How To Grow Your Own Shiitake Mushrooms At Home
Shiitake mushrooms, scientifically known as (Lentinula edodes), are a popular edible mushroom native to East Asia. They have a meaty texture and a rich, earthy flavor that is prized in cooking and very popular with vegan and vegetarians. They are often used as a meat replacement and offer great umami and savory qualities.
Shiitakes are not only delicious, but they also have numerous health benefits, including boosting the immune system, supporting heart health, and providing an abundance of vitamins and minerals. These mushrooms are low in calories and fat, making them a popular ingredient in healthy recipes. They are also rich in antioxidants and compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties, making them a valuable addition to a balanced diet. Whether sautéed, grilled, or added to soups and stir-fries, shiitake mushrooms are a versatile ingredient that can elevate theflavor of any dish.
Whilst still being a specialty and exotic mushroom, these are becoming more and more popular and compared to 10 years ago, you now see them a lot more in the supermarket. However due to the nature of this mushroom these are usually imported so the freshest and best way to enjoy Shiitake mushrooms, is to grow your own, which is why we decided to bring this fantastic Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit to the market.
How to setup your Shiitake mushroom growing kit
We wanted everyone to be able to experience the thrill of growing your own shiitake mushrooms so we created our fantastic range of mushroom growing kits. This item falls within our ready growing range, which means we have taken care of all the tricky parts of the process and deliver you a mushroom fruiting log which is ready and raring to go, which will have its crop with 7-10 days.
Using one of our grow your own shiitake kits, this process is very easy and our easy instructions will guide you through the process, any issues and we're always on hand for personalized product support and FAQ's.
Step One - Setup
Firstly carefully remove your fully innoculated Shiitake "log" from its wrapper. Your kit is a mixture of brown and white colour on the log with small mushroom pins (primordia) beginning to form.
Locate a growing area anywhere indoors, out of direct sunlight in an area which is between 12-20'c
Place the log within the humidity bag, leaving an opening similar in the logs diamater to the kit does not suffocate, do not seal the bag shut.
Spray both the inside of the humidity bag and the log twice daily, ensuring a humid environment which mushrooms love. Within 7-10 days your mushrooms will be ready to harvest.
Your Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit will crop very heavily on the first flush provided around 1kg of Shiitake, with the chance of a second crop, please see here for our grow kit crop rates.
How to Grow your own Shiitake Mushrooms
- CheckIdeal Temperature 17-19'c
Step Two Pinning / Fruiting
Each species of mushroom that we have created growing kits for will grow at different speeds. This Shiitake Grow Kit typically takes 7-10 days upon arrival for you to have your first crop.
The pins (primordia) will already be present upon arrival and placing the log into the humidity bag will prompt these to increase in size and fruit. These will double in size over night.
How to setup your humdity bag
It is important you leave an opening to provide Fresh air exchange (FAE) Otherwise your mushrooms will not grow as they should, mushrooms require air exchange so the bag should not be closed in any way or airflow limited.
How to pick your Shiitake mushrooms
- CheckEnsure you slice the mushrooms cleanly, close to the log.
Step Three - Harvesting
After 7-10 days of growth your shiitake mushrooms will be mature and ready to harvest. It is important to pick them when they are still round, before the edges begin to upturn for best results.
To leave them growing for longer will not make the mushrooms any heavier it will just reduce the potential shelf life of the mushrooms and provide a less desirable texture for cooking purposes. If you notice sporing on the block below it is another indication of being ready to pick.
To harvest your mushrooms you should take a clean knife and cleanly slice the mushrooms at the stem as close to the substrate as you can, the entire stem is also edible apart from the lower portion closest to the log.
Benefits and culinary uses
Shiitake mushrooms have a rich and savory flavor that pairs well with a variety of dishes. They can be sautéed, grilled, roasted, or stir-fried to enhance the flavor of soups, stews, stir-fries, pasta dishes, and more.
Shiitake mushrooms are also commonly used in Asian cuisine, particularly in dishes like miso soup, ramen, and stir-fried noodles. They can be dried and rehydrated for later use. Similar to our dried mushroom range
They are high in nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are a good source of copper, manganese, and zinc, which are essential for a healthy immune system. Shiitake mushrooms also contain compounds that may help lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health. Additionally, they have anti-inflammatory properties and may help protect against cancer. Shiitake mushrooms are best consumed cooked.
Check out our recipe section here