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Mushroom Plug Seed for Outdoor Mushroom Growing!
Sustainable - Grow Organic Mushrooms on Logs and Stumps

Mushroom Inoculation Plugs
GMHP, P. O. Box 515 IP, Graton, CA 95444 - -

Plug Seed for Log and Stump Inoculation
Shiitake, Maitake (Hen of the Woods), Lion's Mane (Hericium), Reishi, Oyster Mushrooms: Blue Oyster, Sonoma Brown Oyster - Cheese Wax
GMHP offers plug spawn of  hardy gourmet and medicinal mushroom species: These sterilized birch plugs are grooved and fully colonized by pure mushroom mycelium, and are available in packages of approximately 100 or 300 dowels (Shiitake Plug Spawn is also available in packages of approximately 100, 300, and 1000 dowels). These Plug Spawn comes complete with user-friendly instructions.  All strains grow & fruit  in a wide range of climates. See:  Summary of Written Instructions. 
Plugs may be refrigerated for up to 6 months before use. Approximately 100 plugs are needed to inoculate - seed 3 logs 4 - 6 inches in diameter and 3 to 4 feet in length.
The best times for cutting the logs are either in the winter months for spring inoculation or after July 15 for mid-summer or fall inoculation

Shiitake Plugs Maitake Plugs
Hen of the Woods
Reishi Plugs
Ganoderma
Hericium Plugs
Lion's Mane
Oyster Plugs
Blue & Brown Oyster
How To Use
Mushroom Plugs

These Products may be recylced Earth Friendly
Organic Mushroom Spawn used to seed these plugs is Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI).
Mushroom plugs produced through methods that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.
Cheese wax for mushroom plugs

Cheese wax is used to seal in the spawn once the log has been seeded - inoculated. It can be dripped on or applied with a small foam brush, baster, cotton daubers or other such applicators. One pound of cheese wax will cover 8 - 16 logs @ 30 plugs per log: 

1 lb Cheese Wax  
(5 - 10 logs)
$10.95  1 lb


 

Shiitake MushroomsShiitake Plugs:   Shiitake is perhaps the most delicious and easiest to cultivate of all the edible medicinal mushrooms, shiitake is highly esteemed for its medicinal properties. It has been found to reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, stimulate the immune system and have anti-tumor properties. 
The logs that will produce the highest yields of shiitake are deciduous oaks, chestnut and ironwood. Many other species will produce yields that are still satisfactory though not quite as high, such as live oak, sweetgum, bitternut hickory, alder, ash, eucalyptus, aspen, hard maples (sugar and black), black willow, yellow birch and river birch. Trees to avoid for shiitake cultivation include conifers, fruit trees, elm, hackberry, sassafras, soft maples (red and striped), sourwood, tulip poplar, dogwood, black locust, beech and most of the hickories.
 

Genus species Common Name Number of Plugs / Product Code Price

Lentinus

Lentinus edodes

Shiitake

Easiest to Cultivate
• Time from inoculation to fruiting: Varies
from 6 months to 2 years
• Temperature requirements for fruiting:
ranges between 41 to 86 degrees F

100 ea.

 PLUGSH100

 

$21.95  

 

Lentinus edodes

Shiitake

Easiest to Cultivate
• Type of fruiting body: Size and shape of
caps can be small and flat to large and rounded
 

300 ea.

 PLUGSH300

 

$33.95 

 

Lentinus edodes

Shiitake

Easiest to Cultivate
• Color of cap: Tawny to dark brown
• Pick when cap 50 - 80% open

1000 ea. 

 PLUGSH1000

 

$58.95

 

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Hericium Mushroom from PlugsHericium Plugs:  Lion’s mane is the common name given to a group of mushrooms of the genus Hericium. Lion’s mane mushrooms have a coral-like shape, with spindly branches that shoot out from the stem. They are white, pinkish or creamy yellow in color, and are noted for their fresh crab-like flavor and texture when cooked.
This mushroom will grow on a wide range of hardwood logs or stumps, including oak, maple, walnut, beech, chestnut and elm.
Genus species Common Name Number of Plugs
/Product Code
Price

Hericium

Hericium erinaceus

Lion’s Mane - Old Man's Beard
Fairly Easy to Cultivate
• Temperature requirements for fruiting:
ranges between 60 to 75 degrees F

100 ea. 

 PLUGLION100

 

$21.95 

Hericium

Hericium erinaceus

Lion’s Mane - Old Man's Beard

Fairly Easy to Cultivate

 

300 ea.

