Posted in: Gardening - Mushrooms
Date: November 30, 2009
There's a lot of different things you can do with a dead tree stump. Instead of removing it, why not put it to good use? Here's a basic overview of how to grow blue oyster mushrooms. I would also suggest doing some reading at the Shroomery or Mycotopia before beginning your mushroom grow.
You may also want to read: Can Blue Oyster Mushrooms Grow Where I Live?
What you will need:
Drill holes in your tree stump. The more the better. The size of the drill bit depends on the size of your plug spawn. What is plug spawn? Basically, it is wooden dowls that have been innoculated with mushroom fungus. These dowls will be inserted into the holes you drill, so you want the dowls to be a little smaller than the holes.
Buy the oyster mushroom plug spawn. I bought mine at Spore Works. Take note of the size of the dowels. If it doesn't say, you might want to ask. Once you've got the plug spawn, you can start filling the holes in your tree stump.
Melt the paraffin wax in a hot water bath. I put the wax inside an empty pickle jar and set it into boiling water. Once the wax is melted, cover the spawn-filled holes with the wax. This protects the spawn from contamination.
Wait. If you've innoculated the stump at the beginning of winter, it's likely you'll be eating blue oysters next spring.
Resources: Blue Oyster Stump Inoculation Pictoral (very informative)