shiitake question Dec 17 2012 photos

I was walking in my woods yesterday and I noticed this fungal growth on my shiitake logs..it was different than I would have expected to see, but it is dang cold here (34 at the time) so maybe that is why? These logs were innoculated with shiitake dowels in May this year, in the one photo you can see the dowel end with a tiny bit of the fungi smooshing out around it that matches the fungi that is growing.

This doesn't look like what I would think Shiitake fruiting should look like but maybe that is cause it is so cold?? any one know about this or did some other fungi infiltrate my log and my dowels??

Quite positive that it is not Shiitake Looks to be some type of "bracket" forming fungus... I would have to assume that this species was already present, before you innoculated with your dowel spawn...

It is generally best to cut down fresh hardwood, at the end of Winter, when the sugar content is highest. Allow to rest until after all danger of frost is gone; taking care to not damage the bark. Once danger of frost is gone, innoculate ASAP!

Avoid direct contact with soil throughout process... If partially burying the log to facilitate moisture stabilization, backfill the hole with wet sand (free of debris).


Best wishes

It is not shiitake, Brenda.

Don't feel bad ... it happens. I once had over 3,000 shiitake inoculated logs. Made the mistake of soaking them together and ultimately was able to "contaminate" about 90% of my logs. This was a huge loss for me.

Frankly, your "aspen" log looks a bit skunky to begin. Bet it was full of competing fungi when you inoculated it. Best to stick with the cleanest and freshest wood available. But don't give up. When you get the shiitake well established in a clean log the rewards are special. Nothing better than shiitake ... in my very humble opinion. Once I started growing regular supplies of shiitake it pretty much spoiled me for morel hunting.

Hope your success improves.

be well
vinekeeper

i didn't think it was the right thing, was really too earlly for it to be fruiting anyway, less than 6 mo. I innoculated a lot of logs..this was just one and the only one showing this fungus.

this one was aspen but a lot of them were ash that I innoculated. I cut them down myself so they weren't OLD logs but this probably just got something on it that was infested.

I have been told that the other logs probably are fine..many of them were ash...this particular one was aspen.

guess we'll see next year if any of the proper stuff grows on any of them..also did some logs with lions mane.

hope some worked..that is why I did a lot of various wood types of logs

you know, i have always heard that oak was preferred. It has just occurred to me that i have also always heard that, oak has natural anti-fungal properties. Perhaps these two statements go together .

Please post more as your mushrooms grow.