Once upon a time, only members of the imperial families of the Middle Kingdom and the Land of the Rising Sun had the right to eat shiitake dishes. Today, it is possible to cultivate it in a regular garden plot; to do this, you need to know how to grow shiitake at home. Growing an ancient species, the first mention of which is found in documents from 199 BC, is not entirely simple, but not very difficult either. The main thing is to strictly follow all recommendations. And the resulting harvest can be used for food and to get rid of a number of diseases.

The scientific (Latin) name of this species is Lentinula Edodes. In Europe it is known as Japanese (Chinese) or black forest mushroom. In Korea it is known under the name “pego”; in the Celestial Empire, the original name sounds like “shiang-gu” or “hoang-mo”. The Japanese version - shiitake is translated as “tree mushroom” (“shia” - tree, “take” - mushroom). The name is telling because the plant is a saprophyte - a species that grows on dying trees and stumps. They feed on organic matter, gradually turning it into dust.

Shiitake is found in nature in a wild form. It is especially common in the Japanese foothills, on the slopes of hills in Chinese and Korean provinces, and in Russia it grows only on the hills of the Ural Mountains and in the Siberian taiga. The mushroom is quite capricious in its preferences: it does not like lowlands, severe frosts and excessive heat.

Abundant growth of lentinula is observed after warm spring rains on old stumps and fallen tree trunks. Approximately the same conditions are created for artificial cultivation on an industrial scale - on woody organic matter, in a warm and humid microclimate. Enterprises for breeding shiitake in Russia are organized, for example, in the Moscow, Voronezh and Saratov regions, from where not only ready-to-eat products are supplied, but also seed material for home use.

Appearance of shiitake

Shiitake's appearance is not the most outstanding, so it is sometimes confused with other species, for example, with meadow champignons. The mistake is not dangerous, because the second mushroom is also edible, but still not as valuable as lentinula. It is medium in size, distinguished by its expressive aroma and meatiness. The convex cap of the shiitake can have a diameter of 10-20 cm, it is attached to a rather thin stalk. The dome attracts attention with its characteristic “tortoiseshell color” - a dark brown background with flowing beige and cream relief patterns. The edges are edged with a light-colored fringe; the underside of the cap is formed by whitish-yellow plates.

The leg with a fibrous structure quickly darkens when broken; its length can vary from 5 to 18 cm. The surface is painted beige. If darker spots are visible on it, then the mushroom is already too old and does not have useful properties. Lentinula can weigh 80-100 grams.

Valuable properties and harm of shiitake

Lentinula edible is a very healthy mushroom, which is confirmed by the latest scientific tests. In total, over 40 thousand works have been written about the properties of this variety, many of which came from the pen of authoritative researchers. For example, in the middle of the 20th century, the effects of the fungus were studied on laboratory mice with sarcoma, which lived for quite a long time after such treatment. As a result of these experiments, it was possible to isolate the substance lentinan from shiitake, which stimulates the synthesis of perforin in the body, which naturally suppresses the growth of cancer cells. Today the drug is available in the form of an immune support product.

In Asian countries, shiitake is widely used in traditional medicine and is valued no less than ginseng. It is believed that the mushroom enhances a person’s internal spiritual energy and thereby helps defeat diseases. And modern scientists give an objective assessment of the beneficial qualities of lentinula, but also note the presence of contraindications. Although there are still more of the former.

Table 1. Benefits and contraindications of shiitake

Features of cultivating shiitake at home

There are two ways to grow Japanese mushrooms in your garden: outdoors and in a special room. The first method is only suitable for southern regions, since the plant is sensitive to temperature and humidity levels. The second option is absolutely suitable for any area and guarantees high productivity.

To breed shiitake, you need mycelium, which you will have to buy, because it is unlikely to be obtained independently from wild species. It can be ordered at mushroom growing enterprises and in specialized stores. Price: approximately 300 rub. for 250 ml. The date of production must be stamped on the packaging, since seed material is not stored for long.

