Wood dowels inoculated with turkey tail mycelium (Trametes versicolor) for log cultivation.
Turkey Tail grows wild on dead wood in Canadian forests, and can easily be grown on logs at home. Watch this talk by mushroom expert Paul Stamets on the medicinal values of turkey tail. (This segment is part of a longer TED Talk on medicinal mushrooms.)
Drill holes about 25mm (1″) deep into freshly harvested hardwood log using 8mm (5/16″) drill bit and depth stop. If you are drilling holes many logs, consider our specialized high speed mushroom drill bit and angle grinder adapter to make the task faster and easier.
Tap plug spawn into holes with hammer, then cover with melted wax using a dauber. For detailed instructions on how to inoculate your log, click here.
Store logs in full shade outdoors where they will receive rain. For optimal growth, you may with to rehydrate your log during extended dry periods by submerging overnight in water.
After 6 months to 2 years your log will be ready to start producing mushrooms. Typically heavy rains in the spring and fall will stimulate your log to make mushrooms. Sometimes nature doesn’t provide enough rain. In that case soak in water overnight to give your log a hydration boost, then water frequently to maintain high humidity. Turkey tails are very slow to form, taking weeks even months to reach full size depending on outdoor temperatures. Where possible, keep near a creek or naturally wet area to help maintain higher humidity over time.
100 plugs will plant ~2 logs* (~100g of wax will seal 100 plugs)
500 plugs will plant ~10 logs* (~454g of wax will seal 500 plugs)
*Based on an average log size of 40 inches long by 4 inches in diameter.
For peak viability we recommend using your mushroom products within weeks, and storing in a cool location until use. Refrigeration between 2-4C is ideal for the longest shelf-life. Even when refrigerated, the fungal mycelium continues to grow, and eventually mushrooms burst out one way or another.
After harvesting you should store the mushrooms in a paper bag, which allows them to breathe. Leave them in the main part of the refrigerator to get good airflow, not the produce drawer. They will keep for a couple of days when stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Dehydrated Turkey Tail mushrooms will keep up to two years when stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Turkey Tail mushrooms have a leathery, tough texture, creating a chewy consistency, and have a mild, earthy flavor. Turkey Tail mushrooms earn their name from their similarity in appearance to a turkey’s multicolored tail and have been used for centuries as a medicinal mushroom by traditional herbalists.
Turkey Tail mushrooms are not commonly consumed fresh as their chewy, leathery texture is often regarded as unpalatable. The mushrooms are popularly dehydrated or dried for use in teas and are ground into a powder with other mushrooms as a medicinal supplement. When used as a tea, the mushrooms are simmered in boiling water for an extended period to extract essential nutrients. Once brewed, the tea contains a semi-bitter, earthy flavor and can be balanced with honey or other teas such as reishi or green tea. The extracted concoction can also be used to cook curries, stews, and soups or used to flavor vegetables and rice.
Turkey Tail mushrooms contain vitamins B3 and D, which can help boost the immune system, and provide prebiotics that can help increase digestion. The mushrooms also contain antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenols that are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. In traditional Chinese medicine, Turkey Tail mushrooms are used to boost the immune system and promote overall wellness within the body. Turkey Tail mushrooms have been brewed in teas and medicinal drinks for thousands of years in China and are consumed daily to promote long life, health, and strength. Turkey Tail mushrooms are also believed to help increase energy and fight inflammation in the digestive tract.
