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Organic Hen of the Woods (Maitake) Mushroom Sawdust Spawn
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| Skill level | Advanced |
| Grow location | Outdoors |
| Spawn shelf life | 6 months (refrigerated) |
| Bag weight | 5.5 lbs |
| Incubation | Logs: 12-24 months |
| Fruiting temps | 50-60°F |
| Best log type | See wood chart below |
Hen of the woods, aka Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is a succulent polypore with a delicate feathery texture and earthy rich flavor. Its lacy sides make it a great option for frying, roasting, sautéing, and adding a visual flair to many dishes. Hen of the woods mushrooms are great for enthusiast growers who have had some success with other more advanced species.
Because hen of the woods is not a strong competitor, it requires a different cultivation strategy. Inoculation works best when logs are steam sterilized, incubated and colonized in filter patch bags, then removed from bags and partially buried in a shaded spot.
Recommended use:
- Hen of the woods sawdust spawn is only recommended for log projects.
- One bag of sawdust spawn will reliably inoculate up to 20 logs. (You can calculate how much you'll need here.)
Hen of the Woods (Maitake) log chart:
| BEST WOOD SPECIES* | White Oak, Red Oak, Bur Oak |
| OTHER SUITABLE SPECIES | None recommended |
| AVOID | All other woods |
Upon receiving your spawn:
Remove it from the shipping box as soon as possible. Then, unfold the top of the bag, making room for air space. It's also important to check and confirm that the filter patch is not obstructed. This will help the organism breathe and continue to thrive!
Scroll down for cultivation, inoculation, and storage guides.
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To grow on logs using sawdust spawn, you will need a Log Inoculation Tool, Log Sealing Wax, and Wax Daubers.
For larger log projects you may also want to purchase an Angle Grinder Adapter and specialized 12mm drill bit.
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Click here to download our pamphlet on growing mushrooms on logs and totems.
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Hen of the woods will only fruit in oak logs. However, it should be noted that hen of the woods is prone to being out-competed by other fungi. For this reason, we recommend the following:
To limit competition and increase the chances of success, we strongly recommend sterilizing 8" by 8" segments of oak log in a pressure cooker or steam sterilizer before inoculation. Incubate your sterilized log segments for a few months in XL sealed filter patch bags until they are completely colonized. After colonization period, logs should be removed from bags and partially buried under 2 inches of top soil. The mushrooms will fruit from logs and emerge out of the soil.
(You can sterilize your log segments in a 22 qt or larger pressure cooker such as an All-American.)
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If you don't plan to use your Hen of the Woods sawdust spawn immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to 6 months.
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Hen of the woods has a semi-firm texture and earthy flavor. It can be ripped into small pieces and added to a dish or left large to be the centerpiece of a meal. We love to confit hen of the woods by slow cooking it at a low temperature in an oven submerged in extra virgin olive oil. After 4-5 hours the Hen of the Woods will be crispy and delicious and you'll have mushroom infused olive oil!
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All our spawn is made using organic cultures from our own culture bank. Our sawdust spawn is handmade from a blend of locally sourced, all-natural, organic, and non-GMO woods and supplements from farms and forests in New England and North America.
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If you’re going to consume home-grown mushrooms, make sure to cook your fresh mushrooms thoroughly with heat. If it is your first time eating this species, it is best to start with a small amount to check for allergies, even if cooked.
*Wood recommendations are based on our own testing. You may have different results experimenting with other wood species.
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J
11/04/2024
Jacqi
United StatesI recommend this product
Grew beautifully
Purchased this as just an experiment, I left it to fully colonize and then broke up the block and planted it around a dying Oak covered in oak chips and then left it. Honestly, I did not expect any results but just wanted to try it anyways. I was completely surprised when it began to fruit (did quite the happy dance around the tree) and I ended up with a great haul. I assumed that it probably would not fruit again until the colonization spread to the chips and roots. This year I got a tiny little fruit but nothing to write home about but this only occurred due to the clean, robust spawned blocks I purchased here. I only get my blocks now from this company.
11/06/2024
North Spore
So cool, Jacqi! Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
KO
03/16/2023
Karen O.
United StatesMy mistake
I ws all excited thinking the art of spray and grow had made it to Hen of woods. Ordered this on mistake, sold for 25.00. as I could not use spore.I reordered blue oyster spray kit, and started MARCH 1, no fruiting bodies yet! I ordered from you many years ago, loved the process, and the massive amounts of mushrooms. Maybe it was the block.hope for mushrooms soon!
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