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    Totem Method For Cultivating Oyster Mushroom: Grandidentatum), But Other Tree Species May Be Suitable

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    Urseiu Adrian
    The totem method is an approach for growing oyster or other mushroom species that involves vertically stacking short sections of logs on top of each other with layers of mushroom spawn placed beneath, between, and on top of the stacked logs. This method is reputed to produce mushrooms sooner than other approaches. Logs are cut into approximately 12-inch sections, placed on a bed of spawn inside a plastic bag, more spawn is added between the stacked sections and on top, and the stack is covered with paper bags secured with twine or rubber bands inside an outer plastic bag. Mushrooms typically fruit within a few months.

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    Totem Method For Cultivating Oyster Mushroom: Grandidentatum), But Other Tree Species May Be Suitable

    Uploaded by

    Urseiu Adrian
    17 views3 pages
    The totem method is an approach for growing oyster or other mushroom species that involves vertically stacking short sections of logs on top of each other with layers of mushroom spawn placed beneath, between, and on top of the stacked logs. This method is reputed to produce mushrooms sooner than other approaches. Logs are cut into approximately 12-inch sections, placed on a bed of spawn inside a plastic bag, more spawn is added between the stacked sections and on top, and the stack is covered with paper bags secured with twine or rubber bands inside an outer plastic bag. Mushrooms typically fruit within a few months.

    Original Description:

    Oyster cultivation

    Original Title

    Cornell Totem

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    The totem method is an approach for growing oyster or other mushroom species that involves vertically stacking short sections of logs on top of each other with layers of mushroom spawn placed beneath, between, and on top of the stacked logs. This method is reputed to produce mushrooms sooner than other approaches. Logs are cut into approximately 12-inch sections, placed on a bed of spawn inside a plastic bag, more spawn is added between the stacked sections and on top, and the stack is covered with paper bags secured with twine or rubber bands inside an outer plastic bag. Mushrooms typically fruit within a few months.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    17 views3 pages

    Totem Method For Cultivating Oyster Mushroom: Grandidentatum), But Other Tree Species May Be Suitable

    Uploaded by

    Urseiu Adrian
    The totem method is an approach for growing oyster or other mushroom species that involves vertically stacking short sections of logs on top of each other with layers of mushroom spawn placed beneath, between, and on top of the stacked logs. This method is reputed to produce mushrooms sooner than other approaches. Logs are cut into approximately 12-inch sections, placed on a bed of spawn inside a plastic bag, more spawn is added between the stacked sections and on top, and the stack is covered with paper bags secured with twine or rubber bands inside an outer plastic bag. Mushrooms typically fruit within a few months.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    Totem Method for Cultivating Oyster Mushroom

    Oyster mushrooms are voracious colonizers of a wide range of substrates and are
    therefore fairly easy to grow. Commercial growers most commonly grow oyster
    mushrooms on hay bails or sawdust blocks. Another approach for growing oyster or other
    mushroom species is the totem method. The totem method is reputed to, and in our
    experience does “fruit” (produce mushrooms) sooner than the bolt inoculation method
    commonly used for shiitake mushrooms which involves inoculating 4-6 inch diameter x
    3-4 feet longs.

    As the name implies, the totem method involves vertically stacking short sections of logs
    on top of each other with a layer of mushroom spawn beneath the stack, between each
    section, and on top of the stack. The method described below involves stacking only 2
    sections per totem, but stacking 3 or more sections per totem is be possible if you secure
    the stack so it won’t fall over.

    Materials:

     Fresh cut logs, 9-12 inch diameter x 24 inch long. Larger diameter logs tend to be
    unreasonably heavy, and smaller diameter logs are more prone to falling over. In
    our area Oyster mushrooms perform well on big tooth aspen (Populus
    grandidentatum), but other tree species may be suitable.
     Paper grocery or paper lawn sized bags to cover totems.
     Plastic bags, black or white, sized to completely enclose your totem and close
    over the top.
     Sisal or other inexpensive twine long enough to encircle each totem, or large
    rubber bands.
     Saw dust spawn or rye grain spawn. Saw dust spawn is less likely to attract
    squirrels.
     Plastic cup to dispense spawn uniformly
     A Rake for site preparation.
     Work gloves, etc.
    Proceedure:

    Logging should be done before during winter or early spring, before leaf out, when the
    bark is still tight and the tree is full of sap and nutrients. Try to avoid using logs with
    scars and/or disease. Cuts between log sections (24”) should be smooth and horizontal to
    facilitate stacking. Cut off side branches flush with the stem. If logs are cut while
    dormant they may be stored under shade for several weeks.

    Incubation Site (laying yard) should be well shaded. A dense evergreen coniferous stand
    is best, as winter sun penetrating a deciduous canopy can cause heating and moisture loss.
    The site should be protected from drying winds as well as possible. Chose a site that is
    fairly level, and use a rake or other implements to level it as much as possible so logs will
    not fall over. Choose and prepare your site with care. Once totems are assembled they are
    difficult to move.

    Inoculation should occur in the spring when temperature is between 5C and 20C. Begin
    by cutting the approximately 24 inch long logs into two approximately 12 inch long
    sections. This is best done just before inoculation to minimize drying of the logs. Keep
    track of which is the top and which is the bottom section so they will fit together snugly
    upon reassembly.

    Open up a plastic bag and set it flat on the ground with the open top of the bag facing up.
    Place 8 ounces of loose spawn at the bottom of the bag and place the lower of the two log
    sections on top of the spawn. Next put 8oz of finely divided spawn (no big clumps) on
    top of the lower section, and place the upper section on top of that. Finally, place 8oz of
    spawn on top of the upper section. Place a large paper bag upside down over the top of
    the two log sections, and secure it with the large rubber band or twine. Pull the plastic
    bag up over the totem stack and close it loosely at the top with a small rubber band or
    twine. Do not cut off the air supply by closing to tightly.
    By midsummer, or when whitish fungal mycelium has covered the paper bag, drop the
    outer plastic bag to the ground, rather than removing it entirely, since removing it will
    result in disrupting the bottom layer of spawn. It is a common, though not universal
    practice to disassemble the totem entirely, and continue to incubate the log sections in a
    cool, dry location.

    There are several strains of oyster mushroom available from various suppliers. Consult
    their literature or websites for expected fruiting times which correspond, more or less to
    seasonal temperature fluctuations.

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