Snow White Shiitake
(Lentinula Edodes)
Native to East Asia. This strain of Mushroom cap displays thick fleshed caps tufted with white lacey ornamentation and grow between 2 and 4 inches (5 and 10 cm). Shiitake provide a distinctive sweet and deep flavor, with an aromatic woody smells and outstanding firm texture.
Patience & Waiting Stage - Spawn Run/Colonization
1. Spawn Run (Colonization) – allow inoculated mushroom grow kit to incubate at room temperature. This will take 2 to 3 weeks. Move onto next stage once grow kit is dense and uniformly covered with white mycelium.
Observation Stage - Primordial/Pinhead Formation
2. Pinning (Initiate Mushroom Formation) – Drop Temperature, increase Relative Humidity. Watch for mycelium to form Pin like growths and small mushrooms. Move onto the next stage once mushrooms are visible.
Action Stage - Fruiting
3. Cut small x or poke 1/8” holes in the side of the bag for mushrooms to grow through. Alternatively with the gusseted plastic bags simply cut off the top of the bag and gentle roll/fold the bag down to the top of the mushroom block.
4. Fruiting (Mushroom Formation) – Adjust Temperature and Relative Humidity. Provide plenty of Fresh Air (Oxygen). First harvest of Mushrooms will occur within 1 week.
Renew/Flushing Stage - Crop Cycle
5. With clean water submerge the wooden block for 3 to 5 hours, weight it down if necessary. This will re-hydrate the wooden substrate material and provide the mycelium with much needed moisture. Conceal in container or bag and allow the mushroom mycelium to start reforming Primordials or Pins.
Refer to Grow Guide for more details.
Health Benefits:
Shiitake Mushrooms contain polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols, and lipids, some of which have immune-boosting, cholesterol-lowering, and anticancer effects
Summary:
Texture/Flavor: Firm, Sweet, Woody, and Aromatic
Difficulty: Easy
Growing Conditions: 10 - 30°C, 85 - 90% humidity Nutrients: Anti-Oxidants, β-glucan/Fiber, Vitamin B, Copper, Potassium.
Common Uses: Oden, Udon, Stir Fries, or Sautéed