Stage No. 1 - Arrangement of the growing area

Not just any room for breeding shiitake is suitable. The best option is a permanent shed with heating or a warm basement with the ability to regulate the temperature. Air must circulate well in a confined space, which means you should take care of the ventilation system. There should also be good lighting that can be dimmed and raised as needed. The lamps will have to be turned on to create the appearance of daylight, at the same time during these hours the temperature is raised to 15-18 degrees, and at night it is reduced to 10 degrees. When the fruiting period begins, the indicator will need to be raised to 24-25 degrees.

The air humidity in the room should be high - 75-85%, so it is more convenient to use drip diffusers for watering. Walls, floors and ceilings are first thoroughly disinfected: washed well with a solution of potassium permanganate. To accommodate myceliums, wide racks in one or several levels are arranged.

Stage No. 2 - Substrate preparation

To plant mycelium, a nutrient medium is used, which is created by mixing bran, cake, leftover tea leaves, waste left over from beer production, etc. Crushed chalk or thin gypsum is also added to the substrate, which act as thickeners and at the same time neutralize acidity. The formed concentrate must be sterilized to kill pathogenic and foreign microorganisms that can colonize the nutrient medium. To do this, the mixture is placed in metal barrels, diluted with water and boiled for about 4-5 hours. After this, move it to another container and cool.

The finished substrate is packaged in plastic bags with biofilters, which can be purchased at agricultural supply stores. Now you need to carefully mix it with mycelium at the rate of 2-5% of the seed per 5-6-liter bag. The placement of the mycelium should be uniform throughout the entire volume of the nutrient medium. The process is very responsible and requires compliance with sterility rules: you need to put on gloves on your hands, a protective mask on your face, and a clean robe or at least an apron on your clothes.

Stage No. 3 - Harvesting and harvesting

The first step towards harvest is incubation. This period lasts approximately 20-21 days. At this time, it is necessary to maintain optimally high temperature (up to 25 degrees) and humidity (85%). There is no need to ventilate or light the nursery with mycelium. It is impossible to increase the temperature above the required level, because at 29-30 degrees there is a possibility of activating microorganisms harmful to fungi, such as mold.

As soon as the surface of the substrate acquires a white tint, it means that the mycelium has begun to germinate. You will notice nodules and swellings on it. Now you need to lower the temperature to 17-18 degrees and at night reduce it by another 5-7 degrees. It is also necessary to monitor ventilation and lighting conditions, and maintain the humidity level at 70%. Shiitake should spend at least 5-7 hours in light every day.

When the mycelium changes color to brown, the fruiting stage begins and the first harvest can soon be harvested. To quickly form mushroom bodies, the substrate blocks are removed from the bags and placed in cool water for two days, after which they are again packed in polyethylene. After a month, full-fledged mushrooms will have formed, which are carefully cut with a knife. In another 30 days there will be a second wave of harvest, then another. After this, it is recommended to put the mycelium into hibernation for rest, for which the temperature and humidity in the room are lowered. In a couple of months the process can be resumed.

Growing shiitake in open ground

In regions with a warm climate, mushroom gardens can be established directly in the beds. To do this, you need to choose a shaded place, protected from drafts. The mycelium is placed on the trunks of cut trees or unnecessary stumps. It is advisable to choose wood that is not contaminated with mold or other fungi. The diameter of the stumps should be at least 15-25 cm, and the height should be from 100 cm. They are placed not on the ground, but on racks or single supports, many holes are drilled on the surface 2-3 cm in diameter and 10 cm deep. Place seed and seal the holes with wax or paraffin.

During the incubation stage, it is better to keep the mycelium in a room with a high level of humidity and a temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees. When ripening begins, the plantations are moved outside to a pre-selected location. They are watered with cold water so that the formation of fruits proceeds more intensively. Shiitake will grow on a wooden stump for about 3-5 years, and it is possible to harvest 2-3 crops per season. For the winter, the mycelium is wrapped in polyethylene and sent to a dry and warm barn or basement.

Conclusion

Shiitake mushroom seems inaccessibly exotic, although this is not at all the case. It is quite possible to grow it at home, but this will require some effort. However, the result is worth it, because this culture is considered one of the most useful. In Japan and China, it is an integral component of national cuisine and is widely used in traditional folk medicine recipes. In the West, this mushroom is added to luxury anti-aging cosmetics. It is recommended to be consumed for the prevention of many diseases, and in addition, it can perfectly diversify the daily menu due to its original spicy taste and memorable bright aroma.

