Spawn Pricing

Spawn Pricing and Availability

Spawn is available as  bulk sawdust  spawn in bags.  Inoculating the sawdust spawn into hardwood logs will require a drill and a bit, an inoculating tool, and the holes will need to be sealed to prevent the spawn from drying out and killing the mycelium. See a precis of the log inoculation process and see about Shiitake Log Production & Management.

You can only use FRESH LOGS, or freshly cut stumps. Old logs that have been laying in the bush for longer than six months WILL NOT work. They are either too dried out or contaminated with other fungi.

The best success is achieved with fresh winter cut logs – cut as the leaves are falling or later, and before the leaves come – before leaf bud. This will ensure the highest concentrations of vitamins and nutrients in the sap wood for the mycelium. Inoculation should take place in the early spring when the temperature is above 10 C or 55 F. There is no point in inoculating at much lower temperatures because the spawn will not be very active. Moreover fresh mycelium can be adversely affected by very low temperatures/below freezing.  Ideally inoculation should be finished before temperatures rise above 18 C/70 F as higher temperatures can lead to more contamination.

If your logs are cut in late fall or winter, inoculation can take place immediately in the spring.  Logs can be cut until the sap begins to run – best if they are cut  before mid-March.  If however they are cut just before leaf out, it is advisable to leave the logs for several weeks or a month so that secondary, anti-fungal substances produced by the living log can break down; these substances can inhibit the mycelium.  Be careful however not to dry out the logs. Do not leave them fully exposed to the sun, especially for long periods of time/hours in the late afternoon. The ideal moisture content should be close to 40%. If you think the logs are too dry you can soak, or sprinkle them with water for 24 hours several days prior to inoculation.


Please note:

  • SAWDUST SPAWN IS MADE TO ORDER AND MUST BE PREPAID
  • WE PREPARE SPAWN IN MARCH AND DELIVER FROM APRIL TO JUNE – just in time for outdoor hardwood log inoculation season; we do not make spawn year-round
  •  ORDERS SHOULD BE PLACED BY MARCH 15
  • SMALL ORDERS WILL BE TAKEN UNTIL THE END OF APRIL AND WILL DEPEND ON AVAILABILITY
  • LOGS SHOULD BE CUT IN THE WINTER FOR SPRING INOCULATION AND KEPT IN APPROPRIATE SETTING
  • DO RESEARCH DURING WINTER MONTHS AND CUT LOGS IN WINTER READY FOR ‘JUST IN TIME’ SPAWN DELIVERY IN SPRING
  • SEE OUR SPAWN PAGES (links are above) AND OUR REFERENCESLINKS PAGE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SPAWN USE

Each 2.5 kilo bag of spawn will inoculate 20 to 25 logs that are 4 feet long, depending on the diameter of the log.  Larger diameter logs can take more spawn and thinner logs take less.  More spawn can be used around knots  and wounds.

LOOSE SAWDUST SPAWN Price / 2.5 kilo Bag

Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) (wide temperature range strain) 
Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus, variety – Grey Dove)                           
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceous)
SAWDUSTSPAWN1 small bag … 1.75 kg/bag $ 30. Enough to inoculate 10 to 15 logs depending on log diameter and inoculation rate
1 regular bag — 2.5 kg/bag $ 45. Enough to inoculate 20 to 25 logs depending on log diameter and inoculation rate

  • 2-4 regular bags — 2.5 kg/bag                 $40/bag
  • 5-7 regular bags –2.5 kg/bag                   $35/bag
  • 8-15 regular bags –  2.5 kg/bag                $31/bag
  • 16-30  regular bags – 2.5 kg/bag              $27/bag
  • 31-49 regular bags – 2.5 kg/bag               $23/bag
  • 50-99 ———– 2.5 kg. bags                        $20/bag
  • 100 or more regular bags – 2.5 kg/bag  $15/bag