Growing Mushrooms On Logs in NZ

Oyster mushrooms growing on an inoculated Poplar log

Growing mushrooms on logs using mushroom dowels is a simple, low-maintenance way to enjoy fresh, quality mushrooms from your backyard for many years.

They don't need a lot of room and fit well into any garden. You can grow a diverse range of delicious nutrient-dense mushrooms -- even in urban settings and small backyards.

>> Select from the SporeShift range of inoculated mushroom dowels (plugs) for growing mushrooms on logs in your NZ Garden here

Varieties you can grow in NZ

There are a good variety of different types of edible mushrooms that can be grown on logs in New Zealand. This includes Shiitake, Oyster varieties, Coral Tooth (a.k.a. pekepeke kiore: the NZ-native cousin of Lion’s Mane), Enoki, Turkey Tail (used for medicinal purposes in teas and tinctures) and Tawaka (a.k.a. Poplar Mushroom: NZ-native similar in taste/texture to pioppino or chestnut mushrooms).

Shiitake growing on a log at the SporeShift farm

Log cultivation is often one of the easiest ways for many people to grow some of the more complex species outside of oyster mushrooms.

Growing mushrooms on logs is a great long-term sustainable way of growing, mimicking the way mushrooms would naturally grow.

Types of Logs to use Most types of hardwood will work. This includes alder, beech, elm, aspen, birch, poplar, oak, maple, willow, hickory. For poplar and willow, you may want to put the logs in the garage, or in the dark, (off the ground) -- until they stop trying to sprout.

Fruit trees are less ideal and are known to produce lower yields but do still work. Avoid using cedar, black locust, walnut, macrocarpa and most conifers. If pine is the only wood you can get pair it with our grey oyster dowels.

Ideal Log Size The bigger the log, the longer it produce mushrooms for, however the trade off is it will take longer to colonise and start fruiting.

Ideal size is really what is convenient to handle, often 100mm-200mm in diameter by 1 meter long. This size log would typically take six months to a year to fully colonise before producing mushrooms, then producing for many years.

Ideally you should plug your logs within a few months of cutting. The log should be clean, free of dirt (lichens and mosses are ok).

If logs are not freshly cut but still clean just a bit dry, they can be soaked under water for a few days or up to a week before plugging with dowels. Soaking isn’t 100% necessary, but it can help the mushroom colonise and take over the log faster.

Dowels inoculated with mushroom spawn

How to inoculate Logs with Dowels:

You will need:

• dowel spawn (>> dowels that have been inoculated with the desired mushroom culture)

• log/logs, freshly-cut and not sprouting

• power-drill and >>9.5mm drill-bit

• Parafin, soy or >>beeswax

• >> natural brush to apply wax

• small pot to melt >> wax

• hammer

Step 1

• Drill holes, about 32-35mm deep, in rows.

• Each hole about 15cm-20cm apart.

• Starting 50mm from the edge of the log.

• Rows spaced about 7-10cm around the log, forming a repeating diamond pattern when all holes are drilled.

Step 2 - Tap your >> ready-to-go inoculated dowels in to your drilled-holes immediately. With the 9.5mm drill bit the dowels should fit easily into the holes.

Step 3 - Melt >> wax using a double boil and apply the wax over each dowel and the two ends of the log. This helps with moisture retention and protects from unwanted competitors.

Optional but be careful: apply the wax at near smoking point and it will soak into the wood better. Be vary careful not to ignite the hot wax if using a gas heating source.

Step 4 - Find a good place for your log, in a shady-area out of direct sunlight. Logs should be kept out of direct frost in colder climates.

Step 5 - Water your logs over summer when you water the garden. For best results, soak logs underwater, for 24 hours, in the middle and end of summer.

Step 6 - Keep an eye out for mushrooms from four months to a year. Well colonised logs will turn white on the ends (this is mycelium or mushroom roots).

Naturally, the mushrooms will fruit around autumn/spring when the temperature drops/rises but the air is humid, usually after rainfall. Mushrooms can grow and mature within a few days so keep an eye out during mushroom season!

You can ‘force fruit’ logs and trick them into producing mushrooms once fully colonised by soaking in cold water for 12-24 hours.

How long will a log produce mushrooms?

The log will keep producing mushrooms until it runs out of nutrients, the general rule of thumb is 1 year of production per 2.5cm (1in) of diameter. This will vary slightly depending on the wood type, for example a dense oak log will produce a bit longer than a less dense poplar log.

How to grow mushrooms using the Totem Method

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An even-simpler method than using dowels is 'the totem method.' Simply put the totem method uses sawdust spawn to inoculate rings of wood stacked ontop of one another.

For this all you need is a chainsaw, sawdust spawn of choice, and a decent-sized log -- so that you can stack it up like a tiki. Larger diameter logs are ideal, about 300mm wide or wider.

How to make a mushroom totem:

• Cut your log into rings - each ring about 200mm long. Alternatively you can cut the log perfectly in half length ways but traditionally totems are done in rings.

• Sit the first ring on the ground and apply a 2-3cm layer of mushroom sawdust spawn on top of it.

• Good totem options are Oyster and Shiitake mushrooms. You can use this >>Oyster sawdust spawn. For Shiitake sawdust spawn you can buy a >>Shiitake block and leave me a note at checkout it is for totem growing.

• Place the next ring on top and repeat the process until you have your mushroom totem made.

• Keep well watered and in a shady spot in the garden.

• Keeping the log on the ground will help stop it drying out, the log will wick water out of the soil.

Mushroom log cut length ways inocluated with Oyster Sawdust Spawn

Ordering Spawn For Totems:

To order sawdust spawn for mushroom totems follow the below links:

Phoenix Grey Oyster Mushroom: >> Grey Oyster Sawdust Spawn

Pink Oyster Mushroom: >> Pink Oyster Sawdust Spawn (Simply break up the pink oyster sawdust block and use as spawn*):

Shiitake Mushrooms: >> Shiitake Sawdust Spawn (Simply break up the shiitake sawdust block and use as spawn*):

*Please leave a note at checkout if you are ordering the blocks for sawdust spawn as I will send younger blocks that are more suitable for spawn.

Turkey Tail Log

Harvesting Log Grown Mushrooms Although it is reasonably unlikely another species will grow on the log, it is definitely possible that another wood-rotting variety of mushroom could grow in its place. It is therefore important to be able to properly identify the intended mushroom before harvesting.

Our available varieties are relatively distinct, especially if you know what to expect. When growing logs outside, it is best to pick your mushrooms earlier rather than later -- to avoid bugs getting at them first.

Further Reading:

>> How to Grow Mushrooms in patches in your Kiwi garden

>> Select from the SporeShift range of inoculated mushroom dowels (plugs) for growing mushrooms on logs in your NZ Garden here