Increasingly, in our supermarkets you can find such a curiosity as shiitake mushrooms. Dishes made from this product are in demand in the most expensive restaurants. And traditional healers, nutritionists and cosmetologists vying with each other about the beneficial properties of the plant. In the article we will find out what this mushroom is, where it comes from, learn about the beneficial properties and contraindications for use, and share culinary recipes. We will also reveal the secrets of some folk remedies based on this plant.

Chinese mushroom: description

The name shiitake literally means “mushroom that grows on the shii (chestnut) tree.” This is exactly how it grows in its natural environment - on a tree trunk or stumps. You can find the plant not only in China, but also in Japan.

It has been used in Chinese medicine for several centuries. Writings dating back to 199 were found, which indicate the healing properties of this mushroom. Eastern emperors believed that shiitake gave them strength, youth, and protected them from disease. Therefore, the plant is also called the “imperial mushroom” or “elixir of youth.”

Shiitake mushrooms (the photo of a wild plant below confirms this) do not look very attractive.

Growing

Shiitake is one of the few mushrooms that people began to grow artificially. They invented an effective method for cultivating the mushroom on logs in 1940. Thus, shiitake does not lose its healing properties and retains all its beneficial substances. Therefore, this method of growing under artificial conditions is still used today. But there is another method - mushrooms are cultivated on sawdust. This method reduces the healing properties of the plant. In addition, the selection processes that enriched the taste of mushrooms and increased yields led to a significant decrease in beneficial substances in the composition of Chinese mushrooms.

Shiitake (mushrooms) are cultivated in almost all countries of the world, including Russia. Photos of artificial growing conditions can be seen below.

Mushroom composition

The composition of shiitake attracts special attention. This is where the secret of its healing properties lies. Includes:

• macroelements: sodium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium;
• trace elements: zinc, copper, iron, selenium, manganese;
• vitamins: groups B, D, PP, C, A;
• amino acids: lysine, arginine, leucine, phenylalanine, methionine, tyrosine, alanine, glycine, glutamic and aspartic;
• fatty acid;
• polysaccharides;
• ash;
• alimentary fiber;
• coenzymes.

Despite the large number of beneficial substances that shiitake mushrooms contain, the benefits and harms of the plant have not been fully studied. Therefore, excessive consumption of the plant can lead to unexpected reactions in the body.

Chinese mushroom for diseases

Since ancient times, the mushroom has been widely used to eliminate various ailments. It is not for nothing that in Eastern medicine, healers very often prescribe products that contain shiitake mushrooms. The benefit of the plant lies in its composition. Thus, thanks to biologically active substances, with regular and correct use, you can be cured or significantly improve the patient’s condition with the following ailments and conditions:

• hypertension;
• viral infections;
• hematopoietic disorders;
• problems with blood vessels and cardiac activity;
• neurological and autoimmune diseases;
• long-term stress and depression;
• overweight;
• problems in the sexual sphere;
• dermatological diseases and aesthetic imperfections of the skin;
• oncological diseases and benign tumors of various origins.

Despite all the beneficial properties of shiitake, its excessive or improper use can cause poisoning or an allergic reaction. In addition, pregnant and lactating women, children under 14 years of age, as well as people prone to allergies and patients with bronchial asthma should not use this plant.

Use in cooking

It is difficult to imagine Asian cuisine without traditional shiitake. The mushroom is added to sauces, broths, marinades, served as a side dish and as a main dish. Dishes with Chinese mushrooms are also popular in Russia. A pronounced taste with a slight spice will add originality and sophistication to any, even the simplest dish. We offer you a recipe for noodles with shiitake. It is very simple and quick to prepare:

1. Prepare the vegetables: chili pepper, garlic and ginger, peel and chop the shiitake mushrooms.
2. Quickly fry the mushrooms in vegetable oil over high heat. Add pepper, garlic, ginger, and simmer everything a little.
3. Cook the noodles. The most suitable option for this dish would be rice, but if it is unavailable, you can use any other one.
4. Now prepare the sauce. To do this, mix ingredients such as soy sauce, a little vinegar (preferably apple or rice vinegar), chili sauce and vegetable oil.
5. All you have to do is mix the mushrooms with the noodles and pour the sauce over everything. The dish is ready to serve!
6. By adding or changing the main ingredients, you can create a completely new dish: seafood, pieces of fried chicken fillet or marinated veal will radically change the taste of shiitake noodles.

