Fungiperfecti is a good source and reference. The soy base wax they sell for sealing plugs and log ends is also what I use on my cuttings.



http://www.fungi.com

I think $14.95/100 for shiitake. If you order 3 or more bags you can get a 34% discount I believe.

I use sawdust spawn and the bit from Field and Forest that fits on an angle grinder, it goes so much quicker than a drill.

Lol...Blue. I really should have backed away but instead I sent the link to my husband who has wanted to grow mushrooms for a long time! Oi vey!

How does one grow mushrooms in the suburbs where we dont have a forest or logs? Curious...

Wonderful thread! This is renewing an interest from a couple of years ago to grow mushrooms, instead of just foraging for them. I've collected wild mushrooms of all types (very carefully identified) for as long as I can remember. Lion's mane, oyster, fairy ring, puffballs of various types, meadow, morel, bolete, inky cap, etc. For years I dreamed of finding Chantrelle, and either Hen or Chicken of the Woods! Part of the fun is hunting and finding them, but growing would have its own advantages. I'm keeping this info so that when getting more settled in a permanent location, will definitely want to look into it further.

Meg, maybe you could edge some of your growing areas with small found log pieces, or place a couple behind a shed or at the edges of your backyard.  Behind your vigorously growing fig trees! :)

smyfigs --

Do you have space on the ground?  Last spring I found Stropharia growing in wood chips under some landscape plants, so decided to try growing it.  I got a local landscaper who was chipping some maples to dump the chips in my yard.  Then I prepared a bed, 20' x 10' x 6-8" deep, inoculated with Stropharia.  That was this past Sept.  I'm hoping for a small harvest next spring / early summer and more later.  These will supposedly also grow underneath garden plants, so maybe you could combine with peppers or tomatoes, raspberries or blueberries.

Separately, I've got some leaves and pine needles that I'll inoculate with Blewit in March/April.

Of course, there's some oak and maple logs inoculated with shiitake and oysters 'cooking' behind the garage.

None of this has produced a single mushroom yet.  But it might help answer your question about what's possible.  Meanwhile I managed to find some oysters growing on a sugar maple down the road. Delicious!

Thanks, Jrdewhirst! Yes, that does answer my question! It really sounds easy. But just ascwith figs, there is a technique that goes with it; some work better than others, I'm sure. Darn it!! Mushrooms are soooo good!

Found this product on Amazon

10 G Seeds Spores Leccinum Aspen Orange Cap Boletus Mushrooms Kit / Fungus

any ideas?????????

The ad is some sort of joke. That species grows on Aspen tree roots, while the ad says grow it on a patio or in your garage and 1-2 square meters is enough space. I doubt this seller actually has any real understanding of growing mushrooms and just offers cheap knockoffs for a little bit less than honest companies can. Mushroom spawn is like fig cuttings in that you don't know right away if you got the real thing or not. In the case of these mushrooms in particular it takes a really long time. So a dishonest seller can buy 5# of oyster spawn for $20 and sell it as harder to get species 10 g for $20 to people who don't know any better. The seller says they are selling spores but they are actually selling dried spawn.

You should only buy from legitimate dealers who have their own websites and explain how to grow them in a specific way before you buy. Only buy Aspen Bolete if you have an aspen grove ;)

http://mushrooms.firelightheritagefarm.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=223&name=aspen-bolete-dried-mushroom-spawn&Itemid=118&category_pathway=16

The Aspen Boletus(Leccinum) and it's subspecies grow all over in this part of the Rocky Mountains, I wouldn't waste my time with it. The taste isn't spectacular and it quickly stains dark after cutting and therefore looks not that all appealing on the plate, there is also a fair amount of people who don't do well digesting it. Years ago I made a bunch of little jars of pickled mushrooms with them, they looked like squid ink was an ingredient, something in my nature tells me to not eat black slime. It reminds of the first season of Helix, eesh.

There are many other mushrooms that taste better and as hoosierbanana pointed out, grow faster.

I love black walnuts. It's funny how for some people like some trees and others treat them as a nuisance. I prefer my black walnuts over my oaks because they drop their leaves and nuts so much earlier than the oaks. This allows me time to get them cleaned up before the snow flies and there is nothing better than black walnut ice cream. As for the post by rcantor to each their own. I prefer Shittake over maitake any day.

I didn't know black walnuts were an edible nut.  I might change my opinion on clearing the shells if I can enjoy some nuts.  Its 2 very large and old trees.  I have to figure out how to get up there to harvest the nuts.  The problem I have is the squirrels eat the nuts and leave the shell halves.  They dig into the ground and work their way under the grass.  The grass doesn't grow, it is annoying to step on them and the worse part:  The 1/2 shells will get blown by my leaf blower, but, when they get rolling, they roll on the open edge and curve and end up behind me.  They go in every direction BUT where I am blowing.  I have to do multiple passes and stop and go back 3 feet just to get that single run-away.  Blue, tell your wife I feel her pain.

You can tap a Black Walnut tree for syrup, just like a Maple.

What about

Cep Boletus Edulis mushroom dry Seeds Mycelium


eBay item number:

Are you for real? It looks like the same seller with a different name. 

Boletus edulis and all of the porcini need to connect with the roots of a compatible tree host in order to fruit.  If you don't have the right tree(s), you wont get mushrooms.

If you want to grow mushrooms get a kit from a reliable supplier such as

http://www.fungi.com/

Thank you, good idea.

Swizzle,
I am assuming the pictures are from foraged mushrooms. Do you ever collected the spores from foraged mushrooms to make your own starter plugs?

rcantor,
what is the taste difference in comparison to maple syrup? 

Rmulhero,

I have not but I am going to try this fall. I am going to buy a dowel bit and just make plugs.