Jim's mushroom diary

[Omniata]

Right I've done it...

 

Took two fir logs I'd cut recently and got an oyster mushroom kit supposedly compatable with them:

 

DIY Mushroom kit

 

Below are two pics of the logs...

They're placed on the south side of my garden submerged about two inches into the ground and bedded down thoroughly...

Plugged as per the instructions and I'm keeping an eye on them to make sure they stay damp...

 

 

 

 

Sorry about the quality but my hands aren't that steady, it's not that blue either, couldn't get it to take a clear picture after adjusting the light settings

 

The logs are about 14" long and 6" to 8" diameter...

 

 

There's evidence of the mycelium around the plugs so fingers crossed there'll be some progress over the next few months as it starts getting warmer...

 

Hopefully towards the end of the year they'll start start blooming, the Fir variety is a autumn/winter type...

If not and they progress well there's always next year...

 

 

I'll do my best to keep this thread regularly updated

[Alinicoll]

Sounds interesting. I once tried to keep some pet logs from an Oyster infested Lime but they never fruited. Good luuck.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

The blue is probably due to you having an indoor or fluorescent tube lighting set on the camera, go for daylight clody or sunny next time! the blue tint is normal and is to counter act the orange hue of indoor lighting!

[Tom D]

I have an oyster kit, which I have not done yet, mine says use beech or other hardwood ( Pleurotus ostreatus ). However if is ment for conifer then it oughta work, mine also says wrap it in a plastic bag to keep the moisture in and keep it warm, 20 degrees, till the mycelium is visible then plant out.

Hope it works, keep us posted:001_smile:

[Omniata]

Cheers!!!

 

Fingers crossed... I'm thinking of putting some thick plastic or a cloche over it whilst they establish themselves...

 

It's reasonably well shaded where they are, so shouldn't suffer too much in the summer either...

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I have an oyster kit, which I have not done yet, mine says use beech or other hardwood ( Pleurotus ostreatus ). However if is ment for conifer then it oughta work, mine also says wrap it in a plastic bag to keep the moisture in and keep it warm, 20 degrees, till the mycelium is visible then plant out.

Hope it works, keep us posted:001_smile:

 

ostreatus tom would do well on beech sycamore and especialy horse chestnut

 

omniata has the fir oysters

[Omniata]

I might add that on the right hand log where branches appear to have been cut I put plugs there in the centre too...

 

I doubt they'll be left side by side as I'm planning to reduce the border where they're sat by a half so will probably place them along the fence line either side of the stump...

[Omniata]

Well this "new idea" is progressing a little more, and "larger" than I expected...

 

I've got two logs in now 3ft x 12", one with pearl oyster the other shiitake mushroom plugs...

The logs were gained from a very helpful member of the forum and are beech

 

I've a third planned which I'm currently working on, this will harbour "chicken of the woods" mushroom/mycelium...

 

 

Pictures to follow

 

 

Based on the size of logs I may be lucky enough to have a small/medium harvest towards the end of the year

My only difficulty now is keeping them damp enough, they're buried a foot deep resting on what appears to be a cinder/stone/ash bed from the last hundred years of occupancy of the property

[felixthelogchopper]

You must have found the old midden, mate. When I dug the foundations for my parents' garage a while ago, all I kept finding was clinker and old meat paste jars.

[Omniata]

You must have found the old midden, mate. When I dug the foundations for my parents' garage a while ago, all I kept finding was clinker and old meat paste jars.

 

Midden? How do you mean?

It seems to run the whole length of the border...

 

Oh well here they are in place:

 

 

From left to right, Pearl Oyster, Shiitake and "Chicken of the Woods"...

 

And for comparison with the first batch of Fir Oyster I did:

 

 

 

It would seem after a little cursing with my phone I managed to get the lighting right too

 

The logs are 3ft tall x 12" diameter and made of Beech...

They're buried about a foot...

Also they dry out pretty quick so I'm having to keep and eye on them during the day to keep them damp...