Everything You Need To Know About Mushroom Logs

by Delun Kang Agriculture

You might have wondered how the button mushrooms you like adding to your daily meals end up there. Well, if you are new to the world of fungi-culture, you might be entirely surprised by how they are actually farmed. You might imagine the traditional images of people plucking mushrooms from the forest, which might not be entirely safe because there is no way of knowing if they are safe to consume or not, at least by someone who does not have experience.

What are mushroom logs?

What actually happens is they are grown on felled logs and watered every now and again, and it is as simple as that. These are known as mushroom logs. This is what makes mushroom farming so popular. Whether you want to consume if for yourself or sell them locally, farming mushrooms has never been easier. It differs from traditional farming methods because you do not necessarily need to spend money on buying land to grow them like you would with plants.

What are the ideal growing conditions?

Depending on the kind of mushroom you are growing, you would require a specific kind of wood that it can fruit better on, with a certain level of humidity and temperature. This is why some mushrooms fruit once every 6 months, while others grow continuously during one season. Depending on the mushroom log and the season, you would need to water it as well.

How do they grow?

Mushrooms reproduce asexually from something called ‘spores.’ Those cannot be used for cultivation because they usually bear other microorganisms as well. Instead, farmers use an actively growing mushroom culture known as mycelium and place them on a substrate, which is usually sterilized grain and makes the mycelium grow into those grains. This is known as inoculation, and the inoculated grains, (or wooden plugs) as known as ‘log.’ These are the inoculums that are introduced into the log substrate.

What are the techniques of farming logs?

There are two methods of farming logs. The first is outdoor farming, which is the traditional method. It is season dependent, and unpredictable because of the temperature and humidity fluctuations. Commercially speaking, this is the lesser used of the two methods.

The second method is indoor farming, where the light, humidity, and temperature can be strictly regulated while also keeping pests and contaminants at bay. These means are achieved in commercial buildings that are specifically made for this kind of condition regulation.

Can I grow mushrooms on my own?

Of course, you can! Mushroom logs are sold commercially and they come for very cheap, and so do mushroom logs. They are usually sold to all parts of the world because of how popular mushrooms tend to be. What’s more, they are super easy to cultivate.

The steps include using a drill to make holes in the logs, and then placing the spawn in the log, and sealing the wood with some natural wax, like cheese wax, to prevent the introduction of other molds or microorganisms. Depending on the kind of mushroom you want to grow, there are different inoculation methods and temperature requirements.

Once you get the hang of it, you can benefit greatly from them!

Resource: https://www.sooperarticles.com/