Checking
Mushroom logs and kits for fruiting
Only eat the species you inoculated and can positively identify. If a log becomes colonised by an unknown fungus or a contaminant mould, do not eat it. Get advice at once if anyone eats an unidentified mushroom.
- Where to get help
- NHS 111, or your GP.
Log-grown mushrooms will not fruit until the mycelium has colonised the wood, and a soak followed by humidity triggers a flush. Regular checking catches contamination before it takes over.
When
Check logs from the second year after inoculation, and check kits from their stated start date. Watch for fruiting after a soak and in mild, damp spells.
How
1) Check the log ends and drilled holes for white mycelium spreading through the wood. 2) When it is ready to fruit, soak the log in cold water for about a day, then stand it somewhere shaded, humid and sheltered. 3) Check daily for pinning, the tiny mushroom buds, and keep the humidity up. 4) On kits, mist and check the surface for pins as the instructions say. 5) Watch for green, black or slimy contaminant moulds and remove badly affected material.
Notes
Shiitake and oyster are the species usually grown on logs. Keep logs raised off bare soil to cut down on contamination.