[Cavolo Nero]

Ok, the onion seeds are sprouting nicely, but Im eager to start something else. So I got some oyster mushroom dowels from suttons. Ive obtained a log, tentatively identified as beech from the River Cottage HQ (name drop!) at the weekend, and a friend at work has given me a log from a holly tree he cut down last year. I was going to drill the dowels in tomorrow but the weather's turning cold again and the instructions said to wait until the temperature was consistently over 40 F during the day - fat chance of that! Is anyone else itching for the return of spring?

[penance]

Its the seasons, we need them
i like em all, enjoy the chill time of winter, just a little digging and no constant attention needed.

[Cavolo Nero]

I know, and to be honest ive been glad of the time as Im new to this and ive been able to clear the plot. I should also be able to get plenty of compost and manure into the soil before spring. I think its just that february is so dull and I want the sun to come back and to see things growing!

[Trikidiki]

I read somewhere that the logs should be 'dowelled' within six weeks of cutting. I think after that time they are likely to be 'contaminated' with other fungal spores which may out-compete with the spores you are introducing.

[Cavolo Nero]

Stuff it then - theyre going in, I can always try again next year !

[saggy]

I read somewhere that the logs should be 'dowelled' within six weeks of cutting. I think after that time they are likely to be 'contaminated' with other fungal spores which may out-compete with the spores you are introducing.

I got some dowls in the fridge waiting for some logs , the instructions on mine say that the dowls need to be put into fresh cut tree trunks/logs not ferns and that to them wrap them up in black bags for several months and then put them out once they have gone all....moldy. or something like that...

[Cavolo Nero]

Sounds like the ones ive got. Ive always understood that the oyster mushroom mycelium is quite aggressive and actually kills off other fungi. Im going to drill mine when ive got half an hour, whack the dowels in then wrap the logs in bin bags and stick them in the shed. Ill then put them next to the fence behind the shed and see what happens.

If I waited for the perfect log, temperature, moment etc id never get anything done!

[strangerachael]

I'm doing them in a bag of straw - it's been quite straightforward. You can see a picture of progress so far on my blog
<--
however I'm not sure I even like oyster mushrooms - can't remember if I've ever tried them (got the kit for Christmas)

[Cavolo Nero]

It took some time as my drill has gone missing! Got a cheap one, whacked
in the rowels and took them down the plot. I'll report back in 6 months!

[Aunt Sally]

Well CN... Oyster mushrooms is a bizarre place to start growing something 

What ever happened to tomatoes, salads, potatoes peas and beans 

[Cavolo Nero]

Yep i'm growing them too - this is just something I can get started now, Although my onions ate going in this weekend if the weather holds from thursday!  :happy: