(+$29.99)
Organic Shiitake Mushroom Grain Spawn
$29.99
USDA Certified Organic
Trusted by 350K+ Growers
Money Back Guarantee
Our USDA-certified organic Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) grain spawn features a popular strain that produces light brown, medium-to-large, umbrella-shaped caps. Shiitake mushrooms are a delicious edible fungus from East Asia and their flavor is described as rich, savory, buttery, and umami. This strain tends to produce generous flushes, making them a great mushroom for confident beginners. They colonize quickly and are the most reliable producers of any species, which is why they are ideal for commercial cultivation.
Recommended use:
- Shiitake grain spawn can be used for indoor production using sawdust or straw.
- Do not use grain spawn for log inoculation.
- This is not a mushroom grow kit. Shiitake grain spawn must be combined with a substrate 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.
Specifications
- Weight: Approximately 6 lbs
- Hydration: Average of 47%
- Bags: Gusseted 2.2 mil polypropylene
- Filter: High efficiency .2 micron
- Inoculation Rates: 6 lb. bag of grain will inoculate between 120-165 lb. sterilized sawdust
- Sterilization method: Commercial grade autoclave sterilized
Temp, Humidity & CO2 guide
| Temperature | 55-70°F | 13-21°C |
| Humidity (Phase 1: Primordia) | 95-100% |
| Humidity (Phase 2: Fruitbody) | 85-95% |
| CO2 Sensitivity (Phase 1: Primordia) | 500-700 ppm |
| CO2 Sensitivity (Phase 2: Fruitbody) | <1,000 ppm |
- Primordia - The earliest recognizable stage of fruitbody development. Also known as “baby mushrooms” or “mushroom pins.”
- Fruitbody - A fully grown mushroom, the reproductive structure of the organism in which the spores are produced.
- CO2 sensitivity - When CO2 levels are too high, yields will decrease, stems will become long and stringy, caps will be small, and/or growth will halt.
Indoor cultivation
Shiitake mushroom grain spawn can be mixed into sterilized hardwood sawdust to create shiitake substrate blocks.
Note: Grain spawn must be mixed with bulk substrate before you can fruit it. If you are new to growing mushrooms, we recommend purchasing a book on mushroom cultivation.
Recommended reading:
'Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms' by Paul Stamets
'Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation' by Tradd Cotter
Storing
If you don't plan to use immediately, you can refrigerate your spawn for up to 4 months.
Cooking
"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.
Ingredients
Our grain spawn is USDA certified organic and made using organic cultures from our own culture bank. It contains a blend of locally sourced, organic, and non-GMO ingredients from farms in New England and North America.
Cautions & considerations
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.
FAQs
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Reviews
J
I am still growing these, aging the blocks. My first homemade blocks did great and gave a second flush from a small woodchip bed on my deck. I am just about ready to fruit my "aged" blocks.
We appreciate your review! Thank you so much for taking the time to share.
j
Easy to grow, 2 fruitings in 3 weeks! Just followed the straightforward instructions. Kept the grow container in my dining room that has lots of indirect sunlight, and keep them moist and well aerated. Best shitake mushrooms we've every eaten! Love ❤️ them!! Thank you north spore
J
The spawn colonized well and the mushrooms tasted even better!
Awesome, John! We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
E
This grain spawn was great! I got a good amount of shiitakes and some were pretty large which was awesome.
Great photo, Elyssa! Those shiitakes look amazing. Please reach out if you ever need anything!
A
Wonderful shiitake! Temperatures and humidity was incredibly inconsistent, but they still produced consistently for over three flushes! When matured, some were nearly as big as my face! They were extremely flavorful and were incredibly resistant to contamination as well! Great buy!!
Thanks for sharing, Alan! We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.
E
I’ve been purchasing this item for several years now, many bags in a year. It always smells fresh and looks healthy. It can last in the fridge for over 2 months unopened and still be fine, although I try to use it soon after I receive it. It usually arrives within a few days to a week which gives me time to plan. My best yield was over 12 lbs using 10-11% spawn to substrate ratio. This strain prefers slightly cooler temps. Making it a perfect indoor winter project in a room I keep at about 57- 60 degrees. The mushrooms that fruit are delicious and my favorite for many culinary applications. I also noticed this strain and shiitake in general are more resistant to contaminants. If you are a beginner mushroom grower the shiitake seems forgiving and is with a try.
Wow Eugene, so amazing to hear about your continued success! These shiitakes look amazing. Don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need anything!
m
We love the grain spawn we get from North Spore. We have had issues in the past but they were rectified quickly and we are always happy with customer service and support. Keep up the good work
Thanks so much for the honest review, Michael! We are so happy we could help resolve the issues you had. Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you ever need anything!
W
Product was as advertised. I don't think they made the trip all the way to Arizona :/
D
Great product
We appreciate your business, David!
j
Very trustworthy product
Thanks, James! We really appreciate the kind review.
S
The grain Spawn is doing well. The mycelium has covered most of the bin. I haven't cased it yet.
We're so happy everything is working out for you, Sylvia! If you need help with anything, please reach out.
I
Easy to use. Unlike many strains fo Shiitake, this spawn was relatively aggressive in colonizing the sawdust substrate. As of yet, we haven't gotten any primordial nor full grown mushrooms, so I'm holding off a star until I can attest to the fruiting quality.
I'll return to ad the extra star once we start harvesting the mushrooms.
Thanks for sharing, Ian! Our team is here to help if you need anything.
S
Even with a low spawn rate and unsterile practices, the mycelium grew vigorously and I got a number of blocks to fruit. Highly recommend.
We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, Sam! If you need help with anything, please reach out.
D
As a novice grower, it is so good to get things ready to go and to be able to have a positive experience.
Thanks, Donald! We really appreciate your support.
J
Absolutely love the quality of products that I have received! We look forward to increasing our order quantity with North Spore, thanks North Spore team!
D
Never had an issue with any of their products
A
I was very impressed with the quality of the products that I recently purchased. They have the best quality for the price from all other competitors. I will be a frequent customer from now on. Thank you.
S
At our fledgling mushroom company we are keeping things simple. We made a substrate with 20lbs of oak pellets and 42lbs of water. After soaking overnight, we bagged it up and mixed in shiitake or golden oyster grain spawn (1.25lbs/bag) and had mycelium running in three days. Attached is a picture today after two weeks. Not the best picture quality, sorry, but you can see the amount of mycelium at this point.
We’ve been buying North Spore products for about two years because of the superior quality and have had great results.
H
I have ordered the Shiitake and Lion's Mane spawn and both have been healthy and produced top notch mushrooms. Will buy again and again.
J
I started my blocks on April 25th and here at May 15th, they are colonizing nicely! I am already seeing some signs of popcorn'ing .
L
Great spawn within two weeks the bottom of my tubes were completely covered with mycelium !
Great fast shipping will buy again .
R
I bought one bag of this spawn, and now have six grow bags propagating happily along! I managed to use a home made still air box for inoculation, and I don't yet see any contamination--credit to the hardiness of the strain and the preparation of the spawn, as my conditions were merely adequate.
This enthusiastic amateur is definitely happy with the purchase. :)
K
Awesome grain spawn. Would buy again.