Why Fall is the Best Time to Inoculate in the Pacific Northwest for Mushroom Growing
Cloudy Oregon day just after the rain.
My name is Bashira, and i’m the founder of Zoom Out Mycology. I learned about mushroom farming in the midwest- east of the rocky mountains, at a farm called Cherry Tree House Mushrooms. I participated in the WWOOF program at this farm and learned a lot of fundamentals including when to inoculate, how to harvest/sell/store, and how to cook and eat mushrooms.
After that month, I went back home to New Jersey and tried my hand at outdoor mushroom cultivation. Turns out you can’t truly manage a farm on your own if your lifestyle involves frequent and lengthy air travel trips. I was frequently between Oregon and New Jersey. So, I planted myself in the Pacific Northwest. Southern Oregon to be specific. I have learned a great deal by farming across various ecoregions in the United States. The biggest lesson is that not all mushroom growing tips and tricks were created equal. Some threats to mushroom cultivation success are more severe in certain regions.
Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a pronounced wet and dry season with a relatively mild climate in terms of temperatures, depending on elevation. Some farms are concerned with the length of winter, here in the Pacific Northwest we are more limited by the length of summer. Where our farm is, in Central Point, Oregon it rarely freezes, hardly snows, and we get about 18 inches of rain per year. Most of that rain falls upon us in the winter.
October/November(whenever the rains return) in my experience, has been the prime time to inoculate and begin mycology projects in Southern Oregon. However, it definitely depends on what type of cultivation is taking place. Indoor growing-- from using a fruiting block in your kitchen, to having tens to hundreds of fruiting blocks in a greenhouse or fruiting chamber can pretty much be done throughout the year.
Zoom Out Mycology doesn't use typically use technology based climate controls to help our mushrooms develop. We do however, use a basic humidifier and work with the environment to grow what’s in season. In the summer we carry pink oyster, almond agaricus, and reishi mushroom spawn, as it cools down we transition to lions mane, shiitake, and blue/grey oyster mushroom spawn again. As such, October-December is a great time to get the cool weather species inoculated. Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, and Oysters are delicious and super easy to grow mushrooms. Check out our online store to get started.
Fully Colonized Mushroom Logs at Zoom Out Mycology
You could grow each of these varieties on hardwood logs or totems. You could also fruit the sawdust blocks right in your kitchen by setting them on a plate and covering them with a large plastic bag if outdoor space is limited. If you want to scale up your indoor fruiting capabilities a bit you could convert this mini greenhouse into a fruiting chamber by pumping in humidity and making a way for fresh air to circulate. If you choose to inoculate logs be sure to wait until the tree’s leaves have fallen off before harvesting timber to maximize the concentration of sugars in the wood. This will feed the fungus. After inoculation it should take 3-12 months to have harvests depending on the size of your logs, the microclimate you put your logs in and how often you water. You want your wood to remain moist but not damp. Aim for 60% moisture content. This could be measured by recognizing the colors and weight associated with 60% moisture.
If you have any questions about mushroom cultivation I would love to answer them in the next blog post. Use the ask a question feature to email us your inquiry.
Sources:
Climate Diagram - https://www.fws.gov/pacific/climatechange/changepnw.html
