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Sun, Sep 7, 14 at 22:16
| Last November, December and January I plugged a number of Oak logs with Shitake mushroom spawn. I have watered the logs twice a week since they were plugged. I have read that I shouldn't expect the mushrooms to fruit until after they are placed under stress such as a rapid increase in moisture or a rapid decrease in temperature. I live in central Florida. Should I expect mushrooms to fruit after the temperature drops here in November? Am I just being too impatient? The logs appear to have mycelium running in them. |
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| It may be a bit early. Next year at this time they will fruit. I have logs from 2008-2009-2010 and I fruit them in May (takes 14 days), July-Aug (takes about 8 days), and right now. Right now is going to be the main crop, because it is their season. Temperatures are in the 70s in Michigan. To fruit them, I leave them in a 55 gallon drum full of water (with cinder blocks on top) for 24 hours. Then I leave them outside, under clear plastic, watering daily. But first fruiting is rarely 12 months after inoculation and more like 15 months. Again, in Michigan. Of course Florida has a continuous growing season. You will still get your biggest flush in Fall when daily highs are 65-70. |
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| I suggest hosting a party that involves a couple of coolers of ice being on hand. For a couple of days afterward, put some logs in a kiddie pool and dribble the ice-cold water over them. Every few hours, add more ice water or ice cubes. Keep them cold for 24 hours and I bet they fruit. I discovered this last August, when it was still pretty hot. Better than waiting for the fall fruiting season. |
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- Posted by wisconsitom 4/5 WI (My Page) on Wed, Sep 10, 14 at 8:12
| Back when I was growing shiitake, I had to do the dunk tank thing also to get fruiting flushes going. Truth is, it's too long ago to remember much about time intervals and such. But it sure was a fun hobby for a while. I eventually tired of that very step-soaking and then restacking water-logged, uh, logs. But it sure did work. Back in those days, I found that in addition to oak, shellbark hickory also fruited well, which of course means nothing to a Floridian. +o< |
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| We're also in MI, and some friends got us interested in doing shitake logs 10 years or so ago. Our first logs we used boxelder and walnut because that's what we've got here on the property. We got zip - nada - for 9 years, though we could see the characteristic white threads growing on the logs. Then last year they surprised us and gave us about 7 beautiful mushrooms. That got us jazzed again, and we started more logs, this time with oak we got from a friend. A month or so back during one of the strange cool rainy periods we've been having this year, they started to fruit. I could see at least 7 buttons, and then - the slugs ate them all! We were also told this year that we should be soaking them in drums or troughs - we picked up a used plastic drum, but haven't used it yet. But it's raining today - will have to check later to see if anything new is happening. So, anyway - Bob, if you can find a way to dunk them, do so. But you still might not see any results till next year - patience. |
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