Organic Shiitake Mushroom Plug Spawn
















Skill level | Beginner |
Grow location | Outdoors |
Spawn shelf life | 6 months (refrigerated) |
Incubation | 9-12 months |
Fruiting temps | 55-70°F |
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) is a nutritious mushroom that produces medium-to-large, brown, umbrella-shaped caps that tend to fruit throughout the summer to fall growing season. They are a delicious edible fungus from East Asia and their flavor is often described as rich, savory, buttery, and umami. Shiitake tends to produce generous flushes and they are a great mushroom for beginners. They colonize quickly and are the most reliable producers of any species.
Aside from being kiln dried, our wooden dowels are not treated in any other way.
"5 of the Best Shiitake Mushroom Recipes"
Ideal project size:
Plug spawn is ideal for smaller projects of 1-10 logs, though some log cultivators will use them for larger projects.
That's not mold, it's mycelium!
Your kit includes plug spawn colonized with mushroom mycelium. It may appear covered with a soft, white, mold-like substance - that's the mushroom mycelium! It is completely normal. The mycelium of some species is more prominent than others.
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To grow on logs using plug spawn, you will need a Drill Bit, Log Sealing Wax, and Wax Daubers.
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Click here to download our pamphlet on growing mushrooms on logs, stumps, and totems.
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Shiitake works best with the log method. Colonization takes at least 9-12 months, and fruiting tends to occur throughout the summer to fall growing seasons and after rainfalls. Preferred wood species are oak, maple, or beech.
For our complete plug spawn pamphlet, click here.
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If you don't plan to use immediately, you can refrigerate your spawn for up to 6 months.
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"5 of the Best Shiitake Mushroom Recipes"
Shiitake has a meaty texture when cooked and is good for drying and reconstituting in winter soups. It pairs beautifully with tamari, ginger, and garlic and can bring needed umami to many different dishes. These mushrooms are delicious sauteed and can be used in stir-fries, risottos, ramens, on pizzas, or simply eaten by themselves.
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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.
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- Reviews
- Questions
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fun project
We bought 1000 plugs to use on live and black oak here in California. 10 months later, they are really started to pop off! Wish I tried this sooner as I had wanted over the years!
North Spore
Thanks so much for sharing! We're so glad to hear the Shiitake worked out. If you need help with anything, please reach out!

Amazing mycelium growth!
Just got my second order in from North Spore. I ordered 500 Shiitake mushroom plugs and look at how amazing it looks! I will be setting them in logs tomorrow! Thank you North Spore
North Spore
Thanks for sharing, Rachel! We really appreciate your support. If you need help with anything, please reach out!

Hope for the future
It's like magic. So easy to accomplish. The logs are inoculated and now to see if I get a crop. It's exciting. I hope it leads to good food and maybe farmer's market product.
North Spore
Thanks for sharing, Margaret! Our team is here if you need anything!

Awesome results!
Amazing! Easy to follow instructions too. The two logs we inoculated are steadily putting off mushrooms now that it has cooled off. As for taste.... They are delicious! We've cooked with them many times now. If you're just getting started this pack plus some wax and some fresh oak logs will give you mushrooms for a long while.
North Spore
Your logs look great, Brittany! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience! Please reach out if you ever need anything.

Simple to Use!
Well, the instructions were clear. I got holes drilled, plugs inserted, and plugs sealed w wax. Now we just wait and see how I did! Honestly, if anything does go wrong, it is 100% on me because those tutorials on the site are pretty hard to screw up.
North Spore
Thanks for the great review, Cyndi! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

Beginner
Finding the right logs was the hardest part after that super easy to drill and install
North Spore
Thanks for sharing, Mike! We really appreciate your support. If you need help with anything, please reach out.

Happy Accident!
In Feb. we had an ice storm in Texas that leveled many trees in my neighborhood. Afterwards my neighbor totally removed a damaged red oak. Took some logs for a bench and remembered that you can grow mushrooms on oak, so I looked up my local mycological society and they recommended North Spore for supplies. Inoculated three 8"x30" logs with shiitake dowels. Under the wax I see some very happy mycelium developing! Hopefully next spring I'll see the fruits of my labor! After seeing it take, the bug bit me and now I have two grow tubs producing Lions Mane, LC bought from North Spore....Will move onto King Trumpet in a jars next. Really getting into the science behind this hobby! Thanks North Spore! Every product I've purchased has been top of the line in quality and the customer service can't be beat!!!

Can’t wait!
Plugs shipped well, arrived in great shape and were a fun activity for the wife and I!

Wonderful - shiitake all day!
I have used NS shiitake plugs for both home use and for classes on mushroom inoculation with great results. They have always arrived clean and have produced lots of good food for our family.
Excellent
Good preordered got it a week earlier than the processing time said thanks again will be back