FAQ > Mushrooms > How long will my logs continue to produce Shiitake mushrooms?
Fruiting occurs outdoors seasonally during natural weather fluctuations. Forced fruiting (indoors or outdoors) requires timely human interventions to fruit on a predetermined schedule. A common method requires soaking each log in cold water for 24 hours to initiate fruiting. Groups of logs within a population can be soaked in 6-8 week intervals to yield weekly fruiting. A 36” long log will typically yield 2-4 lbs. of mushrooms total over several seasons. Each “flush” of mushrooms will average 1/4 to 1/3 lbs. and under optimal conditions, each log is capable of producing fruit about a dozen times over about a four year period before becoming spent. Some logs have been reported to continue to bear fruit for up to ten years.
Last updated on January 9, 2012 by Matthew Kokenes