How to 'Force Fruit' a Mushroom Log

So you’ve followed your new mushroom log’s care instructions to the letter, giving it an inch of water per week, elevating it 6+ inches from the ground to avoid rot, and keeping it shaded so that the wood tissue won’t dry out. Perhaps you’ve enjoyed a flush or two of mushrooms from your new mushroom log, but consequent 'flushes', or yields of mushrooms have been slow coming.

Or maybe you’re a little frustrated because you’re still searching the bark everyday in vain for signs of that very first flush.

Whatever the case, take heart, because there is an easy and effective technique to ‘force fruit’, or trigger new mushroom growth from your log.

The mushroom mycelia cells in your log are constantly growing, replacing the wood cells with their own cells. The mycelia cells need air, water, and light to grow. Every couple months or so, you can trigger fruiting by submerging the log for 24 hours in ice water. This mimics conditions in the spring or fall rainy season, when mushrooms will naturally produce new growth.

To force fruit your log, simply place it in a tub large enough so that the log(s) can be completely submerged when it's filled with water, weight the log down with bricks, cinder blocks, rocks, etc. ( the log will float on the surface otherwise ), fill the tub with cold water and add ice. Let the log sit submerged like this for 24 hours.

When fruiting begins,  the log will "pin,” meaning little white buds will break through the bark. The pins fill out, or fruit, into beautiful brown mushrooms. At first you may only have a few mushrooms, but as the mycelia fill the log, and the log is fruited regularly, production will increase. In the second or third year, your log can be covered with mushrooms.

After the log fruits, and you’ve cut the mushrooms, resume the regular care regimen of water and shade, allowing the log to ‘rest’ for two months while the mycelia cells recover, grow, then prepare to fruit again. You can fruit the log earlier, but force fruiting too soon or too often weakens the log. Resting longer may produce larger crops.

Keep your log strong and healthy by soaking it every 2 weeks. Using only unchlorinated water if possible… filtered or bottled water, well water, or rain water.

If you take good care of your log, you can enjoy growing and eating fresh mushrooms for three or four years, until all the wood cells have been replaced. The light, temperature, and moisture level will affect how quickly the log will fruit and how many mushrooms you'll yield in each flush.

"The Shack"

 

“In a modern world of hastily made products that break or fall apart easily,  it’s refreshing to have a company like Microfarm that crafts quality, long lasting garden structures", explains Nathalie . "My husband Carlos and I are excited about our latest Microfarm piece, a greenhouse/garden shed combination we affectionately call ‘the shack’  ”.

It’s true that we go to great lengths to give customers the highest quality craftsmanship, whenver possible made with local materials. It’s also true that ultimately it’s the customer who retains any naming rights of our completed projects. While “the Shack” may not have been my first choice for the 10’x12’ greenhouse/garden shed combo, it does have a memorable ring to it, and it’s kinda starting to grow on me.

The Shack came together as a dual purpose building to give Nathalie – the family gardener – a place to start seedlings indoors, as well as a work space for other garden tasks. Carlos needed to create some space in the garage for a new sports car, so the 120 square foot ‘Shack’ gobbled up a wheelbarrow, hand powered lawn mower, and an arsenal of garden tools and other garage stuff.

Because the area where ‘The Shack’ sits is on a slope, we placed the floor on a series of concrete piers using 4”x4” posts to adjust the height and create a level floor.

The building is wrapped in ½” T1-11 siding stained with Timber Pro UV Cedar colored transparent stain, which is non-toxic. The bank of windows facing east captures gentle morning light, and four vents placed throughout the structure create good air exchange.

Because of the height of the floor, we built a sturdy ramp to help get the wheel barrow and mower in and out of ‘The Shack’, and to maximize space and efficiency in ‘The Shack’, we created a set of custom made shelves and work benches. Now Nathalie is ready to get the jump on the spring gardening season, and Carlos can finally put some horsepower in the garage!

CLICK HERE to see more photos of 'The Shack'

CLICK HERE to see a video of 'The Shack'

How to Plant a Fruit Tree (Because Now Is the Best Time to Plant One!)

What could possibly be better than the chin-dripping, syrupy sweet organic peaches from your local farmers market?

Why, the ones growing in your own backyard of course.

While some fruit tree types prefer cooler climates, and some like it hot, there are lots of varieties of peach, nectarine, apple, apricot, cherry, pear and plum trees that are well suited to grow here  in Charlotte, which is in USDA cold hardiness zone 8a.

