Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Getting Spawned by Shiitake! The great inoculation unboxing event

So I just got my self-designed "starter" kit for Shiitake sawdust spawn inoculation.

I chose the "wide-range" sawdust spawn as I am venturing into unknowns with weather and wood and water. The instructions state:

Even the GREENEST of THUMBS can have difficulty getting Shiitake shrooms to fruit.

So I did have success before but it took a few years to really get the mushrooms to fruit as the tree was very big. Since it was so big then the fruit run could be expected to last EIGHT years!! So there were probably some huge harvests that the new owners didn't even take advantage of. I wanted them to "discover" the exact location on their own as a surprise. I did give the approximate description of the location in words....

Now them... I open the box and first thing is to get the sawdust spawn into the frig because at room temperature - the spawn can start fruiting if it grows too much!! And first the outer bag has to be removed to the spawn can breathe still in the frig. Although it's BEST to use the spawn ASAP it is still viable for up to 6 months in the frig.

So then we get to the hardware I ordered. The "palm" inoculator is BUILT in Wisconsin - according to the catalog - with the photo of the man who builds the tools. It's a sturdy tool with a strong spring inside - so I guess it's just self-explanatory. Stuff the spawn in, put the tool in the hole, and use two hands - one to palm the end, the other to hold it. Unlike the "thumb" tool that I suppose could be held and then "thumbed" with one hand. So I figure my palm should last longer than my thumb. I can't remember what "thumb" work I've done that gets tired...

Anyway so then we get to the Drill bit. Now this is exciting. It's made in Japan - specifically designed for Shiitake logs - how cool is that? pretty awesome. So I uploaded a photo. I hope that is not breaking some proprietary marketing trade moire. haha.

Doesn't that make me feel special? My own specifically designed Shiitake drill bit - it has a "stopper" at one inch.

And this particular drill bit is designed for cordless drills at a lower rpm - while all their other drill bits are for the higher speed (faster) more industrial labor system. I prefer a slower, more Amish type of work - well not even Amish. I mean LUMPEN work ethic. haha. I even have an old hand drill if I really need it..... but obviously the bit would be way bigger than this....

Well that's about it - the Cheese Wax was a "standard" set by the Field and Forest mushroom company - to use "cheese wax" for organic mushrooms. I'm not planning to get certified but at least I'm not using some petroleum tar or something to cover the holes....

So I guess I just "break off" some cheese wax? It's very hard and so I figure very crumbly - I guess I use a knife obviously. Well I suppose the Field and Forest youtube channel has more vids on this.

I did make a Shiitake "playlist" - on how to grow them in the forest.... 23 vids! Wow.

Yes then I got a set of 4 "daubers" that are reusable - and before I bought a small "fondu" pot or some kind of cheese dip pot. So I can plug that in to the generator and carry around my melted cheese wax - the smoking point is 450 degrees. I figure NO ONE wants their cheese dip to be smoking - so it should not be too hot.

OK so then the instructions say you need at least over 40 degrees to inoculate - and right now it's just barely over forty. I gotta check the Field and Forest blog again - because they were inoculating Red Maple - which is similar to the Alder I am using - and they found that waiting OVER 4 weeks was best. But at the same time - by MID-spring then you get other fungi invading the wood. Also you don't want it to dry out more than 60% I think. So there is a critical window.

https://mushroomingtogether.blogspot.com/2018/03/red-maple-can-this-native-new-weed-of.html

I just want to make sure this 4 weeks MINIMUM was not in the Fall...

Disadvantages – the weedy nature of Red Maple means these logs are more prone to re-sprouting (Figure 1). This livelihood means that the log is still capable of fighting against fungal colonization. To reduce these chances, we recommend letting the logs rest at least 4 weeks (optimal time still being determined) from cutting until inoculation. 
So does Alder "re-sprout" as readily as Red Maple?

 .. Speckled alder clumps were also frequent in a nearby red maple swamp, ...... speckled alder sprouted after cut-stump herbicide applications, growing up ..... Tree with adventitious buds, a sprouting root crown, and root sprouts
Dec 8, 2014 - Harvesting trees in a first thinning could begin as early as 15 to 20 ... For example, speckled alder does well on moist, heavy clay; sugar maple prefers ..... to prevent it from resprouting and competing with planted seedlings.
Descriptions and articles about the Grey Alder, scientifically known as Alnus incana in the ... Gray alder is a tree or shrub, growing from 15 feet to 82 feet (4.6-25 m) tall. [120]. ..... Speckled alder clumps were also frequent in a nearby red maple swamp, where ...... The next year, 80% of cut plants were sprouting "vigorously".
 Yep looks like it. 

So I'll go up at 6 weeks - because most of the logs are not cut down to "size" yet - meaning they will not dry out as fast. Also because we have extra water this year to be sure - from extra snow. Also... these trees will still be capable of "fighting off" the shiitake inoculation if I do it while the tree is not dehydrated enough.

What's the moisture cut-off again?
speckled alder seed was found in floodwaters but not in seed rain deposited on soil. The surrounding plant community was a red maple-sugar maple
So yes Alder is adapted to handling more water. It might therefore take longer to dry out....

  If you are concerned that wood cut very early in the dormant season (such as fall) is too dry (after months of cool weather laying in the woods), take a moisture sample. Optimal moisture content in bed logs is 40-45 % moisture, but growth is possible from 20-47%. 

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