How To Grow Shiitake Mushrooms Using Hardwood Grow Bags

Written By Garfield Bullock

Shiitake mushrooms are one of the best gourmet mushrooms to grow at home. They have a rich, savoury flavour, a firm texture, and are perfect for stir-fries, soups, broths, ramen, sauces and drying for long-term storage.

Unlike oyster mushrooms, which are fast and forgiving, shiitake mushrooms take more patience. They need time to fully colonise, mature, brown and build strength before fruiting. The reward is a dense, meaty mushroom with excellent flavour and multiple possible flushes.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to grow shiitake mushrooms using Artisan Mushrooms hardwood mushroom grow bags and Artisan Mushrooms shiitake liquid culture.

What Are Shiitake Mushrooms?

Shiitake mushrooms, also known by their scientific name Lentinula edodes, are a wood-loving gourmet mushroom traditionally grown on hardwood logs. Today, many growers use sterilised hardwood blocks because they are cleaner, easier to manage, and much more suitable for indoor growing.

Shiitake naturally grows on hardwood, which is why a ready-to-use sterile hardwood mushroom grow bag is one of the easiest ways to grow them at home.

What You Need To Grow Shiitake Mushrooms

To grow shiitake mushrooms at home, you will need:

Using a ready-made hardwood mushroom grow bag removes the need to mix, hydrate and sterilise your own substrate. This makes the process much easier, especially if you are still new to mushroom growing.

Step 1: Prepare Your Work Area

Before inoculating your grow bag, clean your work surface well and wash your hands thoroughly. Wear clean gloves if possible.

Wipe the injection port on your hardwood mushroom grow bag with an alcohol wipe.

Good hygiene at this stage helps reduce the risk of contamination.

Step 2: Inoculate The Hardwood Grow Bag

Attach a sterile needle to your shiitake liquid culture syringe.

Insert the needle through the self-healing injection port on the hardwood mushroom grow bag and inject the culture into the substrate. Try to spread the liquid culture into a few different areas if possible, rather than putting it all in one spot.

After injecting, remove the needle and leave the bag sealed. Do not open the bag during colonisation.

Step 3: Incubate The Shiitake Grow Bag

Place the inoculated bag somewhere clean, warm and out of direct sunlight.

A good incubation temperature for shiitake is usually around 18°C to 24°C. Avoid large temperature swings, as shiitake can be sensitive compared with faster-growing species like oyster mushrooms.

During this stage, the shiitake mycelium will slowly spread through the hardwood substrate. The bag will gradually turn white as the mycelium colonises the block.

Shiitake is not the fastest mushroom to grow, so patience is important. It can take several weeks for the block to fully colonise.

Step 4: Wait For The Popcorning And Browning Stage

This is the part that makes shiitake different from many other mushrooms.

Once the block is colonised, it will often start to form raised white bumps on the surface. This is commonly called the “popcorning” stage.

After this, the outside of the block should begin to turn brown. This browning stage is completely normal and is an important part of shiitake development. The block is forming a protective outer layer, which helps it fruit properly later.

Do not rush this stage.

For best results, allow the shiitake block to mature until it has browned well before trying to fruit it. A block that is fruited too early may produce poorly or not at all.

Step 5: Move The Block Into Fruiting Conditions

Once the block has fully colonised, popcorned and browned, it can be moved into fruiting conditions.

Carefully remove the block from the bag. Place it in a clean fruiting chamber, humidity tent, monotub or suitable growing area.

Shiitake likes:

  • High humidity

  • Fresh air exchange

  • Indirect light

  • Cooler fruiting conditions than incubation

  • A clean environment with good airflow

A fruiting temperature around 12°C to 20°C is suitable for many shiitake strains. Humidity should usually be kept high, around 85% to 95%, especially while pins are forming.

Do not keep the block soaking wet. Shiitake likes humidity, but the surface should not be constantly dripping or slimy.

