For individuals interested in production on a hobby
scale or for limited local sales, growing shiitake mush-rooms
can be quite rewarding. Commercial produc-tion,
however, requires a substantial commitment of
time and money. As with any agricultural commod-ity,
profitability depends on the grower’s production
and marketing skills, as well as on market supply and
demand. Shiitake production is still fairly new in this
country, and new strains (varieties) and methods of
production are being developed. The profitability of
production depends on the efficiency of the operation,
the availability of substrate materials (logs or other
organic material), and labor. Growers should experi-ment
on a small scale before committing substantial
resources to commercial production.
The shiitake mushroom is a wood-decay fungus
grown on logs or in bags of nutrient-enriched sawdust
or other organic materials. Bag culture is a highly spe-cialized
process that must be conducted in buildings
with close control of temperature, light, and moisture.
The risks of contamination and loss are much greater
with bag culture than with log growth, particularly for
inexperienced growers. This publication deals solely
with outdoor production on logs and explains tech-niques
suitable for small producers and hobbyists.
Areas Suitable for Production
In their natural environment, shiitake mushrooms
grow on dead hardwood tree logs in a warm, moist
environment. The combination of warm temperatures
and high rainfall promotes rapid growth of the shiitake
mycelium (see “Key Terms,” p. 2), the mass of thread-like
structures from which the mushroom grows. A
sudden change in temperature or moisture triggers the
fruiting response, resulting in mushroom production.
The two most popular mushrooms in the world are
the common button mushroom (Agaricus spp.)
and the shiitake or black forest mushroom (Len-tinus
edodes), shown below. The shiitake, meaning
“mushroom of the shii (oak tree)” in Japanese, is highly
prized in Asia for its flavor and reputed medicinal
value. It is a major agricultural commodity in Japan,
where about half the world’s supply of shiitake mush-rooms
is produced.
Formerly, the only shiitake mushrooms that could be
purchased in the United States were dried and import-ed.
Shiitake mushroom production began in this coun-try
about 25 years ago, and with it came a new demand
for fresh mushrooms. This demand is increasing rapidly
as consumers discover the delicious, meaty flavor of
fresh shiitake mushrooms. Now that these mushrooms
are commanding an average wholesale price of $5 to $9
a pound, thousands of farmers and investors across the
country are interested in producing them.
Shiitake Mushrooms
A Guide for Small-Scale
Outdoor Cultivation on Logs
Producing