In our country, dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms are often used in cooking. To use in a dish, you need to first soak them in water for 8-10 hours. This storage method, such as drying, retains the maximum amount of useful substances in the mushroom. When using Chinese mushrooms in cooking, it should be taken into account that when exposed to high temperatures, the nutritional and healing properties of the plant sharply decrease, so heat treatment should be minimal and short-lived.

Mushroom cosmetics

Shiitake mushroom is also used in cosmetology. The properties of the plant include the ability to moisturize, nourish, tone, increase skin elasticity, as well as whiten and eliminate excess pigmentation. It is noted that the substance lentinan, which is part of the mushroom, has a rejuvenating effect, and coenzyme Q10 nourishes cells with oxygen and removes impurities. In addition, the polysaccharides, vitamins and microelements that make up the mushroom also help improve the condition of the skin: accelerating metabolism in cells, saturating them with water, regeneration, and also have an antimicrobial effect.

Many popular manufacturers of cosmetics began to produce preparations based on mushroom extract. For example, in 2002, the Yves Rocher company released a whole line of skin care products for women over 40.

At home, you can prepare a decoction or alcohol tincture using shiitake mushrooms. Such products can be used as lotions for the skin of the face and body, eye lotions, and hair rinse. Suitable for oily, porous, problem skin. Using cosmetics made from mushroom extract, you can eliminate skin pigmentation, reduce wrinkles, and tighten the shape of your face.

Chinese mushroom in folk medicine

Shiitake mushrooms are used in folk medicine for many diseases. We offer several such recipes:

1. To increase immunity, eliminate nervous tension, reduce stress and problems in sexual life, dry mushroom powder is used. You need to take it one teaspoon three times a day before meals for a month.
2. In folk medicine, it is believed that alcohol tincture of shiitake helps prevent cancer. To make such a product, you need to mix 50 grams of dry mushroom powder with 0.75 liters of forty-proof quality vodka. You need to leave it in a glass container in the refrigerator for a month. The method of use is the same as in the first case.
3. For hypertension and infectious diseases, the following recipe is recommended: dissolve 10 grams of mushroom powder in olive oil heated in a water bath to 37 degrees. Leave for a month in the refrigerator. Take a teaspoon before breakfast and dinner.

Medicines based on mushrooms

In pharmacies or homeopathic medicine stores you can purchase various preparations from Chinese mushrooms. Most often, dry powder is used, and then various vitamins and microelements are added. Such agents are used both externally and orally. The spectrum of action of drugs is wide: from acne to malignant tumors. The following products can be mentioned: shiitake mushroom in capsules, Shiitake tablets, Shiitake 30. They contain crushed dried shiitake mushroom. Reviews about such medicines are contradictory. They are quite expensive, but in fact they are only biologically active food additives, and the effectiveness of such drugs has not been fully studied.

Shiitake mushrooms are a tasty and healthy product. Use it in cooking to the delight of your household and guests; you can pamper yourself with a nourishing mask or a refreshing tonic. But you still shouldn’t count on miraculous healing from all diseases thanks to this plant. If you are concerned about health problems, it is much more effective to seek help from a doctor.

The shiitake mushroom (aka shiitake) comes from eastern countries; the Chinese and Japanese value it no less than the healing ginseng root, due to its high content of nutrients.

The cultivation of shiitake mushrooms under artificial conditions began in those parts, and gradually the technology “migrated” to us; the mushroom is grown both for amateur and commercial purposes. Shiitake is not capricious and, subject to certain conditions, gives good yields; it is one of the most aromatic, tasty and rich in composition of mushrooms.

About shiitake

In the wild, the shiitake mushroom actively grows in the foothills of Japan, Korea, and China. He does not like lowlands, excessive heat and frost. It is practically not found in Europe and hot countries, and in Russia it can only be found in some regions of Siberia and the Far East.

Shiitake belongs to the group of saprophytes, that is, it feeds on the organic matter of the wood on which it grows. Gradually, the stumps with mycelium are destroyed.

