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cannabinated



Registered: 01/03/13
Posts: 14,743
Loc: Outside
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Some Shiitake log quality questions.
#19017110 - 10/22/13 11:59 PM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I am planning on starting my first shiitake grow soon. Conveniently I have just found a fallen oak tree in the forest by my house.
The tree appears to have fallen a few months ago, as the base is a bit dried out. It still has green leaves growing from it but I have no idea of the quality of the wood. It looks like a pretty healthy tree which makes me question why it fell.
Should I bother with harvesting the wood? Is it a bad time to harvest the wood since it is the middle of autumn? Is the moisture content an issue since it isn't drawing water from its roots?
Also, This is a black oak and I see many people only talking about using white oak for shiitake. Has anyone here had quality yields using black oak?
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loggrower
Log Cultivator


Registered: 08/02/13
Posts: 273
Loc: Oregon - Coast Range
Last seen: 6 years, 5 months
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Re: Some Shiitake log quality questions. [Re: cannabinated]
#19017146 - 10/23/13 12:08 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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For the moisture content cut a half inch thick sample of the wood and dry it in your oven at 220F for a few hours. If it stops losing weight it's as dry as it will get.
If the wood on the upper areas and branches looks clear and no rot or mycelium inside... It's fine.
Moisture Formula = [(Wet Weight – Dry weight) / Wet weight] X 100 = Percent Moisture Note: Around 1% residual moisture can't be driven out of the wood when baked at 220F.
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cannabinated



Registered: 01/03/13
Posts: 14,743
Loc: Outside
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Re: Some Shiitake log quality questions. [Re: loggrower]
#19017360 - 10/23/13 01:43 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks dude!
If the log isn't completely died would you know if I could be able to supplement the moisture by soaking them? I'd assume so.
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loggrower
Log Cultivator


Registered: 08/02/13
Posts: 273
Loc: Oregon - Coast Range
Last seen: 6 years, 5 months
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Re: Some Shiitake log quality questions. [Re: cannabinated]
#19017515 - 10/23/13 03:18 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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Yep... However, I try to get logs to go through most to all of their spawn run without a soak now. Oak should be easy, but other wood types require a exact process to minimize contaminants. Optimal moisture for Shiitake spawn run is around 38-42%.
If they need a soaking, I would dry the surfaces and ends of the logs out fast with a very loose stack in a windy spot protected from rain afterward.
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Rauhfasertapete
The Final Cauliflower of Doom!



Registered: 02/22/13
Posts: 214
Loc: Upper Franconia
Last seen: 7 years, 11 months
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Re: Some Shiitake log quality questions. [Re: cannabinated]
#19017533 - 10/23/13 03:31 AM (10 years, 3 months ago) |
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I´ve read that it is recommended to use wood that is dead since at least 3 months when you use it, because it still contains lots of slowly degrading fungistatic substances for protection against parasites. Probably it will have some dificulties to colonise if the plant tissue is still alive.
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loggrower
Log Cultivator


Registered: 08/02/13
Posts: 273
Loc: Oregon - Coast Range
Last seen: 6 years, 5 months
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Depends upon the type of wood and the mushroom type. I like giving Alder 2-3 weeks and let the ends of the logs dry out first. It also allows me to check for logs that may have disease or competitors already present.
Newest university research shows you should plug fresh cut wood. (According to a bunch of respected members around here. Yet to find the article myself...)
I don't agree... Without a couple weeks or more of aging Red Alder tends to react to being plugged and bleeds red sap all over. Sap defense mechanism stays active for a bit! Maybe oak doesn't have that issue. Don't know what wood types they were testing.
Edited by loggrower (10/23/13 05:02 AM)
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