Let's Grow Mushrooms!

Now that I'm living in a mild climate that is also known for its higher humidity levels in the summer months, I decided I'd like to give mushroom cultivation a try.  Since we don't normally have freezes during the winter months mushrooms should have a good time growing here.  We do get a hard frost here and there but it's not the norm to have a frozen winter in SW Florida which is why I am here and not in SW Montana!

The mushrooms I've decided to grow are Shiitake, Lentinula elodes, Maitake, Grifola frondosa, oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus and Lion's Mane, Hericium erinacius.  These species will all grow on oak which is the type of wood host I have to use since there is tons and tons of oak in Florida.  Hardwood species are required for these.

My friend had to cut a huge limb off his oak tree so I asked him to save me some logs about 3-4 feet long and no bigger in diameter than 14".  Once the logs have been cut off a living tree, they need to rest for two weeks to a month prior to plugging.  You must make sure the logs are not in contact with soil while they are resting.  Also winter trees have more sugar content in them so it's best to cut the logs in the winter if possible.


Once you have your rested logs you will need your mushroom spawn which comes in the form of a wooden dowel or plug.  The spawn is inoculated into the plug.  There are several sources for purchasing these spawn plugs.  I got mine from Fungi Perfecti in Olympia, WA.

The next step is to drill holes into your logs in a diamond pattern around the circumference of the logs having all the holes no more than 4" apart.  The idea here is to have enough spawn plugged into the log that the spawn will take over (colonize) the entire log in time.  A 3-4 foot log can take 50 or more plugs.  Insert the plug into the hole and pound in with a rubber mallet. After you have your logs plugged, you need to seal the plugs with a coating of cheese wax to prevent micro organisms from contaminating your mycelium.

Once all the logs have been plugged they need to be stacked in a damp and shady location to rest, off the ground on a pallet, stacked in a criss cross pile called a "rick" to help conserve moisture.  Cover the rick with shade cloth or a tarp and keep cool and damp.  It is important that sufficient moisture is maintained to support the mycelial growth.

DO NOT USE PLASTIC TO COVER YOUR LOGS...THIS WILL CAUSE MOLD TO FORM

Now that your logs are plugged, covered, watered and tarped, the next step is to wait.  This step is referred to incubation which will take 6-12 months for the mushroom mycelium to colonize the logs.  Now is the time to walk away and just ignore them.

We will discuss fruiting later when the time comes, so stay tuned.

Orchids, Orchids, Orchids Part II

Well the orchid show was so awesome I had to go back the next day to shoot more photos of the gorgeous orchids in bloom.  Here are more beautiful orchids for your enjoyment:

Orchids, Orchids, Orchids!

Who doesn't love orchids?  I know people think they are very difficult to grow but really, most of them are not that difficult with the right light.  Phalaenopsis are the easiest and I think paphiopedilum are not too difficult either to grow and get to bloom again.  The tough guys are cattleyas which are much more temperamental and like being outdoors in warm tropical climates.  Now that I have a home in FL, I will try my hand once again at growing these corsage orchids outdoors.  I've been told all you need to do is tie or hang them from a tree and squirt water at them once in a while and they will bloom!  I'm not sure how correct that is, but I'm willing to give it a try.

This morning was the opening of the first day of the big Sarasota Orchid Society Orchid Show and Sale.  I, of course, was the first paying customer in the door!  That made it easier to shoot photos of the gorgeous orchids in the show and also get to the sale tables before they got massacred.  Here are some photos from the show.  Enjoy!

Entoloma Hochstetteri

If you recall my post from last May when I was in New Zealand on business, I managed to sneak away for a short period to photograph a stunning blue mushroom found only in New Zealand.  On my return, I was asked to write a story about my quest to find that mushroom and to send photos along as well, to Fungi Magazine.  Well, the new magazine issue is out and so is my story and a few photos.  I will post it here so you all can read it.  If you are a true mushroom enthusiast as I am, you should subscribe to FUNGI Magazine so you won't miss an issue.  It is well worth the money for the subscription. (click on full screen to read the story)
NewZealandLR

Not your Ordinary Sand Castles!

This year Sarasota celebrated it's first annual Siesta Key Crystal Classic - Master Sand Sculpting Competition.  Twenty three master sand sculptors from around the US were invited to compete at Siesta Key on some of the most amazingly beautiful sand in the world.  Siesta Key is renowned for it's pure white sand and has won competitions for the best sand. At the "Great International White Sand Beach Challenge" held in 1987, it was recognized as having the "whitest and finest sand in the world. "Why you ask?  "Unlike beaches elsewhere that are made up mostly of coral, Siesta Beach's sand is 99% quartz. Even on the hottest days, the sand is so reflective that it feels cool underfoot. It's estimated that the sand on Siesta Beach and Crescent Beach on Siesta Key is millions of years old, and started in the Appalachians and flowed down the rivers and was eventually deposited on the shores of Siesta Key."

So, what better place to have a sand sculpting competition?  Here are some before and then after shots of some of the sculptures which took four days to complete.