This year I have been planting spend mycelium in my garden and works with pink and grey oyster, lion mane and right now I’m trying shiitake. Also I don’t know where this came but boletes are growing as well, is like I opened the door to mushrooms in my garden and other varieties are coming to join 😅(I have some videos about it in case you would like to watch it) ☺️ Greetings from San Francisco Bay Area! :)
Thanks for another delightful video! Question: Will the maitakes survive the winter the way you have set them up in the video (the block is sitting on the ground and you heaped woodchips over them)? Would it help them to survive the winter if I dig down a bit and place them in a hole with the top at ground level, then cover that with woodchips?
Yes and yes! The maitake will overwinter like this for generally two years. But digging then down a bit won't hurt, but I would only bury them halfway to ensure that there is plenty of space on the sides for the maitake to emerge.
I just replied via someone else's comment with one question I have for you. I have another couple of questions. Will Maitake overwinter in zone 5a in the Rockies? (...and will it grow in aspen or cottonwood mulch?) I was directed to this video by an email offer I got from you. If it and others will grow on populus woods, I'll get the whole kit and set them in different spots under trees. Otherwise I'll either order the kit for a single flush, or individual blocks instead of the combo. Fungi Perfecti's plug spawn chart shows Maitake in oak or honey locust, neither of which grow around here. Oyster spawn should inoculate a deep bed of aspen/cottonwood. Any info will be appreciated.
Excellent questions. Maitake will not grow into wood chips, but it will overwinter. We're in Zone 4b and most blocks give us two years of fruiting. King Oyster and chestnut, like maitake, also do not do well in wood chip beds and prefer the structure of a solid chunk of wood. You can certainly try to plant the Grey Dove oyster block separately into soft hardwood chips, but that's not the intention of this method. If trying to plant a wood chip bed I would recommend buying Grey Dove Spawn and mixing it into the wood chips as that will give the mycelium more opportunity to grow out.
@@FieldandForestProducts, thank you. I figured breaking up a block would spread the spawn more widely, but wondered if keeping in a concentrated block would help it establish without "shock". I haven't had much success with dowel spawn in logs, whether with shiitake or oyster... or even Turkey Tail. As I mentioned in another reply, the Stropharia mycelium has spread very well in beds of cardboard, straw, and aspen/cottonwood shavings. I'll certainly try the Grey Dove.
This year I have been planting spend mycelium in my garden and works with pink and grey oyster, lion mane and right now I’m trying shiitake. Also I don’t know where this came but boletes are growing as well, is like I opened the door to mushrooms in my garden and other varieties are coming to join 😅(I have some videos about it in case you would like to watch it) ☺️ Greetings from San Francisco Bay Area! :)
Great Video! 😉
Thanks for another delightful video!
Question: Will the maitakes survive the winter the way you have set them up in the video (the block is sitting on the ground and you heaped woodchips over them)? Would it help them to survive the winter if I dig down a bit and place them in a hole with the top at ground level, then cover that with woodchips?
Yes and yes! The maitake will overwinter like this for generally two years. But digging then down a bit won't hurt, but I would only bury them halfway to ensure that there is plenty of space on the sides for the maitake to emerge.
@@FieldandForestProducts Thanks for the response and info! I love F&F!
Will this work with wine cap? Is it possible for certain varieties to continue to grow year after year? Great video.
It's better to spread the wine cap spawn out into the woodchips as wine cap won't fruit directly from blocks.
Some of the oysters and chestnuts will come back for a second season, but typically they only last one.
I just replied via someone else's comment with one question I have for you. I have another couple of questions. Will Maitake overwinter in zone 5a in the Rockies? (...and will it grow in aspen or cottonwood mulch?) I was directed to this video by an email offer I got from you. If it and others will grow on populus woods, I'll get the whole kit and set them in different spots under trees. Otherwise I'll either order the kit for a single flush, or individual blocks instead of the combo. Fungi Perfecti's plug spawn chart shows Maitake in oak or honey locust, neither of which grow around here. Oyster spawn should inoculate a deep bed of aspen/cottonwood. Any info will be appreciated.
Excellent questions. Maitake will not grow into wood chips, but it will overwinter. We're in Zone 4b and most blocks give us two years of fruiting. King Oyster and chestnut, like maitake, also do not do well in wood chip beds and prefer the structure of a solid chunk of wood. You can certainly try to plant the Grey Dove oyster block separately into soft hardwood chips, but that's not the intention of this method. If trying to plant a wood chip bed I would recommend buying Grey Dove Spawn and mixing it into the wood chips as that will give the mycelium more opportunity to grow out.
@@FieldandForestProducts, thank you. I figured breaking up a block would spread the spawn more widely, but wondered if keeping in a concentrated block would help it establish without "shock". I haven't had much success with dowel spawn in logs, whether with shiitake or oyster... or even Turkey Tail. As I mentioned in another reply, the Stropharia mycelium has spread very well in beds of cardboard, straw, and aspen/cottonwood shavings. I'll certainly try the Grey Dove.
Hello, will this method work with Lion’s mane sawdust block. Thank you!
We've tried it, and it works, but it's not great. It would be better to grow off the block inside and then try this method for a second fruiting.
Thank you!
I am in USDA zone 7a, when do you recommend that I burry these mushrooms sawdust blocks?
@@bobhong2175 As soon as your nighttime temperature are regularly above freezing you can bury them- so you're probably safe now!
@@FieldandForestProducts Thank you, that is great. I appreciate it. Best.
Can these varieties be started in the Spring such as mid March? SW Missouri zone 6B
I would suggest waiting until April, but mid march would be fine.
@@FieldandForestProducts
April will be fine, I'm just super excited 😄 I'll get my order together and to you soon, thank you!