Pluggrown

Pluggrown is a term used in edible mushroom cultivation to describe mushrooms produced on wood using plug spawn inoculated into drilled holes in logs or stumps. The method employs sterilized dowel plugs, often made from the same species’ mycelium, that are tapped into the holes and sealed with wax to protect the inoculation. Over time, the mycelium colonizes the log and, under suitable conditions, fruiting bodies emerge from the plugs.

To prepare, select clean hardwood logs such as oak, beech, or maple that are freshly cut and free of disease. Logs are cut into manageable lengths and holes are drilled at regular intervals. Plugs are inserted, then sealed with cheese wax or paraffin. The logs are then rested in a shaded, humid environment. After colonization, fruiting is triggered by exposure to fresh air and adequate humidity; first flush can take months to a year depending on species and climate.

Common pluggrown species include shiitake (Lentinula edodes), oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.), maitake (Grifola frondosa), and lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus). Shiitake is the most widely cultivated on logs, especially hardwoods; oysters are faster and more forgiving. Choice of wood and plug strain influence results.

Advantages: low startup cost, uses waste wood, produces yield over an extended period, suitable for home cultivation. Limitations: slow to establish, weather and pests can affect outdoor setups, log storage requires space, yields are intermittent rather than continuous; success depends on maintaining proper humidity and temperature; contaminated plugs can ruin a log.

Related topics include mushroom cultivation, plug spawn, and log cultivation.