How to Grow Shiitake Mushroom Indoors

Shiitake mushrooms are popular for their fragrant taste and benefits to health. The growth of natural shiitake mushroom highly depends on weathers, which results erratic production and yield. Indoor farming allows shiitake mushroom to be grown in a controlled environment on logs or sawdust. This environment has optimal humidity, lighting, temperature, etc. Indoor farming also enable mushrooms be produced in a wider range of infrastructures such as barns, outbuildings, warehouses, shipping containers, etc. Thanks to former advantages, growing shiitake mushroom indoors provides shorten production cycles, year-round production and higher yields. Indoor cultivation of shiitake mushroom is beneficial, but how to grow shiitake mushroom indoors?

About shiitake mushroom

Shiitake mushrooms have been a popular food source in the words due to their distinctive flavors and aromas. They have white rots and brown caps. The meaty flavor of shiitake mushrooms masks them are great to cook and eat. Shiitake mushrooms are full of B-vitamins, so they can modulate blood sugar levels. They are also great for cardiovascular system.

Natural shiitake mushrooms grows on woods of trees. They start to fruiting under prolonged cool and moist conditions. Unlike other commercial crops like tomatoes and strawberry, shiitake mushrooms are reproductive and easier to grow. They can be grown in a small places. With the increasing consumption of shiitake mushrooms and their ease cultivation, shiitake mushroom is an alternative crop for growers.

Methods for cultivating shiitake mushroom

They are two ways that are mainly used for cultivating shiitake mushrooms. One of them grows shiitake mushrooms on hardwoods logs and stumps, while the other use sawdust. Comparing the two methods, growing shiitake mushroom with sawdust can reduce more cost and time.

Traditionally, growers grow shiitake mushrooms on hardwood logs. For this cultivation method, recently felled logs of hardwoods are required. The freshly cut logs allow mycelium grow better, and provides blank slates to help shiitakes against wild fungi. Generally, growers soaking inoculated hardwood logs first. Then, striking them with a hammer to induce logs to fruit.

Although growing shiitake on logs outdoors is still common recent years, commercial cultivation utilizes hardwood sawdust blocks to grow shiitake indoors. Sawdust contains the cellulose, which commonly presents in logs. Similar to shiitake cultivation on logs, hardwood sawdust is preferred. Growing shiitake mushrooms with sawdust can achieve a quicker harvest and year-round production.

Steps to grow shiitake mushroom indoors

Here, we would like to show you four steps to grow the shiitake mushrooms indoors. A humid and clean space is required to start the shiitake mushroom cultivation.

• Set up and sterilize the sawdust blocks

The sawdust blocks are the substrate for your mushroom mycelium. These could include sawdust, rice bran, straw, etc. The recipes vary from growers. Some of them can get higher yield and tastier flavour. Before inoculating, you shall pasteurize the sawdust blocks between 160 and 180 degrees. This sterilization can move most of living microorganisms.

• Inoculation

When the sawdust blocks cool down to about 70 degrees, you can carry out inoculation. This step includes mix the spawn into the substrate thoroughly with a bag or other containers. Don’t forget to sterilize the tools and container before inoculation to avoid contamination. It is critical to mix the spawn evenly into the substrate. Because the even and well-mixed spawn can accelerate the colonization.

• Incubation or spawn run

Incubation or spawn run initiate after inoculation. Spawn takes about 8 to 12 weeks to grow through the whole substrate. When the shiitake blocks appear a light brown color, it means the shiitakes reach the incubation stage, and they are ready for fruiting.

• Fruiting and harvest

When the surface of the substrate start to appear bumps, it is the time for fruiting mushrooms. Remove the substrate from the grow bag completely to increase airflow. Differ from growing on logs by striking, indoor shiitake will fruit spontaneously. When the ‘gills’ appear on the mushroom cap, it is time to harvest. Keep in mind that don’t damage the growing medium during harvest.

Environment control of shiitake mushroom cultivation

For indoor shiitake mushroom cultivation, environment control is important. A well-controlled area provides the optimal environment for mushroom growth. Shiitake mushrooms require sufficient lights, suitable humidity, and fresh air to grow successfully.

They require the indirect sun or at least 8 hours supplemental lighting per day. The blue light (450nm) is effective in growing shiitake mushrooms. Blue LED grow lights like Horti-UV Pro can increase yields, improve market value, and shorten cultivation time of shiitake mushrooms. It has been proved that supplement of blue LED grow lights during maturation stage reduce the cultivation time by about 20 days. The temperature ranges from 12 degrees to 23 degrees is great for the growth of shiitake mushrooms. High humidity between 80% and 90% must be kept in a grow room. The fresh air exchange prevents malformed or long stem caused by excessive CO2.

In sum, growing shiitake mushroom indoor is more profitable and easier than outdoor cultivation. But it still needs skillful operation, precisely controlled environment, and appropriate supplemental lighting for a success shiitake mushroom cultivation.

If you need any help of the grow lights, just contact us!