 PLUGLION300

 

$33.95

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Oyster Mushroom Plugs:  Oyster Mushrooms Reported Health Benefits: The Oyster mushroom has a firm texture when cooked and a "meaty" or oyster-like flavor which will add both texture and zest to most sauces or dishes.  Oyster mushrooms are best known medically for their cardiovascular and cholesterol-controlling benefits. Oyster mushrooms contain mevinolin and related compounds which are potent competitive inhibitors of HMG CoA reductase (3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A reductuctase), the major rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. In addition, they have been shown to have activity in the following:  These mushrooms prefer tulip poplar, aspen, cottonwood, beech, willow, maple, oak, and sweet gum.

bulletAnti tumor
bulletImmune response
bulletAnti-inflammatory
bulletAntiviral
bulletAntibiotic
  species Common Name Number of Plugs
/Product Code
 


Sonoma Brown Oyster Mushroom from Plugs

 Pleurotus ostreatus

Sonoma Brown Oyster
Fairly Easy to Cultivate
• Temperature requirements for fruiting:
ranges between 55 to 75 degrees F

100 ea.

 PLUGSB100

 

$21.95

Sonoma Brown Oyster Mushroom from Plugs

 Pleurotus ostreatus

Sonoma Brown Oyster

Fairly Easy to Cultivate

300 ea. 

 PLUGSB300


$33.95

Blue Oyster Mushroom from Plugs  Pleurotus columbinus Blue Oyster
Fairly Easy to Cultivate
• Temperature requirements for fruiting:
ranges between 55 to 75 degrees F

100 ea. 

 PLUGBLU100


$21.95 

Blue Oyster Mushroom from Plugs  Pleurotus columbinus Blue Oyster

Fairly Easy to Cultivate

300 ea. 

 PLUGBLU300


$33.95

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Maitake  Mushrooms from PlugsMaitake Plugs: Maitake Mushroom (Grifola frondosa) Hen of the Woods  may best be known for its cancer-fighting properties. It contains grifolan, an important beta-glucan polysaccharide (molecule composed of many sugar molecules linked together). Grifolan has been shown to activate macrophages, a type of cell consider the " heavy artillery": of the immune system, explains Larry A. Walker, Ph.D., R.D., author of "Natural products update," published in Drug Topics, June 1997. D-fraction, one of the polysaccharides in Maitake mushroom, also energized the cellular immune system.
Will grow on a wide range of hardwood logs & stumps and some conifers: oak, elm, maple, sycamore, beech, plum, peach, hemlock, and many others.  Logs may be laid on their side & partially buried.
Genus species Common Name Number of Plugs
/Product Code
Price

 Grifola

 Grifola frondosa

Maitake
Hen of the Woods

May be difficult to cultivate
• Temperature requirements for fruiting:
ranges between 50 to 65 degrees F

100 ea.

 PLUGMA100

 

$21.95

 

 Grifola frondosa

Maitake
Hen of the Woods

May be difficult to cultivate

300 ea.

 PLUGMA300


$33.95

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Reishi Mushroom from PlugsReishi Plugs: The Reishi mushroom can increase the production of interleukin1 and 2, resulting in inhibition of tumor growth. Studies show that Reishi can have a number of other positive effects on the body such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-viral (through its interferon production), lowers blood pressure. It also acts as a cardio tonic by lowering serum and increasing the production of interleukin 1 and 2, which results in inhibition of tumor cholesterol, expectorant, anti-tissue, liver protecting and detoxifying, protection against ionizing radiation, antibacterial, and anti-HIV activity.  Will grow on a wide range of hardwood logs & stumps and some conifers: oak, elm, maple, sycamore, beech, plum, peach, hemlock, and many others.  Logs may be laid on their side & partially buried.
Genus species Common Name Number of Plugs
/Product Code
 
Ganoderma Ganoderma lucidum

"Reishi" or
 "Ling Chi"

May be difficult to cultivate
• Temperature requirements for fruiting:
ranges between 70 to 80 degrees F

100 ea. 

PLUGGAN100

 

$21.95

  Ganoderma lucidum

"Reishi" or
 "Ling Chi"

May be difficult to cultivate

300 ea. 

PLUGGAN300


$33.95 

 

These Products may be recylced Earth Friendly
 

Mushroom Plug Inoculation

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All of these Mushroom Plug  stains are bred to grow and produce mushrooms in a wide range of temperatures.  They grow and produce mushrooms well in warm as well as cold climates.

Log cultivation is usually done with logs 4 - 6 inches in diameter with a length of 3 to 4 feet. Oak is particularly good for the cultivation of most mushrooms though many other species work well also: poplar, aspen, sugar maple, willow, alder and birch, among others.  Approximately 100 plugs are needed to inoculate 3 logs. Plug spawn may be used immediately or can stay viable for up to 6 months in a refrigerator. Tree species to avoid include many of the conifers, eucalyptus, hackberry, beech and dogwood. For certain mushroom species such as  Reishi, hemlock, fir, and spruce can be used.

