Shiitake cultivation
Brief description of the fungus, its features growth
In Europe, shiitake mushroom is better known as Lentinus. edodes. He is a representative of a large family negniuchnikovyh, which has about one and a half thousand species mushrooms that can grow not only on crumbling and dying wood, but also in plant substrate. You can quite often see the shiitake vegetation on the trunks of chestnuts. In Japan, chestnuts called “shii”, hence the name of this mushroom. but You can meet it on other types of deciduous trees, including on the hornbeam, poplar, birch, oak, beech.
In the wild, this species of fungi is often found in the southeast and East Asia, including in the mountainous areas of China, Korea and Japan. IN countries of Europe, America, Africa and Australia, wild shiitake not found. In Russia, this mushroom can be found in the Far East.
Shiitake is a saprophyte mushroom, so its nutrition based on organic matter from decaying wood. That is why quite often this mushroom is found on old stumps. and drying trees.
Asians have long praised the healing properties of shiitake, so he already for more than one thousand years they cultivated on wood stumps.
In appearance, this mushroom is a hat with a short thick leg. The hat may have a diameter of up to 20 centimeters, however in most cases are in the range of 5-10 centimeters. The the species of fungi grows without the formation of articulated fruiting bodies. The color of the mushroom cap at the initial stage of growth is dark brown, the shape is spherical. But in the process of maturation, the hat becomes flatter and takes on a lighter shade.
Mushrooms have a light flesh, which is distinguished by a delicate taste, slightly reminiscent of the taste of porcini mushrooms.
Site selection and preparation
Shiitake cultivation can be done in several ways: extensive and intense. In the first case, growing conditions become as close to natural as possible, and in the second mushrooms individually selected plant or wood raw materials with the addition of various nutrient solutions. Growing shiitake has a high profitability, but still the bulk Asian mushroom farms prefers an extensive type growing these mushrooms. Moreover, Asians specifically for this prepare certain areas of the forest where the shade from the trees will create the most favorable conditions for growth shiitake.
The Russian climate, characterized by hot summers and cold winters, cannot be called favorable for the cultivation of such mushrooms, therefore requires the creation of special rooms in which it will be possible gain control over humidity and temperature. An extensive method involves growing mushrooms on stumps deciduous trees that are specially prepared for this. The most popular in this business are chestnuts and dwarf chestnuts are also suitable for this hornbeam, beech and oak. To mushrooms grew nutritious and healthy, hemp should be grown be harvested at a time when sap flow in trees stops, i.e. it should be either early spring or late fall. At this time, wood has a huge amount of nutrients. Before choosing wood for Shiitake cultivation should carefully examine it, and abandon damaged hemp.
To get the stumps, the most suitable are sawn logs, the diameter of which is 10-20 centimeters. Each length cutting should be about 1-1.5 meters. After receiving the right amount of stumps they fold into a woodpile, and covered with burlap, which should save them from overdrying. If the wood has dried, logs 4-5 days before sowing the mycelium should be moistened with water.
Shiitake can be grown in dry logs, but only in if they do not start the process of decay. Such wood should be abundantly moistened a week before the mycelium is planted. Mushroom cultivation can be carried out both on the street and in special room where you can maintain the necessary for development of shiitake temperature.
In the first case, the fruiting of the mushrooms will take place only in warm season, but in the second – it seems possible Shiitake cultivation throughout the year. It is important to remember that when growing mushrooms in an open area, it should be protected them from wind and direct sunlight.
Also, do not forget that shiitake will bear fruit only if the ambient temperature is maintained at 13-16 degrees, and wood moisture – at the level of 35-60% In addition, lighting is important – it must be at least 100 lumens.
Sowing mycelium
Before sowing, the stumps should be drilled holes under the mycelium. Their depth should be 3-5 centimeters, and the diameter is 12mm. The step should be observed at the level of 20-25 cm, and between the rows should be at least 5-10 cm.
The mycelium is densely packed into the holes obtained. Then the hole is closed with a plug, the diameter of which is 1-2 mm less hole diameter. The cork clogs in with hammer, and the cracks that remain are sealed with wax. Then the stump data is again distributed in the woodpile or in special room. Mycelium development is influenced by many factors – from the quality of the mycelium about the created conditions. Therefore she can develop over 6-18 months. Most optimal there will be a temperature of 20-25 degrees, and the wood should have humidity above 35%.
So that the woodpile does not dry out, it must be covered on top, also, as it dries, its moistening is allowed. Mushroom picker can will be considered developed if the logs began to be cut on the slices white spots from gifs appear, and logs when tapped more does not make a loud sound. When this moment has arrived, logs should be soaked in water. If the street is a warm season, then this should be done for 12-20 hours, if the cold season – for 2-3 of the day. This will increase the moisture content of wood up to 75%.
Growing and harvesting
When the mycelium began to multiply, the logs should be installed in pre-prepared places. From above they covered with a translucent fabric, resulting in alignment of humidity and temperature.
When the surface of the logs is dotted with fruit bodies, from protective tissue should be discarded; indoor humidity is reduced to 60%.
Fruiting may continue for 1-2 weeks.
If the cultivation technology has been followed, from one seeded stump mushrooms can be grown for five years. Moreover, for a year, such a stump will bear fruit 2-3 times. When the harvest ends, the stumps are again placed in the woodpile, and covered a light-transmitting fabric on top.
Be sure not to reduce the moisture content of wood on level below 40%, and also maintain air temperature at level of 16-20 degrees.
When the wood dries a little, it should again be soaked in water.
