Description

Pack of 100 plugs

Lion’s Mane logs are fun to make, require little maintenance, and will produce mushrooms for years. Inoculate your own prepared logs using our 5/16in x 1in spiral grooved colonized plug spawn.

Soak recently cut hardwood logs of three to four feet in length, four to six inches in diameter, in a tub of fresh water, or under a slow soaking hose for 48 hours. Freshly cut wood can be used without soaking. Use beech, elm, oak and similar hardwoods. One of few mushrooms that produces from Walnut. Avoid paper barked hardwoods such as birch and alder.

Prepare plug spawn inoculation sites by drilling 5/16in x 1 1/2in holes in a spiral pattern starting at one end of the log working towards the other. Space each hole approximately 4-6 inches away from the last. Number of holes will vary, for most logs 20-30 is good.

Inoculate the log by hammering colonized plugs into each hole. Each log should take approximately 20-30 plugs.

Seal the inoculation sites by dripping melted cheese wax onto each hole. Cheese wax is easy to work with and can be melted in a double boiler. We use a small 2.5 quart crock pot dedicated to this purpose. Wax can be dripped on with a brush, distributed with a large dropper, turkey baster, or easy to use 10cc B-D inoculation syringesv. A markable metal write-on tag can be stapled or tacked to the end of the log for long term identification.

Place logs in a shaded area and bury one third of the log’s length (hence Lion’s Mane logs should usually be cut a little longer than other mushroom logs). Frequent and normal rainfall should keep them moist, but the logs may require a soaking with a sprinkler or soaker hose if things dry up.

Spring inoculated logs may produce mushrooms by Fall, but will typically take up to one year to mature. Lion’s Mane tolerates subtropical temperatures, and as a warm weather mushroom will tend to begin fruiting during warm wet months when the temperature is 65-75F.

Properly maintained logs will continue to produce mushrooms for many seasons!

For more information on growing from plug spawn check out the following titles from our Mushroom Bookstore:

• Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Third Edition by Paul Stamets
• Mycelium Running : How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World by Paul Stamets

Also available in 500 plug packs