Vertical mushroom logs

So you can stack mushroom logs in a-frame like construction, or horizontally, but has anybody tried stacking them vertically? I have to protect them from mice (chewing off the beeswax in winter), deer, and thorny brambles, so I thought of stacking them vertically in a shopping cart. The ends are waxed.

I believe the Japanese model of inoculating shiitake is stumps that are, of course, vertical , incidentally.

I can't figure out how to check all these boxes and also make it easy to area water them, so will post results if no comments.

Hello Fredy,

Yes you can stack them vertically, though it may present more of a challenge keeping them hydrated in that orientation. In nature the logs or stumps that stand vertical, and get inoculated by whatever means, still have an extensive root system, that is in ground contact, to wick water up into the stup/log, through capillary action, which provides adequate moisture to establish the mycelium. How ever you orientate the logs isn't as important, as understanding the dynamics which may effect the substrate hydrology, to maintain optimal mycelium moisture levels in your logs. Maybe have a shallow catch pan under the contact end of the logs, like some turned up visqueen about 1 inch deep, so the water hangs around a little longer, to compensate for any lack of surface area or ground contact, that would naturally increase the hydration potential, from other forms of orientation.

Its all just temperature, moisture, atmosphere exchange, preventing infection and light cycles: if you already have an adequate substrate. Meet those needs as desired by your spacific mycelium, in the required developmental stage, and not many other factors equate to much regarding successful production. Just make sure when fruiting comes, they have room to fruit out, without drastically contorting the fruiting bodies.

So this mad-hoc goofiness is doing something...plenty of myceliation in evidence. Fruiting soon. Of course, quite possible it's not the desired kind.

As long as you used enough plugs when you inoculated those super nice logs, the mushrooms you get will be the ones you wanted in the first place.
I love your idea of using shopping carts, and the ferns show those logs should stay at a good moisture content too.

If I can acquire some shopping carts, I'm stealing your idea, will make moving the logs around quite easy for me.

Redhawk