wood, but also in a plant substrate. It is quite common to see shiitake growing on chestnut trunks. In Japan, chestnuts are called “shii”, hence the name of this mushroom. However, it can also be found on other types of deciduous trees, incl. on hornbeam, poplar, birch, oak, beech.
In the wild, this type of mushroom is often found in the southeast and east of Asia, incl. in the mountainous regions of China, Korea and Japan. In Europe, America, Africa and Australia, wild shiitake is not found. In Our Country, this mushroom can be found in the Far East.
Shiitake is a saprophyte mushroom, so its nutrition is based on organic matter from decaying wood. That is why quite often this fungus is found on old stumps and drying trees.
Asians have long praised the healing properties of shiitake, which is why it has been cultivated by them on tree stumps for thousands of years.
In appearance, this mushroom is a hat mushroom with a short thick stem. The hat can have a diameter of up to 20 centimeters, but in most cases it is in the range of 5-10 centimeters. This type of mushroom grows without the formation of articulated fruiting bodies. The color of the mushroom cap at the initial stage of growth is dark brown, the shape is spherical. But in the process of ripening, the hat becomes flatter and acquires a light shade.
Mushrooms have light flesh, which is distinguished by a delicate taste, slightly reminiscent of the taste of porcini mushrooms.
Site selection and preparation
Shiitake cultivation can be carried out in several ways: extensive and intensive. In the first case, the growth conditions are made as close as possible to natural ones, and in the second case, plant or wood raw materials are individually selected for mushrooms with the addition of various nutrient solutions. Growing shiitake has a high profitability, but still, the majority of Asian mushroom farms prefer the extensive type of cultivation of these mushrooms. At the same time, Asians specially prepare certain areas of the forest for this, where the shade from the trees will create the most favorable conditions for the growth of shiitake.
The climate, characterized by hot summers and cold winters, cannot be called favorable for the cultivation of such mushrooms, therefore, the creation of special premises is required in which it will be possible to achieve control over the level of humidity and temperature. The extensive method involves growing mushrooms on stumps of deciduous trees, which are specially harvested for this. The most popular in this business are chestnuts and dwarf chestnuts, hornbeams, beeches and oaks are also suitable for this. In order for mushrooms to grow nutritious and healthy, stumps for their cultivation must be harvested at a time when sap flow in the trees stops, i.e. it should be either early spring or late autumn. At this time, wood contains a huge amount of nutrients. Before choosing wood for growing shiitake, you should carefully inspect it, and discard damaged stumps.
To obtain stumps, sawn logs with a diameter of 10-20 centimeters will be most suitable. The length of each stump should be about 1-1,5 meters. After receiving the required number of stumps, they are folded into a woodpile and covered with burlap, which should save them from drying out. If the wood has dried up, the logs should be moistened with water 4-5 days before sowing the mycelium.
Shiitake can also be grown in dry logs, but only if they have not begun to rot. Such wood should be abundantly moistened a week before planting the mycelium. Mushroom cultivation can be carried out both outside and in a special room where you can maintain the temperature necessary for the development of shiitake.
In the first case, fruiting of mushrooms will take place only in the warm season, but in the second case, it seems possible to grow shiitake throughout the year. It is important to remember that when growing mushrooms in open areas, they should be protected from wind and direct sunlight.
Also, do not forget that shiitake will bear fruit only if the ambient temperature is maintained at 13-16 degrees, and wood moisture at 35-60%. In addition, lighting is also important – it should be at least 100 lumens.
Sow mycelium
Before starting the sowing process, holes should be drilled in the stumps for the mycelium. Their depth should be 3-5 centimeters, and the diameter should be 12 mm. In this case, the step should be observed at the level of 20-25 cm, and between the rows there should be at least 5-10 cm.
Mycelium is densely stuffed into the resulting holes. Then the hole is closed with a plug, the diameter of which is 1-2 mm smaller than the diameter of the hole. The cork is hammered in with a hammer, and the gaps that remain are sealed with wax. Then these stumps are again distributed in the woodpile or in a special room. The development of the mycelium is influenced by many factors – from the quality of the mycelium to the conditions created. Therefore, it can develop over 6-18 months. The most optimal temperature will be 20-25 degrees, and the wood should have a moisture content above 35%.
So that the woodpile does not dry out, it should be covered from above, and as it dries, it can be moistened. The mushroom picker can be considered developed if white spots from hyphae begin to appear on the sections of the logs, and the log no longer makes a ringing sound when tapped. When this moment has come, the logs should be soaked in water. If it is a warm season outside, then this should be done for 12-20 hours, if it is a cold season – for 2-3 days. This will increase the moisture content of the wood up to 75%.
Growing and harvesting
When the mycelium began to multiply, the logs should be installed in previously prepared places. From above, they are covered with a translucent fabric, as a result of which there is an equalization of humidity and temperature.
When the surface of the logs is dotted with fruiting bodies, the protective fabric should be disposed of, the humidity in the room is reduced to 60%.
Fruiting can continue for 1-2 weeks.
If the cultivation technology has been observed, mushrooms can be grown from one sown stump for five years. At the same time, such a stump will bear fruit 2-3 times a year. When the harvest is over, the stumps are again placed in the woodpile, and covered with a light-transmitting cloth on top.
Be sure to prevent the decrease in wood moisture to a level below 40%, and also maintain the air temperature at 16-20 degrees.
When the wood dries a little, it should again be soaked in water.