Stump Cultivation
Stump culture represents the largest untapped platform for gourmet and medicinal mushroom cultivation worldwide. With the current state of forestry today, the economic implications of utilizing these tree graveyards as mushroom production centers has tremendous potential for the mycologically astute forester. Another advantage of using stumps as growing platforms for mushrooms is the accelerated decomposition and rapid return of wood debris back to nature, which has tremendous implications for the forest system as a whole.
Studies conducted in Europe have shown an average harvest of 10 – 20 kg of mushrooms per cubic meter of tree stump inoculated. Stumps inoculated in spring usually produce mushrooms in Autumn the following year and continue to produce mushrooms for many years after this. An Oak stump with a diameter of 1.5 meters that was inoculated with Maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa), has produced clusters of mushrooms weighing up to 50kg each for more than 20 years!
Stumps that have not been uprooted are best, as the mushroom mycelium will channel water up from the ground through the roots of the tree. A stump that is partially or fully shaded will be better than one that is located in direct sunlight. Stumps found with mosses, lichens or ferns growing around them are located in an ideal environment for mushroom cultivation. However should the stump already harbour another species of fungi chances of success will be greatly reduced.
The best method of inoculating stumps is by drilling holes evenly around the stump every 10cm horizontally and every 15cm vertically. These holes are then stuffed with sawdust spawn, compacted inside and sealed with molten cheese wax or beeswax. A high inoculation rate such as this, combined with proper site location is an almost guaranteed success.
Log Cultivation
Log culture, which was developed in Japan and China more than a millennium ago, is still used extensively today by thousands of growers in rural areas. The advantage of log culture is in the simplicity and ease with which anyone can accomplish it. The disadvantage is that the process is labour intensive and slow in comparison to new methods such as bag culture.
Logs are cut in winter before new growth appears and should be used within 2 months to prevent other mushroom species from becoming established. Logs should be stored off of the ground and inoculated early spring or when temperatures are conducive. Logs are inoculated with sawdust spawn as for stump culture with approximately 30 – 50 holes per log.
Other methods of inoculation are the wedge and spawn disk technique. Using a chainsaw, a wedge is cut from the side of a log or stump. This hole is then packed with sawdust spawn and the wedge inserted back in place and secured with nails. Similarly, large disks can be cut and stacked on top of each other with sawdust spawn wedged between. These disks are then secured together as best as possible.
Producing nutritious food at a profit by using materials that would otherwise be considered “waste”, constitutes a valuable service in the self-sustaining community we envision for the future.
Care and maintenance of logs
Site location is of utmost importance when placing logs for incubation and fruiting. Commonly logs are stacked and covered to assist in moisture retention until colonized and ready to fruit. Logs are then arranged in fencelike rows. Those growing in dry areas of the country or where watering is a problem, can bury the logs upright a third of their length into sandy ground. This will encourage the retention of water and lessen moisture lost to humidity fluctuations.
Ideally logs should be located in cool, moist, shaded environments where they are not exposed to excess sunlight or wind which will cause rapid drying and reduced harvest. If one does not have ideal location available, a suitable environment can be constructed with shade cloth and mist sprinklers.
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