How to Grow Mushrooms on Logs at Home?

⬇️ Prefer to listen instead? ⬇️

---

• Mushroom logs can grow mushrooms for up to 7 years with little work.
• Oak and maple trees are best for growing mushrooms on logs.
• The best time to put mushroom spores in logs is late winter to early spring for the best results.
• Keep logs moist and shaded during the 6–18 month growth time.
• Logs can grow mushrooms many times a year and do well when soaked in water for 24 hours to start mushroom growth.

---

If you garden, care about healthy food, or want a nature-based DIY project, growing mushrooms on logs is a great and easy way to grow your own food. This old way of growing outdoors uses natural things and little work to grow tasty, healthy mushrooms like Shiitake, Oyster, or Lion’s Mane in your yard. Let’s see how you can use simple hardwood logs to make a mushroom farm.

Why Grow Mushrooms on Logs?

Mushroom logs are a good way to grow mushrooms that is easy on the earth, takes little effort, and gives you lots of mushrooms. Unlike man-made or quick-to-use materials for growing indoors—like straw or sawdust—logs are like the wild places where many good and medicinal mushrooms grow. This is not only a very lasting way to grow, but it also often makes the mushrooms taste better and last longer after picking.

Here are some of the main good things

• Long-lasting: Logs can grow mushrooms for 3 to 7 years after they start.
• Little work: They don't need much work after you set them up, unlike growing in rooms.
• Low cost: After you start, it costs almost nothing to keep going.
• Good for nature: Using logs from trees that are cut or fall down helps use waste wood.
• Fits in nature: Mushroom logs can look good in a garden, woods, or natural-style landscape.

Growing mushrooms on logs outside is really good for people who like organic gardening, growing trees and crops together, or taking care of woods.

Best Mushroom Types to Grow on Logs

Not all mushrooms you can eat will grow well on logs, but many do well if you use the right kind of wood and growing conditions. Here are the best kinds to think about

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)

The best mushroom to grow on logs. Shiitakes are very liked because of their strong, rich flavor and meaty feel. They grow best on strong hardwoods—mainly oak—and usually give you a good amount of mushrooms.

• Growth time: 6–18 months
• Mushroom seasons: Spring and fall (cool and wet)
• Log life: Up to 7 years
• Health benefits: Lots of polysaccharides and good for your immune system

Fun Fact: Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most grown log mushrooms in the U.S. [USDA, 1999]

Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.)

Oysters grow fast and are easy to grow, good for beginners. They start growing quickly and make mushrooms in different temperatures and wood types. Types include Blue Oyster, Pink Oyster, and Golden Oyster, and they all need slightly different growing conditions.

• Growth time: As fast as 4–6 months
• Mushroom seasons: Many times a year, mostly in warm weather
• Log life: 2–4 years
• Best for: Getting mushrooms fast and trying different kinds

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

This strange and shaggy mushroom is known for its crab-like feel and said to help your brain. Lion’s Mane likes maple, beech, and other hardwoods that don't have too much tannin.

• Growth time: 6–12 months
• Mushroom seasons: Fall and spring
• Log life: ~3–5 years
• Cooking note: Great when cooked in butter, often used instead of seafood

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

This one grows slowly and is known more for being medicine than food. Reishi mushrooms take time but grow into nice, shelf-like shapes and do well on strong woods.

• Growth time: Up to 18 months
• Mushroom seasons: Summer
• Log life: Up to 10 years
• Medicinal value: Has triterpenoids and other good things linked to immune health

Matching wood type with mushroom type is key. For example, Shiitake needs strong hardwood, while Oyster can grow on softer hardwoods like alder or even fruit trees like apple and cherry in some cases.

Choosing the Right Tree Logs

The wood you pick will directly change how many mushrooms you get, how healthy they are, and how well they grow. Here’s how to make sure you’re using the right logs

Best Hardwood Trees for Mushroom Growth

• Oak: Best for Shiitake and Reishi; decays slowly and has lots of lignin.
• Maple: Lion’s Mane and Shiitake do well on this wood.
• Beech: A good choice for Lion’s Mane and Oyster mushrooms.
• Alder: Softer hardwood, good for fast-growing types like Oyster.
• Hornbeam, Ash, Birch: Other choices that work well.

Don't Use These Logs

• Softwoods like pine, cedar, spruce, fir: Have things that stop fungus from growing.
• Sick or rotting wood: Makes it more likely to get bad things and other fungus.
• Old or dried-out logs: Don't have enough water and food, making it hard to grow mushrooms.

Best Log Size

• Width: 3–6 inches
• Length: 3–4 feet
• Weight: Should be easy for one person to move

Logs should still have their bark and be used within 1–2 months of being cut. Tree sap helps feed the mushroom growth, and the bark protects them while they are growing inside.

When to Put Spores in Logs

Putting spores in at the right time makes sure you have the best chance of success. Starting at the right time of year makes sure the logs are not too dry and helps the mushroom beat out wild fungus.

Best Time

• Late winter to early spring (February – April): Best time to put spores in for places with mild weather.
• Temperatures: Best between 40–70°F when putting spores in.
• Conditions: Logs should still be wet but not frozen.

Logs cut when the tree is not growing (late fall through early spring) have the most food and help stop bugs and bad fungus.

Tip

If you have to wait after cutting, keep logs in a shaded, wet place off the ground to keep water inside.

Tools & Things You Need

Before putting spores in, it’s important to get the right tools. The type of spores you pick—plug, sawdust, or grain—will change some of the tools you need.