Externally, it is an ordinary medium-sized cap mushroom. The diameters of the caps vary from 5 to 20 cm in diameter, the legs of the fruit are thin. The cap has a patterned coloring similar to a turtle shell and ranges from cream to dark brown.

The mushroom is fleshy, very aromatic, and contains a large amount of microelements and vitamins.

Growing shiitake mushrooms at home gives good results; the mushroom is unpretentious if placed in the right environment.

Due to the fact that shiitake prefers high mountain areas, sea air and a temperate climate, it is very difficult to grow it in nature (in gardens, on plots) in our area. For artificial propagation, you will have to allocate a separate room: a basement, a barn, a hangar, in which it will be necessary to create special conditions. Some people manage to grow shiitake right in their apartment, on the balcony.

Technology for growing shiitake mushrooms at home

The best way to grow shiitake mushrooms in artificial conditions is to use bags and substrate. The blocks are placed in a prepared room and the conditions for fruit propagation are observed.

Preparing the premises

To breed shiitake indoors, it is necessary to create good ventilation, lighting of at least 100 lux and an air temperature control system. Mushrooms love warmth during the day and coolness at night. The optimal daytime temperature for them is +15-18ºC, at night – +10 ºC. During the sowing period and until fruiting, the temperature is raised to +25 ºC. Air humidity is maintained within 70-80%. A drip irrigation system is recommended for watering.

The room must be clean, completely disinfected; for the convenience of placing myceliums, it is better to use racks with shelves.

Shiitake mycelium

Since the mushroom grows only in a certain region of our country, it is not possible to collect its mycelium independently in the wild. The easiest way to buy seed material is in a store or at an enterprise engaged in industrial cultivation of shiitake.

The seller is obliged to indicate on the packaging the date the mycelium was harvested, the shelf life and the conditions necessary for maintaining the material.

Substrate preparation

For the substrate, you can use sawdust from trees mixed with dry leaves, hay, and sunflower husks.

The material must be sterilized to destroy all harmful microorganisms. To do this, the mixture is placed in water and boiled for about two hours, then cooled and squeezed.

Packets also need to be processed. The easiest way is to rinse them in a chlorine solution. The substrate is placed in bags in its raw form, alternating layers with mycelium (each block should contain no more than 8% mycelium). The edge of the bag is tied with a rope.

Then the mushroom blocks are laid out on shelves at a short distance from each other. Each bag is cut with a clean, sterilized knife or blade (up to 20 holes on each block).

All work should be carried out with gloves and in the most sterile conditions so that harmful microbes do not enter the mycelium.

Incubation period

Growing shiitake mushrooms largely depends on proper incubation conditions, which last on average about three weeks. All this time, the temperature in the room is maintained no higher than +25 ºC and humidity is about 80%. The room is not ventilated or illuminated at this time.

As soon as the first fruits appear, the air temperature should be lowered to +18 ºC during the day and lowered even more at night. The room begins to be ventilated, the mushrooms are irrigated daily and the humidity is maintained at about 70%. Mushrooms also need light every day, for at least 5-6 hours.

Myceliums actively bear fruit for a month. The fruits are collected in the usual way - by cutting off the stems. After the first harvest, the blocks continue to be cared for; after 30-40 days, a second wave of harvest can be expected.

Each mycelium can bear fruit for 5-7 years. But periodically they need to be given rest, plunging into “hibernation”. To do this, reduce the temperature in the room and stop active watering. After a month, care is resumed and a new harvest is expected.

You can try growing shiitakes outdoors in your yard. To do this you will need stumps or bars. If there are no stumps on your site, then find blocks of coniferous or deciduous trees and dig them into the ground.

Planting is best done in May, then in the fall there is a chance of getting the first harvest. The stumps should be moistened 2-3 weeks before planting the mushrooms, but not too much, by filling them with water. At the time of seedling, the wood moisture content should be about 50%.

Indentations are made in the wood using a drill or hacksaw. Shiitake mycelium is placed in the holes. The top of the stump is covered with wet sawdust. Stumps (bars) should be kept moist, but not more than 40%. When the mycelium begins to bear fruit, they need to be watered more often.

Such myceliums can take root only in those regions where there are short, not too frosty winters and moderate summers. In other areas, greenhouses will need to be created for the bars.

