Organic Shiitake - Cold-Strain - Lentinula edodes - Pure Culture

Organic Shiitake - Cold-Strain - Lentinula edodes - Pure Culture

Synonyms: Lentinus edodes, Agaricus edodes, Shii-Take, Shaingugu, Hua Gu, Qua Gu, Chinese black mushroom, Black Forest mushroom  

This cultivation strain is a cold weather-Shiitake. with a comparatively low fruiting temperature. The cold strain already forms fruiting bodies between 5 - 15 °C (ideally 8 - 10 °C). Of course, it should be borne in mind that growth is slower at low temperatures and the harvest yield is somewhat lower than with other shiitake cultivation strains. The Shiitake Cold-Strain is very popular for outdoor cultivation in order to extend the harvest season by a few weeks. The shiitake cold-strain has also proved its worth when grown at higher altitudes.
The Japanese name ‘shiitake’ is made up of ‘take’ (= mushroom) and ‘shii’ (= pasania tree) and literally means ‘mushroom that grows on the tree’. Shiitake is native to Japan, Korea and China and its properties have been known to the population for around 2,000 years.
Its odour is strongly reminiscent of garlic and is due to an ingredient called lenthionine.
The shiitake is considered the most popular edible mushroom after the button mushroom.

This fresh product is prepared fresh for you to order. The production time is around 3 - 6 weeks.
The mushroom spawn should be processed immediately after delivery.
If the product cannot be used immediately, it can be stored in the refrigerator at 4 °C for up to 2 weeks.
We recommend that you plan for this when ordering and making your preparations.

Suitable cultivation methods:
wood logs, mushroom patch, spawn bags for indoor greenhouse   

Suitable substrates: hardwood
Suitable woods: beech, oak, alder, chestnut, Shiia / Pasania.
Outdoors: this strain produces fruiting bodes in spring and autumn.

You receive living, actively growing, axenic cell culture, entirely free of other strains or contaminating organisms, for further propagation. Our pure cultures are custom-made and produced freshly after ordering -  in a class 100 clean room environment on a solid nutrient medium (MEA) based on plant-derived raw materials. The pure culture needs around 2-3 weeks until its mature enough for shipping. The culture is supplied in special cell culture flasks (Filling volume: 15 ml culture medium, Growth area: 25 cm², Measurements: L x W x H = 79,7 x 42,6 x 26,53 mm) with breathable, hydrophobic membrane. This special design prevents introduction of contaminants and facilitates optimum gas exchange thanks to the high air flow rate of the membrane. With this packaging, the mushroom culture can withstand longer shipping distances and time without compromising quality or germination ability.

This product is intended for professional production of grain spawn and to further propagate this strain of fungi. Working with pure cell cultures requires detailed mushroom cultivation skills. For beginners and hobby growers wer recommend starting with grain spawn or sawdust spawn. 

We highly recommend reading this book - gain further detailed knowledge for successful mushroom cultivationr: 
- Growing Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms, Dr. Paul Stamets, ISBN: 978-1580081757 (Englisch) 


Taxonomy:
Division: Agaricomycetes 
Class: Agaricomycetidae 
Order: Agaricales 
Family: Marasmiaceae 
Genus: Lentinula 
Species: Lentinula edodes
Spores: white, ovale to ellipsoid shape, up to 5 - 6,5 x 3 - 3,5 µ 

Growing conditions: 
Phase 1: Mycelial growth 
Temperature: 21 - 27 °C 
Humidity: 95 - 100 % 
Duration: 35 - 70 days 
CO2: > 10.000 ppm 
Fresh air exchange: 0 - 1 per hour 
Light: 50 - 100 Lux 

Phase 2: Primordia Bildung / Fruiting initiation 
Temperature: 5 - 15 °C (ideally 8 - 10 °C) 
Humidity: 95 - 100 % 
Duration: 5 - 7 days 
CO2: < 1.000 ppm
Fresh air exchange: 4 - 7 per hour
Light: 500 - 2.000 Lux

Phase 3: Fruiting and harvest
Temperature: 5 -15 °C (ideally 8 - 10 °C)
Humidity: 60 - 80 %
Duration: 7 days
CO2: < 1.000 ppm 
Fresh air exchange: 4 - 8 per hour 
Light: 500 - 2.000 Lux


Harvesting crops: 2 - 3 crops, 2 - 3 weeks apart