Choosing the right tree

Tree selection – You must select hardwood deciduous trees, preferably Oak. I prefer White Oak (Quercus alba). Select a tree that is about 8-12 inches in diameter at the base of the tree. Make sure the tree is alive and that there are no obvious defects (bark damage, mushrooms already present, etc…). The proper time to cut a tree is between the time that the leaves fall off and before they reappear. Many people prefer to cut in early spring, but I have not noticed a dramatic difference. If the tree needs to be cut outside this period, it can be used, however, the bark will eventually slough off and will no longer be effective.

On average, a tree with a diameter of 4-6 inches will last 4-6 years and produce about 10-15 pounds of shiitake throughout its life. The larger the tree, the longer the life of the log and the amount of mushrooms it will produce. For instance, I have many logs that are 12-15 inches in diameter and while they took longer to colonize, they now throw off nearly 5 pounds per flush 2-3 times a year, and, they should last nearly 10-12 years or more.

Other tree species can be used as well, such as: Beech, Birch (not Yellow Birch), Red Maple, and Hornbeam. Less desirable but still usable species: Poplar and Gum. Trees that should be avoided are: All conifer trees (Pine, Hemlock, etc…); Rot resistant trees such as: Locust, Walnut, Sourwood; and soft woods like Buckeye, Magnolia and Sycamore trees.

When cutting a tree, be sure to use safe methods and always be sure of where the tree will drop. If going for organic status, DO NOT USE STANDARD BAR OIL in your saw, USE VEGETABLE OIL INSTEAD!!! After the tree has dropped, be careful to not damage the bark, cut all branches flush with trunk, and gently (in theory) maneuver log into your truck. A lot of damage can happen on the way down, so be sure to fully observe which direction the tree will fall and if there are any obstacles that may be encountered on its way down, snags can be a real danger as well as a pain in the butt.

After felling the appropriate tree, logs of about 3-4 feet long should be cut. Longer or shorter is OK, but try to keep it consistent as it will make life easier if they are similar in length when it comes time to manage the logs. I generally cut the tree a few days before I inoculate it so I can make sure that the shiitake mycelium is the first to colonize the tree. It is OK to leave logs for up to 3 months, but make sure they do not dry out. In this situation, it is best to leave the lengths as long as possible so as to avoid any additional drying and colonization by competing fungi. As stated before, I cut the tree and inoculate it within days. I prefer to cut 100 logs at a time and then inoculate these 100 logs before I cut more trees. This helps assure that no tree is wasted.

After the tree is loaded in the truck and before you leave, decide if you are going to inoculate the stump or let it re-grow. If you are going to inoculate it, then I prefer using the sandwich method, but rope spawn or drilling works well too. Since some stumps will regenerate they may eventually give you some more usable logs, so it is a wise decision to make a choice between the 2 options. Remember though, large stumps generally do not regenerate.

Some people to prefer to purchase logs from a logging company, this is OK but remember that most likely the bark will damaged and the logger most likely used petro bar oil in their chainsaw.