Now you know that growing shiitake mushrooms is not such a complicated process, unlike, for example, growing boletus or truffles. Shiitake does not create a symbiosis with trees, and has a flexible nature, so its cultivation is becoming increasingly popular. In addition, it is also a very tasty, juicy mushroom from which amazing dishes are obtained.

On a summer cottage it is becoming increasingly popular for a number of understandable reasons. This is an opportunity to organize a family business, and an area of ​​practical application of one’s hobbies, and an activity that allows one to preserve natural resources. One of the promising areas for creating mushroom farms is growing shiitake at home. Today, two methods of artificial reproduction of the culture of this fungus are used, intensive and extensive.

The use of intensive technology makes it possible to obtain environmentally friendly products regardless of weather conditions and changing seasons: all the conditions necessary and mandatory for effective production are provided and strictly controlled by the mushroom grower himself.

The growing process must go through the following stages sequentially.

Substrate preparation

To grow shiitake at home using the intensive method, it is necessary to use multicomponent substrates, the basis of which is certainly sawdust from deciduous trees, preferably hardwood. To increase nutritional properties and improve physical performance, grain, bran, food and agricultural waste, and calcined mineral additives are added. The options for the qualitative composition of the nutrient medium where the mycelium of shiitake mushrooms will develop are varied, but in any case, growing on a substrate containing at least 2-5% oak or beech sawdust will have a positive effect on the future harvest.

The substrate is packaged in polypropylene bags equipped with gas exchange filters, and then sterilized under pressure. A milder disinfection option is also possible - pasteurization for 8 to 12 hours with hot water.

Sterilization is mandatory to increase the resistance of shiitake mycelium to the effects of competing microorganisms and eliminate the possibility of mold development.

Introduction of mycelium

The heat-treated substrate is cooled to a temperature of 20-30 ° C. This is done either in an autoclave using a cotton filter installed at the air inlet, or by passing air through a filter in a special box. Then the substrate is evenly laid out in 3-5 kg ​​pieces in plastic bags. In this case, preliminary treatment of their internal surface with an antiseptic is necessary. Only after this is inoculation carried out: either grain or sawdust mycelium is added there.

Grain mycelium is individual grains of millet or wheat overgrown with mycelium. It crushes well, is evenly distributed throughout the volume of the substrate, and the grain itself feeds the mycelium. The sowing rate for such mycelium is 2% of the volume of the substrate.

Sawdust mycelium is grown on a mixture of sawdust and bran. The mycelium develops quite quickly in the environment to which it is already adapted. It should be applied in an amount of 5-7% of the volume.

At the end of inoculation, the bags are immediately sealed.

Incubation

The optimal temperature at which mycelium grows is 25°C. Overheating of packages (blocks) is unacceptable: at 28-30°C and above, the shiitake mycelium weakens. There are no humidity requirements: throughout the entire period, which lasts 20-40 days, the inoculated substrate is kept in sealed bags. The blocks must be illuminated for 6-8 hours a day at an intensity of 50-100 lux to stimulate the appearance of embryos of fruiting bodies.

During incubation, the mycelium goes through the following stages:

• colonization (“white block” – the color of the package, indicating complete colonization) with the absorption of nutrients from the substrate;
• ripening when the packet enters the “brown block” phase, which means it is ready to bear fruit.

Throughout the incubation period, the bags should be handled with extreme caution, avoiding their rupture and contact with cutting surfaces. It is best to store them individually on shelves, or stagger them on top of each other in 2-3 rows.

Fruiting

With the onset of the “brown block” phase, bags with mycelium are placed in a separate fruiting chamber, where a certain microclimate must be maintained. In this case, the following parameters must be maintained:

• air temperature 14-20°C;
• humidity 80-95% at the initial moment, 50-70% at the collection stage;
• illumination intensity 100-200 lux for at least 8-12 hours;
• CO 2 content in the air is not higher than 0.2%.

The cycle itself consists of the following stages:

• induction of fruit formation;
• fruit formation;
• fruiting;
• rest period.

There may be several periods (waves) of fruiting throughout the year. For each of them, the microclimate is formed individually.

