The highly revered Shiitake mushroom is just as delicious as it is medicinal. It’s a gourmet mushroom consumed worldwide with a notable use in Japanese and Chinese cuisine. It is most valued for its defining umami flavor and tender texture but it is also a powerful medicine. Shiitake is one of the mushrooms with the richest history of cultivation and now you can grow it too!
Nutritional and Medicinal
Shiitake is not only rich in protein but it is packed full of B and D vitamins. It has bioactive polysaccharides that have been well-studied to promote immune function and health. It is also rich in minerals, antioxidants, and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. How’s that for a source of protein?
Grow Shiitake at Home
With our Mushroom Kits, you can easily grow Shiitake at home effortlessly. With minimal care this premade mushroom kit will produce several flushes of mushrooms that are a joy to watch grow and consume! It’s easy because we have done all of the technical work beforehand, all you need to do is watch and enjoy!
limited run!
when to harvest?
The ideal time to harvest is when the mushroom cap has the typical umbrella shape. The margin of the cap should still be enrolled towards the stem. As it matures the cap will flatten out and may even become more cup-shaped, at this point it is past its prime but still delicious!
OUR SHIITAKE KIT IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME
shiitake mushroom grow kit
IF YOU DON'T PLAN TO USE IT IMMEDIATELY, YOU CAN REFRIGERATE YOUR BLOCK FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS.
1. You know your Shiitake kit is ready for fruiting when it has gone from white to completely brown. This brown coloration is caused by fungal metabolites which create a sort of protective skin on the outside of the block.
2. Shiitake requires cold temperatures for fruiting. The easiest way to trigger this is by placing your whole kit inside the refrigerator overnight.
3. Now you need to submerge it in cold water for 4 or 5 hours. To do this, cut a hole in the top of the bag and fill the bag with water. Don’t go past the white filter patch or water will leak out.
4. Now place your Shiitake Kit on a plate and place it in a humid part of your home away from direct sunlight. Ideal temperatures range from 10-21 °C. A bit of indirect sunlight is good and preferable over complete darkness. A moist basement or near a sink can be ideal places to fruit them. Keep a little spray bottle with water nearby and give it a thorough spraying at least once a day.
5. If you have low levels of humidity consider using a fruiting chamber. You can make a makeshift grow tent by placing a loose plastic bag full of small holes over your grow kit. It should be loose enough for the mushrooms to have room to grow and enough holes to ensure the block can breathe.
6. Within the week you should see little pins forming. These are the primordia and will turn into the mushrooms we are after!
7. Shiitake will be ready to harvest 4-10 days after the pins form. This depends on temperatures and growth conditions. Shiitake is typically harvested while the mushroom is still "umbrella shaped". Ideally the margin of the cap should still be enrolled towards the gills. While this is the best stage for culinary minded folks, those who are purely curious can let them grow past this point! While they're quality diminishes, it's impressive to see how humongous they get!
8. You can often get a second or even a third flush of Shiitake if you play your cards right. Do this by letting the block lightly dry out for a week and then submerging it again in cold water. Flushes typically get progressively smaller.
2. Shiitake requires cold temperatures for fruiting. The easiest way to trigger this is by placing your whole kit inside the refrigerator overnight.
3. Now you need to submerge it in cold water for 4 or 5 hours. To do this, cut a hole in the top of the bag and fill the bag with water. Don’t go past the white filter patch or water will leak out.
4. Now place your Shiitake Kit on a plate and place it in a humid part of your home away from direct sunlight. Ideal temperatures range from 10-21 °C. A bit of indirect sunlight is good and preferable over complete darkness. A moist basement or near a sink can be ideal places to fruit them. Keep a little spray bottle with water nearby and give it a thorough spraying at least once a day.
5. If you have low levels of humidity consider using a fruiting chamber. You can make a makeshift grow tent by placing a loose plastic bag full of small holes over your grow kit. It should be loose enough for the mushrooms to have room to grow and enough holes to ensure the block can breathe.
6. Within the week you should see little pins forming. These are the primordia and will turn into the mushrooms we are after!
7. Shiitake will be ready to harvest 4-10 days after the pins form. This depends on temperatures and growth conditions. Shiitake is typically harvested while the mushroom is still "umbrella shaped". Ideally the margin of the cap should still be enrolled towards the gills. While this is the best stage for culinary minded folks, those who are purely curious can let them grow past this point! While they're quality diminishes, it's impressive to see how humongous they get!
8. You can often get a second or even a third flush of Shiitake if you play your cards right. Do this by letting the block lightly dry out for a week and then submerging it again in cold water. Flushes typically get progressively smaller.
Liquid error (templates/product.gem-1668986296-template line 32): Could not find asset snippets/judgeme_widgets.liquid