Shiitake Mushroom Outdoor Log Starter Kit

Name: Shiitake Mushroom Outdoor Log Starter Kit
Brand: Redwood Mushroom Supply
SKU: RMSLOG-LEKIT
Price: 20.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$20.99

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Grow Shiitake Mushrooms on Logs – A Long-Lasting, Sustainable Harvest

Transform a hardwood log into a self-sustaining shiitake mushroom farm with the Shiitake Mushroom Outdoor Log Starter Kit! This beginner-friendly kit allows you to inoculate your own log, creating a natural, long-term growing environment that can produce fresh shiitake mushrooms for years. Simply drill, insert the spawn plugs, and let nature take over—once colonized, your log will fruit seasonally with minimal effort.

Shiitake mushrooms are prized for their bold umami flavor, firm texture, and culinary versatility, making them a staple in gourmet cooking. With this kit, you can enjoy homegrown, chemical-free shiitakes while taking advantage of a low-maintenance, outdoor growing method. Whether you're a home gardener, food lover, or mushroom enthusiast, this kit makes it easy to cultivate fresh, flavorful shiitakes in your own backyard.

Why This Kit is a Great Choice

🔩 Beginner-Friendly & Simple Setup – Just drill, insert spawn plugs, and seal with wax—nature does the rest.
🌳 Sustainable & Low-Waste Cultivation – Uses natural logs instead of disposable grow bags or plastic containers.
🍄 Produces Fresh Mushrooms for Years – A single inoculated log can fruit seasonally for multiple years.
🌦 Thrives in Outdoor Environments – Ideal for shady backyards, gardens, and wooded areas.
🍽 Gourmet Shiitakes at Home – Enjoy fresh, umami-rich mushrooms in stir-fries, soups, and more.

Start your own backyard mushroom patch and enjoy fresh, homegrown shiitakes for years to come. Order your log starter kit today and get growing!

Skill Level Beginner

Incubation 6-12 Months

Log Orientation Log Cabin or Vertical

LocationOutdoor; Shady Areas

Ideal Log Type Oak, Alder, Beech, Sweetgum

Fruiting Temperature 55°F - 70°F

Spawn Best Within 6 Months

Product Details

Grow Shiitake Mushrooms Outdoors

Grow your own Shiitake mushrooms outdoors with our mushroom log starter kit. Each kit contains everything you need to inoculate a freshly cut hardwood log for your very own natural mushroom patch. Shiitake are a great starter mushroom for outdoor cultivation due to fast colonization and reliable harvests, so don’t be afraid to try it out!

Sustainable Mushroom Cultivation

Log cultivation is one of the oldest forms of mushroom cultivation, dating back over 1000 years - this sustainable method uses freshly hewn logs to cultivate mushrooms as they grow in nature. By reducing the amount of one-time use plastics commonly associated with cultivation, you can feel good about your grow!

Harvest Over Multiple Years

One of the biggest advantages of log cultivation is the harvests - depending on your log’s diameter and type of wood, you can get multiple harvests out of a single log over several years! A general rule of thumb is for each inch of log diameter, you will get a harvest for each year, so a 4” log can be harvested for up to 4 years. Hardwood species also tend to last longer than softwoods and can contribute to additional harvests. For more info on selecting mushroom logs, check out our guide.

Usage

In order to use this kit, you will need to source freshly hewn logs of a suitable species. For Shiitake, the best candidates are hardwoods of the following species:
Alder, Beech, Ironwood/Hophornbeam, Hornbeam, Oak, Sweetgum
Avoid using Ash, Aspen, Cherry, Cottonwood, Elm, Pear
Prepare and clean logs with a brush to remove debris. Keep bark intact.
Drill 1” deep holes using the provided drill bit. Alternate hole placement between rows.
Add colonized dowels to holes and pound into the log with a mallet or hammer. Ensure plugs are flush with log surface.
Using the melted wax provided, apply melted wax using the dauber to each inoculation point.
Once the wax dries, move the logs to a shady, humid area such as beneath a tree, and follow the log care instructions in our guide.
Harvest 6-12 months later!

For more information, refer to the following guides, or download our free log cultivation guide in the resources section.

Log Cultivation Blog

Log Cultivation FAQ

Log Cultivation Guide