Must-Have Supplies

• Hardwood logs (fresh-cut, bark still on)
• Mushroom spores: You can get them as:
  • Plug spores (small wood pieces with mushroom growth already in them)
  • Sawdust spores (needs a special tool to put them in)
  • Grain spores (usually used for growing indoors)

Tools

• Drill & drill bits
  • 5/16" bit for plug spores
  • 7/16" for sawdust spore tools
• Mallet or hammer (for plug spores)
• Sawdust spore tool (called a palm inoculator)
• Wax: Cheese wax or beeswax; used to close holes after putting spores in
• Brush or dauber: For putting on melted wax
• Place to put logs: Bricks, pallets, or blocks to keep logs off the ground

Good to have but not needed

• Shade cloth or tarp: Good in hot, dry places
• Big tub or kiddie pool: For soaking logs to start mushroom growth

Step-by-Step: How to Put Spores in Logs

Follow these steps to put spores in easily and get lots of mushrooms

• Clean and Get Logs Ready
  Make sure logs are clean of dirt, mold, and rot you can see. Keep them wet but not too wet.

• Drill Holes for Spores

  • Make holes 6 inches apart in rows, rows 2 inches apart, in a pattern along the log.
  • Drill holes about 1 to 1.5 inches deep, depending on spore type.

• Put Spores In

  • Put in plug spores and tap them in with a mallet until they are even with the wood.
  • For sawdust spores, use the tool to push and put spores into holes.

• Close with Wax

  • Melt wax and put it over each hole with a dauber or brush.
  • Also wax any cut or broken ends to stop water loss.

• Stack Logs
  Put logs in a shaded, safe place with good air flow.

  • Stack them well: lean them against something or stack them like a "log cabin".

Growing and Mushroom Conditions

After putting spores in, logs go through an important growing time. Here’s what will happen and how to help it along.

Growth Timeline

• Oyster mushrooms: 4–6 months
• Shiitake mushrooms: 9–18 months
• Lion’s Mane: 6–12 months

Best Conditions

• Shade: Under trees, under a deck, or with shade cloth (80% shade is best)
• Wetness: 80–90% wet to stop drying
• Water: Logs should feel wet but not soaked; soak logs if they get dry when it's dry outside (once a month is good)

Starting Mushrooms

After growth is done, you might need to shock the mushroom growth to start mushrooms

• Put logs in cold water for 24 hours
• Stack standing up (if Shiitake) for better air flow
• Mushrooms usually show up within a week after soaking

Picking Mushrooms from Logs

Picking mushrooms at the right time is key for best taste and future mushroom crops. Look for mushrooms with caps that are open fully.

How to Pick

• Twist or cut mushrooms cleanly at the bottom of the stem.
• Use a sharp knife; don’t tear or hurt the mushroom growth in the log.
• Pick mushrooms many times a year depending on rain, temperature, and mushroom type.

It’s important to keep picked mushrooms in a paper bag in the fridge for best freshness. Don't put mushrooms in plastic bags because they need to breathe and can get soggy.

Keeping and Taking Care of Logs

Keeping your mushroom logs growing mushrooms for a long time just takes a little bit of easy work.

Care Tips

• Keep logs off the ground on bricks or pallets to stop bad things from the soil.
• Turn logs sometimes to make sure they get wet evenly.
• During mushroom seasons, soak every 8–10 weeks to start mushroom growth again.
• Remove moldy spots and slugs.
• Keep up shade and wetness for as long as you use the logs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't make these common mistakes to make sure your mushroom logs stay healthy and grow well

• Using softwood like pine
• Putting spores in logs more than 2 months after cutting
• Not using wax to close holes, which can bring bad things in
• Stacking in full sun or very dry places
• Thinking all logs will grow mushrooms very fast—some need up to 18 months

Mushroom Grow Kits vs. Logs

Both are good in different ways. Here’s how they are different:

 

Feature	Grow Kits	Mushroom Logs
Start Time	15–30 minutes	1–2 hours
Mushroom Time	10–21 days	6–18 months
Life	2–3 crops over 1–2 months	3–7 years of mushroom crops
Care	Medium (indoors, misting every day)	Easy (checks every week/month)
Cost	Low to medium	Cheap over time

 

Both ways work for growers with different wants—fast mushrooms vs. long-term growing. Using both lets you grow your own good mushrooms all year.

Special Deal: Save Now on Mushroom Grow Kits

Zombie Mushrooms is now giving special discounts on their indoor grow kits—good for growers who don't want to wait or who can't grow outside all year. These same mushroom types are also sold as spores, packaged for putting in outdoor logs. Use this chance to start inside and change to longer-lasting log ways outside.

Last Tips & Encouragement

Growing mushrooms on logs is not just a way to grow fresh, healthy food—it’s a fun, long-term relationship with nature. As each season goes by, your logs will give back, giving you tasty mushrooms with just a little work. Time, the right tools, and good care are what you need; if you do these things, mushrooms will do the rest.

Whether you're adding mushrooms to a food forest, trying it in your yard, or wanting to grow food for a long time with little harm to nature, mushroom logs are a great thing to have in your garden.

---

Citations

• Stamets, P. (2000). Growing Good and Medicinal Mushrooms (3rd ed.). Ten Speed Press.
• Bayer, E., & Panozzo, J. (2019). Easy Mushroom Farming. Fungi Ally Publications.