Mature Shiitake 75 fruits emerging directly from a dense WBS/oak block. Thick caps and strong clustering visible.
Overview
This grow documents the performance of a Shiitake 75 strain cultivated on a supplemented grain-based block using a simple direct inoculation (no mixing) approach. The results demonstrate a consistent multi-flush cycle with a transition from larger early fruits to dense later flushes.
Block Composition & Method
- 90% Wild Bird Seed (WBS)
- 10% Oak Sawdust Pellets
- Total Weight: 32 oz (907 grams)
- Inoculation: Direct (no bag mixing)
- Inoculation Date: December 20, 2025
High grain content provided strong nutrition while oak supplementation supported shiitake fruiting structure.
Harvest Timeline
First Flush (February 2026)
- Feb 17: 3.3 oz (93.6 g) — 3 mushrooms
- Feb 18: 4.25 oz (120.5 g) — 6 mushrooms
- Feb 20: 1.0 oz (28.3 g) — 3 mushrooms
Total: 8.55 oz (242.4 g) — 12 mushrooms
Second Flush (March 2026)
- Mar 16: 0.6 oz (17 g) — selective thinning
- Mar 18: 6.6 oz (187.1 g) — peak harvest
Total: 7.2 oz (204.1 g) — 7 mushrooms
Third Flush (April 2026)
- Apr 19: 4.9 oz (138.9 g) — 21 mushrooms
Total: 4.9 oz (138.9 g) — 21 mushrooms
Final Totals
- Total Yield: 20.65 oz (585.4 g)
- Total Mushrooms: 40
- Average Size: 0.52 oz (14.6 g)
Growth Pattern Analysis
Trend: Early flushes produce larger mushrooms. Later flushes produce higher counts with smaller caps.
- First Flush: Larger mushrooms, moderate density
- Second Flush: Peak weight and strongest growth
- Third Flush: High-density fruiting, smaller caps
Observations
- No-mix inoculation successfully colonized dense WBS substrate
- Oak supplementation enhanced shiitake fruit structure
- Block remained productive across three flushes
Conclusion
This grow demonstrates that a simple substrate and low-intervention inoculation method can produce reliable shiitake yields. With over 585 grams harvested, the block showed strong resilience and predictable multi-flush performance.