Already dreaming of plucking supple plums or cherries from the laden limbs drooping over your patio? November through March is the best time to plant fruit trees, so let’s get to it!

HOW TO PLANT A FRUIT TREE

As in real estate, location is important. Once you’ve selected an ideal place, well suited to the light requirements of the fruit tree variety you’ve chosen, and properly prepared the soil before planting, the tree won’t need much help after that to get established and grow to bear fruit.

But it is crucial to take the time in the beginning to get the tree off to a strong start.

Like most plants, fruit trees require fertile soil for good growth, and a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Hand held digital pH meters are an inexpensive, fast and accurate way to find out what you’re working with. You can also examine the established trees and plants around the site. If they look healthy, then you’re off to a good start. Avoid areas with heavy clay soils or soils with poor drainage.

-Trees are commonly sold and shipped bare root, which means that the roots are exposed. Soak the roots for an hour or two in a tub of water while you dig the hole, but never for more than six hours, and NEVER expose the roots to below freezing temperatures.

-Dig a hole about 2’ wide and about 2’ deep, saving the topsoil in a pile nearby.

-Mix garden compost, dehydrated cow manure, coco fiber, or peat moss into the pile of topsoil, adding about 1/3 the size of the original pile.

-Fill the hole, putting the topsoil back in first. You can avoid creating air pockets by working the soil carefully around the roots and tamping down firmly.

-Create a rim of soil around the edge of the hole about 2” from ground level. This will help collect water and allow it to soak into the soil.

-Water your tree with deep thorough soakings. Once the tree is established, you can add soil to fill the hole back up to ground level.

Ready to take on the ‘harvesting the fruit’ part yourself, but would rather leave the ‘planting the tree’ part up to the pros? We can help.  At Microfarm, we don’t sell the actual trees, we simply offer professional tree installation and maintenance. We highly recommend buying fruit trees, nut trees, and berry bushes from Stark Bros. Once you’ve selected the fruit, nut, or berry varieties you’d like to grow, we can happily plant, maintain, and prune them for you. Write hello@microfarmgardens.com or call 704.568.8841 with any questions, or to schedule your tree installation.

Mr. McGregor Finally Outsmarts Peter Rabbit

The term ‘electric fence’ can conjure up images of watchtowers, searchlights,  and concertina wire, but low voltage electric fencing has been used for a long time in agricultural applications, even as an effective tool for the backyard gardener to control common garden raiders like pets, squirrels, rabbits raccoons, and deer.

In a final chapter that Beatrix Potter never saw coming, Mr. McGregor finally used his opposable thumbs and superior intellect to create an affordable, easy to use solution to protect his prized vegetable garden:

Mr. McGregor’s Fence.

Mr. McGregor’s Fence is a 100% effective child safe, pet safe and wildlife safe solution to the frustrating problem of hungry wildlife that help themselves to your garden. The system features a simple design that combines an 18” high barrier fence, with an electric fence placed just inches outside it that zaps any critter that tries to climb over or dig under with a mild tingle. Mr. McGregor’s Garden Store sells electric fence kits, or the parts to make your own custom electric fence, and you can choose from AC, DC (Battery), or Solar powered fence energizer models.

Need to protect berries and fruit trees, or pond fish from marauding birds? Mr. McGregor’s Garden store also has garden and pond nets, as well as proven audio/video scare deterrents for birds including Big Eye Balloons and Tangle Foot Holographic Ribbon.  

If larger animals are the problem, they’ve got electric fence solutions for bears, horses and dogs, as well as fencing products and ultrasonic, taste, and smell deterrents for deer.

And when you need to call in the heavy artillery, there’s the Scarecrow ; a motion activated water cannon that sends a sharp, unexpected burst of water that sends animals scrambling for cover.

Microfarm can happily install a Mr.McGregor's Fence or any of the other deterrents available at Mr. McGregor's Garden Store. Write hello@microfarmgardens.com, or call 704.568.8841 to schedule your installation.

Microfarm Gift Certificates : Much Easier to Wrap Than a Greenhouse

Want to grow your own organic produce, but not sure which side is the business end of a spading fork? Longing for your own backyard chickens, but the only time you ever see your backyard in a few precious hours on Sunday? Maybe you want your kids to learn that carrots don't come prepackaged in bite sized little nubs, they actually grow in the ground. Or perhaps in the fast paced holiday excitement, someone on your list still isn't checked off. For all these reasons and more we offer gift certificates in any amount. Write hello@microfarmgardens.com to purchase one, and give a memorable gift that will never wind up buried in the closet.