The maitake mushrooms, also known as hen-of-the-woods, is a very popular gourmet mushroom that people prize for its medicinal properties and many recipe possibilities. You can easily grow maitake mushrooms at home with some mushroom growing experience. Growing maitake mushrooms involves using logs and a few special tools.
In this guide, we will be presenting the easiest way to grow maitake mushrooms at home. We will cover the tools you need, the steps to take, and how to do it properly.
As a note, this guide will involve growing mushrooms outdoors. If you have a lawn or outside deck space, this is a great place to choose.
If you are growing indoors, this guide will still help you learn about the process. If you have no outdoor space, we recommend choosing a different mushroom from our other guides.
Maitake mushrooms are also known as Grifola Frondosa, which is their scientific name.
Why are maitake mushrooms popular?
One of the reasons maitake are so popular is you can cook them in so many delicious ways! One popular way is grilling, which is a fantastic treat for mushroom consumers. Many mushrooms in the mushroom kingdom are healthy but not very edible, maitake are an exception.
Maitake mushrooms have an ability to modulate blood sugar levels in healthy individuals, among other health benefits. Their healthy properties make them a very special mushroom that we recommend you try growing at home.
What conditions do maitake mushrooms grow in?
Maitake, or hen-of-the-woods, grow on the base of oak trees in temperate, moderate-climate forests. The time of year when they grow can vary, but they typically grow in the late summer to fall if all conditions are present.
This means that in order to grow maitake mushrooms at home in any fashion, you must use oak logs. This is the only environment that hen-of-the-woods can grow on. We don’t recommend trying any other growing mediums besides oak logs, because your hard work can go to waste.
Maitake, or hen-of-the-woods, are not a competitive mushroom. This means that if another mushroom or mold is present in the oak log, the maitake mycelium will likely die and not outcompete the other mold. Mold or rot can ruin your efforts, so always be following the steps of this guide carefully.
Read more about maitake growing conditions on Wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grifola_frondosa
Supplies for growing maitake mushrooms
The most important thing you will need in growing maitake mushrooms is a cut of an oak log. This can be a large branch or a piece of a larger stump. This is a non-negotiable part of this grow process.
See the list of supplies for growing hen-of-the-woods mushrooms here:
- Oak Log
- Maitake mushroom spawn plugs (Find these on Amazon) (affiliate link) (picture)
- Drill with 1/4 inch drill bit
- Some cheese wax or regular wax
Indoor growing tip: The above supplies are for growing maitake mushrooms outside, which is the easiest, most hands-off method. If you want to grow maitake mushrooms in an indoor environment with more control, then this guide will differ slightly.
If you want to grow indoors in sterile conditions, you will additionally need autoclavable bags and a large steamer or pressure cooker, as you will be sterilizing the oak log. You will also need a place to store your log(s) indoors such as in a shed or extra room in your home.
Choosing your oak log for growing
Covering the oak log first, you will need to choose the right log. We recommend choosing an oak log about the size of a firewood log, or perhaps a bit bigger. You want enough space for the mushrooms to colonize and grow, but too big to handle.
Secondly, you will absolutely need to get an oak log that has not begun rotting and is not infected. If you choose a very old oak log, it will not work because this wood has already decayed. It’s important to choose a freshly cut oak log that is healthy.
(picture)
If you can find a freshly-cut oak log about the size of a firewood log, you are in great shape and can begin the process!
Steps for growing maitake mushrooms outside
Now that you have all of your required supplies, you can get started on the mushroom growing process!
Note: You will want to complete the following steps outside.
We recommend starting this process early in the year, such as spring or summertime, so that your maitake mushrooms are ready to grow when fall comes around. This works best if you live in a temperate climate such as the Northeast or Pacific Northwest USA.
Inoculating your log with maitake spawn plugs
Take your fresh oak log and drill and begin by drilling a 1/4 inch wide holes throughout the log about 4-6 inches apart, without compromising the integrity of the log. Make the holes only about 1 inch deep, or as long as your plug spawns are. These holes will be where you put the plug spawns into.
If your log is quite large, you can do this all over the log safely. If your log is a bit smaller, then you don’t need to drill too many holes.
Now, take your spawn plugs and drive them into the holes you just drilled. You may need to apply some pressure, as sometimes spawn plugs are slightly bigger than 1/4 inch. You may need to use a hammer to force the plug spawns into the hole.
In this image, you can see the different plug spawns that have been put inside of the log. This is what a properly inoculated log looks like – separate plugs about 4-6 inches apart.
Sealing the plug spawn holes with wax
Once you have all of the holes filled, it’s now time to cover the plug spawn holes securely with wax. This step is important, as it will protect the plug spawn as it begins to colonize the inside of the log.
Heat up some wax and then gently paint it over each of the holes containing the plugs. Use enough so that when the wax hardens, it completely seals the hole from any outside air. This an important step to complete, as it keeps contamination out of the log.
Colonization of maitake mushroom growing logs
Now, your log is all set to go! The next step is to put the log outside where the mushroom mycelium can start to take over the log and colonize it.
We recommend putting the log outside on a raised surface off the ground – this keeps the log from direct contact with mold that may be present in the ground. You can place the log on top of some wood planks, or something similar.
Optionally, you can also try digging a hole and placing the log inside mostly inside the ground to let it colonize there. This may increase your possibility for contamination, but the water content in the ground will keep the log moist. This is up to your choice.
You will want the log to remain relatively moist – at least not completely dry. If it dries out completely for a long period, you risk the mycelium dying off and your work will be for nothing.
You will need to regularly hose or sprinkle it down fully with water to hydrate it. This is only a requirement if your area sees very little rain.
If you are growing this log in a place such as a shed or other semi-outdoor structure, then you definitely will want to keep it hydrated with your hose or water sprinkler regularly.
Fruiting maitake mushrooms
Assuming everything went well, you can expect your maitake mushrooms to fruit from the log at some point after a couple to a few months. This can vary widely on a few different factors.
If you set up your log and did this process in a cooler area or cooler time of year such as 50F or 60F, the mushrooms will take longer to colonize and then fruit from the log.
See the above image for a successful fruiting of maitake mushrooms. This log was buried in the ground for the fruiting process, and now it’s successfully fruiting.
If you did your timing well and started this process in the spring or early summer, then you can expect fruiting maitake by the time fall comes.
The same log can produce multiple flushes of maitake if it’s successful. It can even produce more maitake the following year through the winter! So don’t discard your log once you get one flush of mushrooms, there may be more to come.
Conclusion
Now that you have read this guide, you should be equipped to grow maitake mushrooms outdoors. As an additional tip, we recommend doing this process with as many as 5-10 logs at a time, especially if you have experience. This is because mold or rot can compromise logs, so you will want backups.
Growing mushrooms outside is a great use of your outdoor space and eating the mushrooms you have grown is also a great experience. We recommend checking out our other guides such as this guide on portabello mushrooms.
Good luck and happy growing! Back to mushroomgrowing.org