Using Mushroom Log Cultivation Kits
Grow Your Own Mushrooms Indoors
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Grow mushrooms indoors with mushroom log cultivation kits and learn to inoculate plugs or sawdust spawn to produce mushroom fruits.
by Jenny Underwood
While one of my favorite things to do is forage for wild mushrooms, I now have another favorite pastime: growing my own mushrooms! For many beginners, including myself, this was a daunting proposition initially. When I began researching, I found so much goes into growing mushrooms. While it’s true that mushrooms are an unusual and persnickety thing to grow (you just can’t plant a seed, and a few weeks later there’s a mushroom), there are a couple ways that mushroom growing can be done by just about anyone. That’s where mushroom growing kits come in.
A quick discussion of mushroom terms and the basic life cycle comes first. Mushrooms are intricate living things. Most of a mushroom is underground. This is called the mycelium (somewhat like the roots of plants). After the mycelium colonizes a substrate (or completely infects a host such as a log, tree, or dirt), the mushroom will fruit (this is the part you consume), after it receives proper moisture. After the mushroom has grown to its full potential, it’ll release spores similar to seeds. These then spread to another host to colonize it again and restart the process.
There are many different reputable mushroom kit companies. Your best bet is to read reviews on their products, see what customer service they offer, and compare pricing. Many have a YouTube channel where you can see exactly how they recommend you start your growing experience with helpful tips and tricks.
Types of Mushroom Kits
I started with two different types of mushrooms: a shiitake log and a portabella growing medium. Here’s what’s different about these:
First, the logs are just that: a small, rather fragile section of colonized log. You simply soak the log in water for the recommended time (I put a teaspoon of bleach in the water as many suggested). Weigh your log down. I put a heavy, flat rock on top. After the soaking time is done, remove the log and place it in the provided plastic bag and box. Put it in a warm place and keep it moist. In just two weeks, I had shiitake mushrooms popping out. As they start to fruit, you may need to loosen the plastic so they have room to grow and allow air in to help prevent mold. You need to keep a close eye on them and keep them moist, but not saturated — I used a spray bottle. The caps shouldn’t be flattened or curving upward for optimal texture and taste. Beware: Mushrooms can go from not ready to ready in a few hours, so check frequently. When they’re ready, they’ll be slightly cupped and not curving upwards or inverted.
Grow Mushrooms Indoors with Kits
The other method I used was the portabella spawn kit. This kit comes with dirt and colonized substrate. All you need to do is add some water to the spawn, then spread it on the dirt. Keep the dirt moist and tent with a plastic bag. Portabellas took under three weeks to fruit. Pick these mushrooms when they’re big (mine grew to the size of a large hamburger). Cut the mushrooms off at the base of the stem right above the ground. Clean your mushrooms with a small brush or paper towel. Only wash your mushrooms if they’re quite dirty or have insects on them.
Both kits can then be allowed to rest for a few weeks, then simply repeat the above procedures for a fresh flush of mushrooms. Oyster, lion’s mane, reishi, and button mushroom kits are also available. While these kits won’t produce many mushrooms, they give you a gentle and easy introduction into the wonderful world of growing mushrooms at home! Expect to grow a few pounds per flush.
There can be difficulties with anything, and mushrooms are no different. Mushrooms like to grow in damp, but not saturated, conditions. If you accidentally overwater the log or dirt, remove the plastic and place a fan in front of it to dry it out. Sometimes, mold can grow on your substrate. Either remove this with a spoon or spray with a light bleach solution. It’s always necessary to research the mushroom you’re growing to know exactly what it looks like, because other inedible mushrooms can also pop up. I had this happen in the portabella kit. I simply removed them when they popped up.
Mushroom Log Cultivation
If you’d like to go further with growing mushrooms, you can start inoculating your own logs. You may do this with either plug or sawdust spawn. This is more involved and will require spawn, logs, a specialized drill bit, wax, and a place to store your logs in the shade. Begin by harvesting fresh logs (each type of mushroom prefers specific trees) in the winter. Cut into manageable lengths. Each log should be 4 to 8 inches in diameter and approximately 4 feet long. You can get bigger ones, but remember you have to be able to move these, so plan accordingly. Allow your logs to rest for a few weeks.
Plug spawn is simply short dowel rods inoculated with mushroom spawn. Sawdust spawn is loose spawn that you’ll inject into the holes you drill with a specialized tool. You may order these from many mushroom suppliers. Ordering the tools you need from a mushroom-growing company is much simpler and more effective. The sizes of the drill bits are important and will be specified on the plug spawn or inoculation tool you order.
Many different waxes are available to use to seal your holes. I use beeswax. This must be melted and dabbed over the holes after you insert the spawn. I use wool dabbers, and these can be reused indefinitely. The basic system you’ll use is to drill holes in a diamond pattern about 4 inches apart on the logs all the way around, place your spawn in the holes using either the plug or sawdust spawn, cover with wax, stack, and wait.
If the weather is dry, you may need to water your logs periodically. Place them in the shade or cover them with a shade cloth if natural shade isn’t available.
Every mushroom is different in how long it’ll take to fruit, so be patient. Mushrooms can often be forced to fruit by soaking the logs in cold water for several hours, or they may be allowed to fruit naturally (often a few days after a good rain). These logs will continue to produce mushrooms averaging about one year per inch of diameter of the log. (Inches across the log, not around.) Logs may be stacked in a log cabin style, leaned against other supports like trees, or leaned against a long support like a cable.
Mushrooms are amazing and taste delicious; they’re healthy for you and they benefit the environment. Get started this year in mushrooms, and you’ll never look back!
Jenny Underwood is a homeschooling mama to four lively blessings. She makes her home in the rural foothills of the Ozark Mountains with her husband of 20 years. You can find her reading a good book, drinking coffee, and gardening on their little fifth-generation homestead. Keep up on her blog here.
Originally published in the January/February 2025 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
