Imagine plucking fresh, organic oyster or shiitake mushrooms straight from a weathered tree log in your backyard—or even harvesting them from a forgotten paperback novel on your kitchen counter. Sound like a fantasy? Think again! Mushroom cultivation isn’t just for farmers with acres of land or labs with sterile environments. With log dowel kits and a dash of creativity, you can grow exotic mushrooms almost anywhere, even in the tiniest urban apartment.
No garden? No problem. This guide unlocks the secrets to transforming overlooked spaces—like old logs, fallen branches, or even dog-eared paperbacks—into thriving mushroom farms. Whether you’re a sustainability enthusiast, a DIY hobbyist, or just craving homegrown gourmet flavours, these innovative methods make it shockingly simple to cultivate fungi year-round.
Ready to turn nature’s leftovers into a sustainable, edible masterpiece? Let’s dive into the wild (and weirdly wonderful) world of mushroom growing—where fallen logs become fertile ground and dusty bookshelves double as mini-ecosystems. Spoiler: Your future salads, stir-fries, and soups are about to get a whole lot tastier.
How to grow mushrooms on logs
Logs should be cut during the tree’s dormant season, between leaf fall in autumn and early spring. It is recommended that the dowels be pushed into logs no longer than 6 weeks after they have been cut from the tree. Mushroom kit wooden dowels are impregnated with mycelium. They are ready to ‘plant’ into a hardwood log as soon as you get them:
- Drill holes for each impregnated dowel
- Insert the dowels into the log
- Seal the dowels with a layer of wax
- Position logs in a shady wooded area or wrapped in black polythene and buried underground
Where to put the Logs
The mushroom mycelium may take between 6 and 18 months to colonise a log. So be patient. Once logs are fully colonised, they can be moved to a warm, sheltered, moist area. It is recommended you place them in dappled shade where they can begin to fruit, away from harsh sunlight.
Each species differs and they will only fruit when environmental conditions are right for them. Small, white nodes will appear from the log and these will develop into mushrooms within a week. Maintain humidity and moisture levels during this time and do not move the logs.
Harvesting Mushrooms
To harvest them, grasp the mushrooms at the base of the stem and twist them away from the log. Logs will continue to fruit for up to 4 weeks. When growing mushrooms allow several months of recuperation time for the mycelium to regenerate before producing another crop.
Growing Mushrooms in books
Old, paperback novels make a fun home for your mushroom crop. They won’t crop as well as they would in a log or prepared compost, but they will make for a convenient and interesting addition to your storeroom. You can either drills holes in a thick novel (“War and Peace” might do it), or, you could try buying your mushroom spawn in granular form and sprinkle them in between the pages.
- Sterilise your book by placing it in a bowl and pouring boiling water on it
- Let it cool down until it is cold to touch
- Carefully open the book and sprinkle the mushroom spawn throughout the pages
- Gently compress the book
- Place it in an air-tight food bag
- Incubate the impregnated mushroom book for about 4 weeks (70-75 degrees in a shaded room)
Dowel products to try
Why not try something a little bit different, and grow your own mushrooms? Kits are provided with detailed instructions and require no specialist equipment.
Shiitake dowels
Shitake mushrooms (lentinula edodes) – Have been cultivated and nurtured in Japan for over a thousand years, and are now a sought-after ingredient for many Oriental dishes. A good accompaniment to meats, stir-fries and heavy sauces. Kits also contain wax, wax applicator and instructions.
Oyster Straw dowels
Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) – have a thick, soft texture with a subtle flavour and can be eaten cooked or raw. They are often used in Oriental cooking. An easy-to-use kit.
Gourmet Collection dowels
Dowel kit contains Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), Shitake mushrooms (lentinula edodes) and Lions’ Mane (Hericium erinaceus).
Lion’s Mane dowels
Lions’ Mane (Hericium erinaceus) – Have been used traditionally in China and Japan for hundreds of years, and are renowned for their medicinal benefits. This unusual variety has a taste likened to lobster when cooked with butter but can be eaten boiled, grilled or as an ingredient in many other dishes. Kits also contain wax, a wax applicator and Instructions.
Caution
Some people are allergic to mushrooms or mushroom spores and others may become sensitised by high concentrations of spores.
