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Organic Hemlock Reishi Mushroom Sawdust Spawn












Skill level | Advanced |
Grow location | Outdoors |
Spawn shelf life | 6 months (refrigerated) |
Bag weight | 5.5 lbs |
Incubation | 12-24 months |
Fruiting temps | 50-75°F |
Hemlock reishi or "hemlock varnish shelf" (Ganoderma tsugae) produces beautiful shelf-like fruiting bodies with a shiny brownish-orange varnish and white margin. In the spring, when the fresh growth is still white with no hint of pores or lacquered color showing, many growers collect the marshmallow-y fruiting bodies to eat as fresh mushrooms. Others will allow their hemlock reishi to grow into large waxy caps, at which point they become too bitter to consume. At this stage, they are ideal for drying and making into medicinal powders, extracts, tinctures, and teas.
Hemlock reishi can be difficult to cultivate and is ideal for advanced and enthusiast growers who have had some success growing other mushrooms.
NOTE: Hemlock reishi (Ganoderma tsugae) will only grow on hemlock. It will not grow on hardwoods.
Recommended use:
- Hemlock reishi sawdust spawn is recommended for outdoor use on logs.
- Sawdust spawn is ideal for larger log projects of 10 or more logs.
- This is not a mushroom grow kit. Hemlock reishi sawdust spawn must be used in log inoculation in order to fruit.
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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This species of reishi mushroom grows on hemlock. Reishi works best when fully colonized logs are buried underground. Reishi likes any of the three log methods and colonizes in 12-24 months. It prefers hemlock logs and fruits in the summer. After a 1-year colonization period above ground, Reishi logs may be buried under 2 inches of topsoil to mimic its natural method of production. Mushrooms will fruit from the logs and emerge from the soil.
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If you don’t plan to use your reishi sawdust spawn right away, store in the refrigerator. Use within 6 months of receipt.
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The fresh, soft growth of the "lip" of G. tsugae can be sautéed and prepared much like other edible mushrooms. However, the tough woody center is bitter. For this reason, we don’t recommend it for culinary use. However, it can be dried and made into teas or powders. It can also be extracted to make tinctures.
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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.