Log Based Outdoor - Mycosource

Log Based Outdoor

Outdoor Cultivation on Hardwood Logs

There are 2 methods of log inoculation.

The ‘Drill & Fill’ method: For this method you drill holes in the logs and fill with spawn. Then the holes are sealed with wax or Styrofoam caps. For Lion’s Mane inoculations, double the inoculation rate.

You will need:

One 2.5 kilo bag of sawdust spawn for 20 – 25 four foot logs or 1.75 kilo bag for 10-15 logs; for Lion’s Mane double the inoculation rate;
A drill or an angle grinder and a drill bit with a depth stop;
An inoculation tool, and either wax or Styrofoam caps to seal inoculation holes.
We offer an adapter that allows you to mount your bit onto an angle grinder which is an inexpensive high-speed appliance that you can purchase locally. See the Equipment and Supplies page.

The ‘Totem’ method: Suitable for larger diameter logs (8 to 12 “) that are about 2.5 to 3’ long. In this method the log is sectioned horizontally, and spawn is packed between the layers and then the log is re-assembled/re-stacked. The totem method works best using Oyster and Lion’s Mane spawn. One bag of spawn 1.75 kilograms is enough for one or two logs that are 3’ long; 2.5 kilo bag for more logs; you can pack the spawn and use all your spawn. You will need a chainsaw and a leaf litter bag and a plastic bag.

These two methods can be combined. Use drill & fill method on logs that are 3” to 8” in diameter. You can use totem for small trunks or large diameter branches 9” to 12”. Drill & fill smaller branches first and then use up the remainder of your spawn as a totem. This is suitable if you have one or several small trees cut – drill & fill the branches and then use up the remainder of the spawn for the trunk with the totem method.

Please consult this guide for more information on the Totem method.

Plan Your Project

Step #1

Choose the species of mushroom that you want to grow.

Shiitake, Lentinula edodes – a wide temperature range strain which means that it will ‘fruit’ in a wide range of temperatures; Shiitake likes cool temperatures, producing flushes in early spring and late fall and will also ‘fruit’ in warm temperatures following rain/soaking.
Oyster, Pleurotus ostreatus (grey dove variety) – fruits in warm temperatures and high humidity.
Lion’s Mane, Hericium erinaceus – likes cool temperatures and high humidity.

Choose the type/species of wood that is best suited to that species.

Shiitake: Superior: white and red oak; hard/sugar maple Recommended: ironwood; beech; alder; Manitoba maple Not recommended: ash and fruitwood
Oyster: Superior: Aspen; yellow poplar; Manitoba maple/box alder; cottonwoods; willows Recommended species of wood: hackberry; mulberry
Lion’s Mane: Superior: Beech; hard/sugar maple; hackberry; mulberry Recommended: black, yellow and paper birch; blue beech and hornbeam

Step #2

Cut the logs. Plan to cut logs in winter; identify trees and mark them in the summer/fall. Cut logs from healthy living trees when they are dormant – after leaf fall in the autumn and before leaf bud in the spring. Best to cut in winter months as bark is tighter on the log. Take care to preserve the bark on the logs – try not to damage or strip the bark from logs. Cut logs & branches can be piled off the ground – on a skid or on other logs – in the woodlot/forest for the remainder of the winter in a shaded area exposed to snow and rain but protected from direct, prolonged exposure to sun. Breathable shade cloth or cedar boughs can be used to protect logs from sun. Logs – branches and trunks – can be cut into 3’ or 4’ lengths just prior to inoculation; this will preserve moisture inside the logs. It is advisable to let logs rest for a month after cutting and prior to inoculation.

Step #3

Order spawn, tools, and supplies. Place your order when you know how many logs you have. Order all tools and supplies that you will need. Place your order by March 15 if possible. Spawn is a living product and is custom ordered and will be shipped for ‘just-in-time’ for spring inoculation.

Step #4

Inoculate the logs.

Spawn will arrive in late April / early May. Inoculate when ambient night temperature is staying above freezing and daytime temperatures are consistently above 5 degrees Celsius.

Step #5

Choose the location to stack logs for the spawn run/incubation phase. Inoculated logs should be stacked off the ground on a skid or blocks or on other logs; stack the logs crib style, in a low profile that is 4 to 5 logs high, allowing for ventilation around each log. The logs will remain here for a year until they are ready to ‘fruit’ the following spring so locate them in a low (but not a swampy) shaded and sheltered area in the woodlot/forest with access to water (sprinkler) and where they will not be hit by harsh winter winds.

*Logs stacked for spawn run / incubation*

The objective during the spawn run is to keep the moisture level inside the logs high but allow the outside to dry so as not to rot the bark off. Logs should not be exposed to full sun during the spawn run/incubation phase. During winter keep logs shaded but allow snow to cover the logs. Even if logs are under the forest canopy, they may need to be covered with shade cloth or with some form of breathable covering (cedar boughs) so that they are not exposed to full/direct sun for hours at a time, especially during the late afternoon.

At the end of the spawn run – generally the following spring – you may be able to see the mycelium ‘showing’ on the end of the log in the sapwood ring as in the picture below. This indicates that the log is colonized and ready to start pinning and to ‘fruit’. At this point the logs should be stood up to facilitate mushroom emergence and harvesting. When using the ‘totem’ method, inoculated totem logs are placed upright, and they do not need to be moved after incubation. Totems should be located in a protected spot such as a shady garden or along a hedgerow, with access to water, in a spot where you can check them on a regular basis.

Step #6

Choose location to stand the inoculated logs for harvest the following spring.

Inoculated logs will fruit 6 months to 1 year following incubation/spawn run. Once logs begin pinning (small bumps visible on the surface of the bark that will develop into mushrooms) they must be stood up to allow the mushrooms to form and emerge and to facilitate harvesting. The ideal location is a well-ventilated south facing slope under the forest canopy; stand logs so that they will not be hit by wind or exposed to hours of directly sunlight, especially in late afternoon. Breathable shade cloth, burlap, or cedar boughs can be used to protect logs from sun while allowing rain onto logs. There are various ways to stand logs for harvesting such as leaning on barbed wire strung between posts or standing tepee style around trees; or on split rails to allow logs to be flipped from one rail to another. You will need access to water unless you plan to rely on natural rainfall to provoke fruiting.

Sources

Reading

Videos