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 the flavor 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 diameter 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.
What to Expect: Day by Day
Shiitake kits arrive as a fully colonised log with pins already forming. The milestones below show what typical growth looks like from setup to harvest.
Day 1 - Setup
Open and follow the instructions. Brown patches on the block are normal for shiitake. Position in a cool room with indirect light and airflow. Begin misting twice daily.
Day 2 - Pins Visible
You will see and feel hard bobbles across the compost, these are the mushroom pins. Shiitake pins are darker than other varieties from the start.
Day 4-5 - Recognisable Shapes
The pins have grown into small mushrooms, doubling in size overnight. Continue misting twice daily and keep conditions stable.
Day 6-7 - Maturing
A mixture of mature and maturing Shiitake Mushrooms will be visible, continue spraying and allow slower mushrooms to catch up.
Day 8-10 - Harvest
Harvest when caps are formed and edges are still slightly curled under. Do not wait until caps flatten completely. Twist and pull gently, or cut at the base.
Timelines are typical results at 12-20 degrees with regular misting. View full growing timeline with all varieties
How to Grow your own Shiitake Mushrooms
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.
Handy growing guide
How to setup your humidity 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
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.
Shiitake Mushroom 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.
Check out our recipe section here.
Shiitake Mushroom Benefits
How To Dry Shiitake Mushrooms
Firstly clean of your mushrooms for any debris, you will want to trim back any of the stems containing any remaining substrate from the compost.
The best way to dehydrate mushrooms would be with the use of a dehydrator, set low around 55-60°C and letting it run until the mushrooms feel leathery, typically this will take several hours.
If you do not have a dehydrator, you can use an oven set low at 50-60°C and spread the mushrooms onto a baking sheet in a single layer, leave the door open for moisture to escape and check on the mushrooms every half hour, expect perfect dried mushrooms after a couple of hours.
FAQ for Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit
Remove your inoculated Shiitake log from its wrapper and place it within a humidity bag in an area out of direct sunlight, with temperatures between 12-20°C. Do not seal the bag shut; ensure it allows for air exchange. Spray the inside of the bag and the log twice daily to maintain a humid environment.
Shiitake mushrooms thrive best in temperatures of 17-19°C with high humidity and consistent fresh air exchange. The provided humidity bag should not be sealed tightly to allow for adequate airflow.
Harvest your Shiitake mushrooms within 7-10 days from setup when they are mature but before the edges begin to upturn. Use a clean knife to slice the mushrooms close to the log, ensuring to take the edible stem without leaving any behind.
You can expect a heavy first flush and a possible second crop from your kit. Shiitake mushroom kits are optimised for indoor use to control environmental conditions effectively. Growing them outside is not recommended without suitable adjustments.
Shiitake mushrooms are low in calories, making them an excellent choice for healthy diets. Fresh Shiitake mushrooms contain approximately 34 calories per 100 grams.
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