Shiitake mushrooms are some of the tastiest varieties out there - they make a great addition to any meal, whether it's stir-fry, soup, or burgers. Growing shiitake mushrooms is even better because you can have these delicious fungi growing right in your garden at home.
Shiitake mushroom kits are really simple to use and don't require a lot of effort on your part. Just drill some holes into the log, put it outside in a cool, shady place, and spray it with water every now and then.
Besides being extremely flavourful, shiitake mushrooms are rich in vitamin D2, beta-glucans, protein, and zinc.
What's more, is that they're pretty easy to grow yourself- you don't even need a lot of room. You can even do it indoors!
Here are 5 of the best shiitake mushroom growing kits, reviews of what you should look out for when buying a kit, and where to buy them from.
1. 2fungys | 2funguys Shiitake Plug Spawn Starter Kit
This kit from 2funguys comes with 2 spawn plugs, a 12" wide-range log and an 8.8 oz bag of shiitake mushroom planting substrate. It's suitable for growing indoors as well as outdoors on hardwood logs.
It has 100% non-sterile spawn plugs meaning you know the quality of what you're getting.
It comes with instructions on how to assemble the kit, prepare the substrate and inoculate the logs with spawn plugs. It's straightforward and super simple!
However, there were some complaints that it's not ideal for injecting into very large logs- this one is best used for smaller logs so that you get the highest possible quality mushrooms from this kit
Fast spawn run takes around 6-9 months, from inoculation to the first harvest, and you will get about 2 lbs of shiitake mushrooms.
It costs around $32.00 and you can get it.
2. Northspore | Shiitake Mushroom Ready-to-Grow Fruiting Block Kit (4 lbs)
This kit from Northspore has 4 lbs of ready-to-grow shiitake mushroom fruiting blocks that include sawdust spawn and hardwood dowels.
It's the easiest growing method for a 100% success rate and it doesn't require much maintenance
The only thing you need to do is make sure it's kept moist and misted with clean water several times a week.
You can use the same kit more than once for continuous, year-round production of shiitake mushrooms
Their customer service is excellent and they truly care about the satisfaction of their customers
Each block produces up to 3 lbs of shiitake mushroom within 12-18months, and it costs around $28.00- $39.99 + shipping costs available on different online stores, including Amazon.
3. Cascadia Mushrooms | SHIITAKE MUSHROOM GROW KIT(2 lbs)
This kit from Cascadia Mushrooms includes 2 lbs of sawdust and grain spawn and pre-inoculated dowels.
It's suitable for indoor and outdoor cultivation, and for growing on logs or stumps
There's a 100% satisfaction guarantee if you're not happy with the results within 90 days. This validates their confidence in their product!
Each kit can produce up to 8 lbs of mushrooms per year, with the first flush taking around 6 months
It costs $30.00 and you can get it on their website.
4. Gourmet Woodland Mushrooms |Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit
The logs are sourced from oak trees from the British woodlands.
Shiitake Mushroom Log Kit is ideal for beginners and it comes with easy-to-follow instructions.
The Shiitake Mushroom DIY Kit comes with everything you need to get started:
- Contains Plug Spawn: 60 Plugs for a 1-metre log, or 2 x 50 cm logs
- 8 mm drill bit
- 50 grams of soya log wax
- 1 wax application brush
- Instructions
It's a great kit for beginners and it has a 90% success rate when growing indoors in the UK or other temperate climates.
The price is from £12.50 and depends on where, when, and how you decide to purchase it online.
5. Merryhill Mushrooms | Ready Growing Shiitake Mushroom Growing Kit
This kit from Merryhill Mushrooms includes sawdust & grain spawn, pre-inoculated dowels and a paintbrush.
It's a self-contained mushroom growing system that uses an innovative inoculation process known as Plug Spawning
You just drill the logs according to the instructions provided in the manual, then plug in the inoculated dowels.
The logs are ready to grow in as little as 4-5 months!
It costs around £13.95 - £22.95 and you can get it on their website and other online stores.
Conclusion
Shiitake mushrooms have a rich, meaty flavour and they're low in calories and high in nutrients! Eating them can boost your immune system, help you burn fat and they're high in anti-oxidants! Shiitake mushrooms are great for vegan meat lovers, vegetarians, or anyone looking to make a healthy lifestyle change.
People can cultivate shiitake mushrooms indoors or outdoors, the process is simple. Shiitake mushroom growing kits come with detailed instructions and the process is easy to follow for beginners.
Have you tried growing any shiitake mushrooms at home? If so, which growing kit did you use? What were your results? Please feel free to share in the comment section below.