The best times for cutting the logs are either in the winter months for spring inoculation or after July 15 for mid-summer or fall inoculation. When inoculating logs in the summer, it is best to do the inoculation in the morning in a shady place. When selecting logs for mushroom cultivation, choose healthy, living trees without signs of decay or mushrooms growing on it; if the tree is dead, it will certainly already have other, competing fungi growing in the wood.  Sapwood  and cambium are sources of nutrition for mushrooms (Sapwood contains living cells and is located next to the cambium; sapwoods size varies by species and where the tree is growing.); the larger the sapwood area, the more productive the log will be.Sapwood for Mushroom Plugs

Using logs from a dead or unhealthy tree will either lower your yields or prevent production altogether. It is best to inoculate logs in early spring if they have been cut during the winter. You can usually begin to inoculate logs one month before the average last frost date as long as day-time temperatures are above 40o F.

If you cut logs during summer, it is best to inoculate them within 3 weeks after they have been cut so that the logs will still have an adequate moisture content. After inoculation, the logs are just placed in a shady place out of the wind. After inoculation, the logs are just placed in a shady place out of the wind. The logs must be maintained in an environment above 40 percent moisture and kept fully shaded in the summer. Under natural conditions,  mushrooms fruit in the spring and fall when temperatures are cool.

Logs generally begin producing 6 months to 1 year after inoculation; after which, they usually continue to fruit for up to 4 years producing 1-2 lbs. per year. Mushroom production depends on the depth of the cambium and sapwood and environmental conditions.  The timing of mushroom production in nature depends on both temperature and the timing of rain. Once a log has “flushed” (produced a crop of mushrooms), it should be allowed to “rest” for at least 10 to 12 weeks to provide the mycelium (roots) time to replenish the energy required for fruiting.  Each log usually produces 2.5 lb - 4 lb over its lifetime. For inoculation, you will need a drill with a 5/16 inch drill bit, a hammer and cheese wax.
 

Step 1
Drill 1 ¼ in. deep holes into the log spacing the holes about 6 - 8 in. apart within a row. Leave approximately 2 to 4 in. between the rows and offset the holes so that they form a hexagonal pattern. A 4 in. diameter log will need 6 rows; a 5 in. diameter log will need 7, and a 6 in. diameter log will need 9 rows. A 4 in. log usually is given about 40 - 50 plugs. The more plugs you use per log, the faster the wood will be colonized with mushroom mycelium.  A large stump usually requires 100 holes arranged in a similar hexagonal fashion around the trunk and with holes on the top of the stump as well. All mushrooms are inoculated into logs in the same way.
 

Step 2
Hammer/Tap the plugs into the holes.

Step 3
Cover the plugs with the cheese wax. To do this, melt the wax in a pan which can be maintained at 300o F. An electric frying pan with a thermostat control works well for this.
If inoculating away from electricity, using a camp stove, make sure that the wax is hot when you apply it; otherwise, the wax will not create a tight seal and can easily fall off. The wax can be applied with a foam paint brush or cotton dauber.

Mushrooms can also easily be grown on a small scale for home consumption in a highly productive backyard mushroom garden with just a few logs.
By inoculating just 10 logs each year, one can harvest up to 25 pounds of fresh mushrooms each year. The total number of mushrooms you can expect to get on each log or stump will vary from log to log, from season to season and from year to year.  Approximately 100 plugs are needed to inoculate 3 logs.

COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE INCLUDED WITH YOUR ORDER
For details on log cultivation see:  
Growing Shiitake Mushrooms in an Agroforestry Practice (PDF)  

PRODUCING SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS: A GUIDE FOR SMALL-SCALE OUTDOOR CULTIVATION ON LOGS (PDF)

A Guide to Outdoor Mushroom Log Cultivation: Highlighting shiitake, reishi, and tree oyster mushrooms (PDF)

Shiitake Mushroom Production on Logs (PDF)

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Let's Grow Mushrooms! - 2 DVD Set by Marc Keith

How to Grow Mushrooms:  A complete hands-on guide to cultivating edible and medicinal mushrooms at home or school! This 2 DVD set is extremely comprehensive and easy to follow. Highly recommended for both novices and experienced mushroom growers.  Let's Grow Mushrooms! is ideal for both the experienced cultivator who wants to see the more complicated tasks demonstrated in a visual format, and the beginning mushroom grower who is confused about exactly where to start the whole process. If you're a student, our DVD will help you turn in a show-stopper at the science fair. $49.95 + S/H

WE GUARANTEE THAT THE PLUG SPAWN YOU RECEIVE WILL BE VIABLE. and CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MUSHROOMS. WE CAREFULLY CHECK EACH STRAIN OF SPAWN WE DISTRIBUTE.
The total number of mushrooms you can expect to get on each log may vary from log to log, and will depend on your care of the logs and environmental conditions.

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Gourmet Mushrooms & Mushroom Products

GMHP, P. O. Box 515 IP, Graton, CA 95444

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