Emperor Shiitake Mushroom Mycelium, 10 g

Growing instructions:
Substrate: straw, hay, seed husks, sawdust or shavings from deciduous trees, leaves, reeds, etc., as well as wood from deciduous trees—both garden and forest varieties—whether freshly cut or aged for several years (provided it is not rotten).
Location: open areas on the homestead (shaded spots in gardens, behind outbuildings), enclosed spaces, basements, attics, storage rooms, balconies, spare rooms in apartments, entryways, porches, sheds, garages, etc.
Temperature: germination 26 °C, growing 9–28 °C, optimal 14–25 °C.

Moisture: abundant.
Lighting: avoid direct sunlight. In the field—day/night cycle; indoors, standard electric lighting for 4–5 hours is sufficient.
Growing shiitake on plant debris.
Place the substrate in a container and pour boiling water over it. This is done to destroy mold spores and to soften and moisten the substrate. Use 20 kg of dry plant residues per bag of mycelium. Allow the steamed substrate to cool naturally.
Then, after squeezing out excess liquid, mix the cooled and squeezed substrate with the mycelium. Place it in a transparent plastic bag. Tie it closed. To allow for air exchange, make several 3–5 cm cuts across the entire surface of the bag. The mushroom block is now ready.
Light is not required during the mushroom block’s germination period. Germination lasts 3–4 weeks.
Then, the first signs of fruiting bodies appear. For normal development, light is now required, at least for 2–3 hours a day. Carefully make cuts in the film where the first signs of fruiting bodies have appeared. Fruiting occurs in waves lasting 2–3 weeks. After each wave, the mushroom blocks must be completely submerged in water for 3–4 hours and then returned to their original location. The mushroom block will continue to fruit for about four months.
Growing shiitake on wood.
Only deciduous tree species are used.
The wood must not be rotten. Cut it into convenient lengths. If they are dry, soak them in water for 2 days. Drill holes 4–5 cm deep and 2 cm in diameter into the prepared pieces, or make notches across the entire surface. Place a small amount of mycelium into these holes, then cover them with pieces of bark, wood chips, or sawdust to prevent the mycelium from falling out. You can immediately place the pieces in their permanent location indoors or in the garden. One packet of mycelium is sufficient for 35–50 kg of wood. You can also inoculate a living tree or a stump with roots in the same way.
Mushrooms planted on wood grow for 5–6 years. They tolerate frost well. If you move the segments to a basement or other indoor space in late fall, you’ll have mushrooms year-round. The first mushrooms appear in 3–4 months, depending on the density of the wood used. From an area planted with one bag of mycelium, approximately 25 kg of mushrooms are harvested per season.

Attention! Soil acidity is a very important factor for successful mushroom cultivation. For shiitake, the optimal pH is 6.5–7. More acidic soil (lower pH) must be deacidified by watering with a solution of quicklime (100 g of lime per 5 L of water per 1 m²).

Amateur mushroom cultivation does not guarantee results, as mushroom growth depends heavily on many factors. Nevertheless, if you “get the hang of it” and gain sufficient experience, you can expect decent results.

The mycelium has a shelf life of 5–7 years. Store in a dry place. The date of manufacture is indicated on the packaging.