Practical Shiitake Cultivation Techniques and New Fast-Growing, High-Yield Technology
The scientific name of shiitake is Lentinus edodes. It is a low-calorie food; eating 50 grams of shiitake per day provides only 15 calories. Its protein and fiber content is also high, and it is rich in calcium. In addition, shiitake contains two components that have been proven to have medicinal effects, namely shiitake mycelium extract (LEM) and lentinan, both of which are currently sold as commercial products.
In 1969, the Japanese government conducted a survey of two areas with extremely low cancer rates and found that these two areas were actually shiitake-producing regions of Japan, where residents consumed relatively more shiitake in their daily diets. Shiitake is now recognized worldwide as a health food.
Shiitake production in Taiwan, China, is mostly concentrated in Nantou, Taichung and other areas. According to the "Agricultural Yearbook" of the 89th year of the Republic of China (2000), the production volume of shiitake in Taiwan, China, was about 3,166 metric tons. At present, there are still no applicable production standards for organic shiitake in the Taiwan region of China, but if shiitake is classified under organic vegetables, then a fully organic production method must be adopted. That is to say, the production process of organic shiitake must not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides at all. Shiitake cultivation generally uses fewer pesticides, so shiitake is an agricultural product suitable for organic cultivation.
Organic Cultivation of Shiitake
Shiitake is easier to cultivate organically than other mushrooms because it is more resistant to attacks by pests and diseases. In European and American countries, much shiitake cultivation is organic, that is, using logs or sawdust to cultivate shiitake without adding chemical substances such as calcium carbonate or pesticides to the growing medium or spraying pesticides on the shiitake. Organic shiitake cultivation will encounter some of the same problems as traditional shiitake cultivation, including contamination by competing microorganisms and problems with pests and diseases such as slugs and mushroom flies, all of which can lead to reduced yields or affect shiitake quality. Producers must be able to control these diseases and pests or face some degree of crop loss. In order to label the product "organic," producers must participate in certification.
Traditional shiitake cultivation involves large-scale cultivation at mushroom farms for commercial production. In recent years in the United States, however, there are some organic shiitake production companies that promote organic mushroom growing kits for home cultivation on the Internet. In the United States, there are also examples of small logs being sold for people to grow mushrooms at home. Small logs already inoculated with shiitake mycelium can produce natural organic shiitake indoors or outdoors in shaded areas. It is said that such logs, if cared for well, can be used continuously for 3-4 years and can produce shiitake about every 2 months.
Organic Shiitake Kits
Missoula is a small town in the U.S. state of Montana, also known as the Garden City. In Missoula, the mushroom farm named after the Garden City is the Garden City mushroom farm, jointly run by Glen Babcock and Wendy Garrett. This farm is known for specializing in the production of certified organic mushrooms. They also take pride in being able to provide kits for home mushroom production. This allows many laypeople to grow shiitake in their own homes. The shiitake strain they use is suitable for growing at 15-24°C. Growing shiitake at home using this farm's organic shiitake production kit is as easy as growing potted plants at home; all you have to do is water it. When you receive the kit, it is like receiving a peculiar gift, and it also seems like an educational project meant to let you learn and gain insight.
The sawdust kit used to produce shiitake does not take up much space; it is only 15 cm x 15 cm in size and can be placed on a coffee table, cabinet or ordinary desk. Observing the growth of shiitake every day is incredibly exciting.
How to Care for Shiitake at Home
To successfully cultivate shiitake at home, there is nothing more to it than letting the mushroom block receive indirect light at the proper times, supplying water and air, and also giving it love. Generally, a shiitake kit for home cultivation comes with three other items: a humidity tent, four wooden sticks to prop up the humidity tent, and a care card (that is, the instruction manual for the mushroom block).
The method of using plastic sawdust bags to produce shiitake in Taiwan, China, was published around 1974. After continuous research and development by industry operators, it developed into a special production method that is world-famous (Song Xifu, 1998), commonly known among the public as the "space bag." Its main material formula is oak sawdust, rice bran, cornmeal and calcium carbonate. For the plastic sawdust bags used in organic shiitake cultivation, the calcium carbonate added should preferably use materials made by crushing lime-containing minerals, and the amount added should also be properly studied, because excessive amounts will slow mycelial growth or even inhibit it. Below, the method for home shiitake production provided by the Garden City mushroom farm is presented for domestic reference:
1.
When you receive the mushroom growing kit, the sawdust medium inside has already been prepared, and shiitake mycelium has already been inoculated. All you have to do is take out the four wooden sticks and insert them at the four corners of the large block (as shown in Figure 3), then cover it with the included plastic bag to serve as a humidity tent (as shown in Figure 4). The mushroom block must be placed in a location at about 16°C to 21°C, and it needs about 10 to 12 hours of indirect light exposure per day.
2.
Sufficient humidity must be maintained inside the humidity tent so that the shiitake can grow well. Usually, spraying with a water mist 4 times a day is enough. Spray until water droplets cling to the inner wall of the humidity tent, which indicates that the moisture is sufficient.
3.
Usually, by repeating the spraying twice a day, after about 7 to 10 days you should be able to see small mushrooms beginning to emerge from the large block.
4.
As the shiitake continue to enlarge, you must keep the humidity inside the tent relatively high so that you can harvest them. Shiitake has no skin, and its moisture evaporates quickly, so sufficient water must be supplied.
5.
When the mushroom caps have flattened slightly, the shiitake can be harvested. (Figure 5)
6.
After all the shiitake on the mushroom block have been harvested, it needs to rest for about 10 days to let the mycelium absorb nutrients again so that mushrooms can emerge again next time.
7.
During the period when the mushroom block is resting, you must still continue watering.
8.
After the mushroom block has finished resting, the block must be stimulated to grow mushrooms again. So remove the humidity tent, and also take down the 4 wooden sticks, then soak the mushroom block in a bucket filled with cold water (about 13-16°C), letting it be completely submerged underwater for about 18-24 hours. You can use something to weigh down the mushroom block so that it does not float up.
9.
After soaking, put the mushroom block back into the humidity tent again, and then spray and water it again. Usually the next batch of mushrooms will emerge again after 7 to 10 days.
10.
Repeat the above steps until it no longer produces mushrooms. Generally speaking, how long the mushroom block lasts depends on how well you follow the instructions and manage it. As long as you pay attention to each detail, including watering, letting the mushroom block rest, soaking it in water and letting it grow mushrooms, you will obtain a good shiitake yield.
11.
Usually, when the outer edge of the mushroom has flattened slightly, the shiitake can be harvested. The size of the mushrooms is generally not very uniform and can range from 5-10 cm. Generally, after shiitake are harvested, if they are managed well, the number of mushrooms produced again will increase, but they will become slightly smaller. In order to maintain the humidity inside the tent, you can place a small bowl of water inside the humidity tent, which can increase the humidity inside the tent and help mushroom production. Usually, after the mushroom block has been harvested and treated, it can continue producing shiitake after about 2-3 weeks, and the entire mushroom block can produce mushrooms about 2-3 times. The shiitake produced the first time will be larger than those produced the second and third times.