For the first wave, induction is carried out in the fruiting chamber, where blocks from the incubation box are moved. Provide the following conditions:

• the substrate temperature must be reduced to 14-18°C;
• CO 2 level should be from 1000 to 2000 ppm;
• stimulation with lighting with an intensity of 100-200 lux for 8-12 hours.

To carry out induction for the second and subsequent waves, the blocks are soaked for 12-48 hours in water at a temperature of 10 to 16 ° C, ensuring an increase in substrate humidity to 75-80%. If necessary, the water is disinfected; before and after soaking the blocks, the containers must be disinfected. Old and new blocks are induced separately from each other, after which they are dried for several days. Fruit formation begins when the substrate moisture level drops to 65%.

Harvesting

It is best to collect shiitakes at the stage of “technical ripeness”, not quite ripe: their taste at this moment is much better.

4-6 hours before the start of collection, air humidity must be reduced to 60% so that the cuticle of the caps becomes rigid. This increases the shelf life of collected mushrooms. Remove shiitakes in such a way that the stems do not remain in the substrate, attracting pests or activating the formation of mold. At the end of the harvest, the mycelium should accumulate nutrients for the next fruiting period. To speed up this process, the air temperature must be increased to 20-25°C.

Intensive cultivation of shiitake mushrooms at home is financially expensive, technically difficult, and requires sufficiently spacious and specially equipped isolated rooms. Another difficulty is the fact that almost all stages of cultivation require maintaining the sterility of premises, instruments, and personnel clothing.
Another method that allows you to grow these mushrooms on your own is more accessible and quite effective.

Extensive cultivation method

The principle of extensive technology for growing shiitake at home is to create an environment for the growth of the mushroom that is as similar as possible to the natural one.

The introduction of mycelium is done using freshly cut fragments of tree trunks. For this, oak, beech, chestnut, hornbeam, and birch are usually chosen. Preparations are made during the period of the highest concentration of sugars in tree sap: after the leaves have dropped and before the sap begins to flow. Pay attention to the absence of signs of damage by xylotrophs and pests. The trunks are sawn into logs from 1 to 1.5 m long and 10–20 cm in diameter, kept in open space for 1 to 3 months, then inoculated.

Taking into account the climatic conditions of the area where shiitake is grown, it is advisable to inoculate with the appropriate strains.

1. Heat-loving (summer) fruits well in a humid, warm climate from May to September at temperatures from 14 to 27°C.
2. For cold-loving plants (autumn-spring), the optimal temperature will be from 7 to 16°C. The strain bears fruit from March to May and from September to November. The mushrooms are of good quality, although they develop rather slowly.
3. The mycelium of all-season strains grows quickly in wood, fruiting occurs in a wide temperature range from 10 to 25°C from May to November. In enclosed spaces with the ability to control the microclimate, the use of this strain allows you to obtain a year-round harvest.

The inoculation process itself is carried out as follows. In seasoned chocks, holes are made in the floor with a diameter of 2 cm to a depth of 1.5 cm, placing them in a checkerboard pattern. Shiitake grain mycelium is placed in them and filled with wax. The logs sowed in this way are stacked in shaded areas on cleared areas.

The incubation period (time of mycelium growth in wood) depends on the volume of seeded material, the quality of the mycelium, temperature, air humidity and lasts from 6 to 18 months. The optimal air temperature for germination is 24-28°C with a humidity of 70-90%. In the middle zone and southern regions, the mycelium tolerates wintering well: it is enough to cover the logs with straw or move them to the basement.

After complete germination of the mycelium, fruit formation is stimulated. To do this, the logs are soaked in water for 24-72 hours, then placed vertically or at an angle in a shaded area, but not in complete darkness. The first rudiments of fruiting bodies appear after 7-10 days.

The fruiting period of shiitake usually occurs twice a year. At the end of each wave of fruiting (during the dormant period), to maintain stable environmental parameters, the chocks are covered with breathable material. Depending on the size of the chocks, the yield lasts from two to five years. The average number of mushrooms collected using this growing method from 1 m² of wood over the total time ranges from 200 to 250 kg.

This is how shiitake, the imperial mushroom, has been grown for a long time, but has not yet been fully studied, modest in appearance, but possessing an exquisite taste and, due to the totality of its qualities, deserving the close interest of an enthusiastic person.