As the owner of a woodlot, you have reasons to be happy. That’s because you can explore the possibility of mushroom farming. Mushrooms are not only flavourful, but they are nutritionally rich, as well. Some of the species of mushrooms have medicinal properties. On account of these features, the product features high on the users’ demand list. You can make a profitable bargain by growing mushroom, particularly, the oyster and the shiitake varieties of the product. But before getting off to a start, you should select a substrate, get it prepared, and then have it inoculated with the mushroom growing mycelium.
Buy from a renowned supplier:
Even if you are not the owner of a woodlot, you have no reasons to worry. If you are wondering from where to get the Shiitake logs, then, you will like to note the role played by Agrinoon. For growing mushroom, you have to prepare the base so that it can serve as an appropriate foundation to the mycelium that is being bred and colonized. But if you buy the base from this particular supplier, then, you will not have to prepare the base. The supplier cum manufacturer makes it a point to do all the necessary preparation so that you can inoculate the mycelium and put it straight into the incubation center.
Find out when the base has been cut:
Living trees are used for deriving the shiitake logs, either during the early spring or during the winter. During the time of cutting, the daytime temperature has to be in and around fifty degrees, but the nights should be cold and freezing. Under such a situation, the sap of the tree moves upward, and the winter storage gets used up; this, in turn, makes way for a stronger and better food supply to the fungus which will be grown. If you were to prepare the base, all by yourself, then, you have to be particular about safeguarding the felled hardwood from the unwanted fungus species.
Ask about the preparation procedure:
On the other hand, if you purchase prepared substrates from a renowned manufacturer, you will not have to undertake that hassle. The hardwood substrates are vulnerable to fungal colonization, but you can keep the unwanted species from chipping in if you take safety measures during the time of the preparation. While purchasing the wooden substrate, you must find out from the dealer how and under which conditions the base has been prepared. Purchasing green wood is one of the best things to consider because the latter is least vulnerable to the other unwanted fungal species.
Note down the following:
Greenwood contains a high level of moisture, and this, in turn, boosts the growth and development of the mycelium. Before selling the wood substrates, the dealers make it a point to keep these soaked, because soaking boosts mushroom production. Ask if the substrates have undergone soaking. You should buy green wood that is yet to get decomposed because the base serves as a long-lasting food source to the mycelium that is going to be inoculated. While buying green wood-based substrates, you should ensure that they are easy to carry, as well as, handle. Most buyers prefer buying bases that are not more than three to four feet in length. You can carry, transport and harvest the bases, with ease and comfort if they are not more than six inches in diameter.
Resource: https://agrinoon.tumblr.com/post/162894231056/tips-to-remember-while-purchasing-shiitake-logs