Congratulations on the arrival of your Shiitake Fruiting Kit!
One of the most popular mushrooms that we sell here at Mushroom Mountain is the Shiitake mushroom. This is an amazing mushroom and extremely easy to grow! Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms around the world surpassed only by the white button mushroom. They have been cultivated and enjoyed all around the globe for over a thousand years. Shiitake are rich in lentinans and other beta-glucans. They protect against cell damage, boost your immune system, and have anti-inflammatory properties.
We are going to share with you how to grow them on your fruiting log, how to produce multiple flushes, and what to do after you’ve harvested them. We hope you enjoy your shiitakes!
Directions for use:
- Refrigerate upon receipt. If you are not opening and using your kit right away, you can refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
- When ready to start your kit, open the box.
- Submerge your log in water for 3 hours.
- Place log on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish and add ¼ inch water. Find a good spot in bright light or indirect sunlight where you can keep an eye on it.
- Our clear, plastic humidity tent will prevent your log from drying out. Cut 2 inches from the top two corners of the tent to allow fresh air exchange. Open the bag all the way and make a tent over the log.
- Spritz fresh water on your mushroom log twice daily.
In a few days, mushroom buttons will start forming on the log.
In a little more than a week, you will have beautiful shiitake mushrooms. Shiitakes are ready to harvest when the thin white veil under the cap is broken and the cap is flattened and roughly 1-2 inches across. Twist mushrooms to harvest them.
Allow your log to rest in a shady spot. Do not water. After 2 weeks of rest, submerge the log for 5 hours. Repeat instructions for the next 2-3 flushes, then return your log to the earth. Additional information included in the box.
What to do with harvested shiitakes:
Dehydrate them. You can place them in the sun (gills up) for 2 hours where they will dry and accumulate extra vitamin D! If they are not completely dry after 2 hours, turn them cap side up until dry.
Cook them. Shiitakes go well in sauces, soups, stir-fries & stews. Visit our Recipes page for some of our favorite ways to enjoy these delicious mushrooms.
Store them. Fresh shiitakes will keep in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Store dehydrated shiitakes in an airtight container.
Pickle them. Simmer mushrooms for 5 minutes in water, rice vinegar, sea salt, cane sugar, fresh ginger, and other spices to your taste. Let cool and transfer to a glass, airtight jar for use as a garnish in salads, pizzas, and rice bowls.
FAQ
My log has mold on it? What do I do?
Remove the visible mold (usually green) by scraping with the edge of a clean spoon. Spray the affected area with a 10/1 water and bleach solution. Make sure not to spray any bleach solution on the fruiting body of mushrooms. If mold appears on the first flush, you can soak the log in bleach solution when preparing for the next flush.
How long do I need to soak log for force fruiting?
Soak log for 3 hours maximum every two weeks.
