How Shiitake Mushrooms Grow, How They Differ from Flower Shiitake, and an Analysis of Planting Costs and Profits

Shiitake mushroom, also known as xiangxun, xiangxin, xiangjun, donggu, xianggu, is the fruiting body of the plant Xiangxun of the Pleurotaceae family. So how is it grown? How is it distinguished from flower shiitake? What about the cost and profit of planting? From shiitake grower Brother Hu, we learned that shiitake mushrooms are grown through sterilization, inoculation, and after the culture has matured, under suitable temperature and humidity environmental conditions.

How are shiitake mushrooms and flower shiitake distinguished?

1. Appearance difference.

Flower shiitake is generally larger than shiitake, and its surface has white cracks, which shiitake does not have.

2. Growing environment difference.

Flower shiitake is formed only after shiitake encounters a special climate environment. Shiitake is more likely to grow into flower shiitake in climates with generally low temperatures, little rain, sufficient sunlight, and a larger temperature difference. It is best if it snows today and then the big sun comes out immediately tomorrow; such alternating cold and hot temperatures are most suitable for flower shiitake to form.

3. Price difference.

Shiitake mushrooms appear every year, but flower shiitake does not necessarily. It only grows when the climate is suitable this year. Therefore, flower shiitake has a certain scarcity, and its price is generally more than twice that of shiitake. High-quality flower shiitake costs about the same as bird's nest.

4. Nutritional value difference.

Both flower shiitake and shiitake contain very high levels of unsaturated fatty acids and large amounts of ergosterol and fungisterol that can be converted into vitamin D, and they have good effects on enhancing disease resistance, preventing colds, and treatment. But flower shiitake also has the effects of preventing disease, improving fitness, and delaying aging.

In addition, both flower shiitake and shiitake must be stored dry and must not be exposed to moisture.

What about the cost and profit of shiitake planting?

1. Cost:

Material and service expenses include spawn, wheat bran, firewood, gypsum powder, bagging, disinfection boxes, “Yicaling”, gloves, adhesive paper, and other materials. The item composition is: seed cost, fuel and power cost, tool and material cost, repair and maintenance cost, depreciation of fixed assets, etc., averaging 33108.31 yuan per mu;

Labor cost averages about 242 workdays per mu. Among them, family labor is 211.70 days; hired labor is generally hired when inoculating spawn and bagging, at 30.49 days, and the average cost per mu is 15704.23 yuan;

2. Profit:

Output and output value: average shiitake yield per mu is 1866.67 kg, average selling price per kg is 63.40 yuan, and average output value per mu is 120595.93 yuan. (Among this, the output value of the by-product shiitake stems is 2239.33 yuan, with a selling price of about 6 yuan per kg.

Shiitake planting benefit: based on the above yield, output value, and cost accounting, the average net profit per mu is 70783.39 yuan.