Step 6: Encourage Pinning

After being introduced to fruiting conditions, the shiitake block should begin to form small pins. These pins will develop into mushrooms over the following days.

To encourage good pinning:

  • Keep humidity high

  • Provide fresh air several times per day

  • Avoid direct sunlight

  • Keep temperatures stable

  • Mist lightly if the surface begins to dry

  • Avoid spraying pins too heavily

If the block dries out too much, pins may abort. If it stays too wet, bacteria or mould can become a problem.

Step 7: Harvesting Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms are best harvested when the caps have opened but are still slightly curled under at the edges.

To harvest, twist and pull the mushrooms gently from the block, or cut them cleanly at the base with a sterile knife.

Do not leave mature mushrooms on the block for too long. Older shiitake can become flatter, drier and less attractive.

Fresh shiitake mushrooms can be cooked straight away or stored in the fridge in a paper bag. They also dry very well and can be rehydrated later for soups, sauces and broths.

Step 8: Resting The Block For Another Flush

After the first harvest, let the shiitake block rest.

Keep it somewhere clean with moderate humidity and good airflow. The block needs time to recover before producing another flush.

After a rest period, the block may be encouraged to fruit again. Some growers soak the block in clean cold water for several hours before returning it to fruiting conditions. This can help trigger another flush.

A healthy shiitake block may produce more than one flush, although later flushes are often smaller than the first.

Common Problems When Growing Shiitake

The Block Is Fully White But Not Fruiting

This usually means the block is not mature enough yet. Shiitake needs time to popcorn and brown before fruiting. Wait longer before introducing fruiting conditions.

The Block Has Turned Brown

This is normal for shiitake. Browning is a good sign and shows the block is maturing.

Green Mould Appears

Green mould usually means contamination. If a block develops green mould, move it away from other grows to stop spores spreading.

Mushrooms Are Cracking

Cracked caps can happen when humidity is too low or the growing area is too dry. Increase humidity slightly and avoid strong airflow directly on the mushrooms.

Long Stems And Small Caps

This usually means the mushrooms need more fresh air. Increase airflow while still keeping humidity high.

Why Use A Hardwood Grow Bag For Shiitake?

Shiitake is a hardwood-loving mushroom, so it performs best on a wood-based substrate.

Using a ready-made Artisan Mushrooms hardwood mushroom grow bag saves time and removes the hardest part of the process: substrate preparation and sterilisation.

It is a good option for beginners because the bag is already hydrated, sterilised and ready to inoculate. Simply inject your shiitake liquid culture, incubate the bag, wait for full maturity, and move it into fruiting conditions when ready.

Best Conditions For Growing Shiitake Mushrooms

Here is a simple guide to shiitake growing conditions:

StageTemperatureHumidityNotesIncubation18°C to 24°CNormal room humidityKeep sealed and out of direct sunlightMaturing and browning18°C to 24°CNormal room humidityAllow the block to popcorn and brownFruiting12°C to 20°C85% to 95%Provide fresh air and indirect lightResting between flushes12°C to 20°CModerate to highLet the block recover before the next flush

How Long Does Shiitake Take To Grow?

Shiitake takes longer than many beginner mushrooms.

A rough timeline is:

  • Colonisation: several weeks

  • Popcorning and browning: several more weeks

  • Fruiting: usually begins after the block is fully mature

  • Harvest: often around 5 to 10 days after strong pinning begins

The full process can take longer than oyster mushrooms, but the flavour and quality of home-grown shiitake make it worth the wait.

Growing Shiitake At Home

Growing shiitake mushrooms is a brilliant next step for anyone who has already tried oyster mushrooms and wants to grow something with a deeper flavour and more traditional gourmet appeal.

The key is patience. Let the block fully colonise, allow it to brown properly, then provide the right fruiting conditions.

To get started, use Artisan Mushrooms shiitake liquid culture with one of our ready-to-inoculate hardwood mushroom grow bags.

With the right conditions and a little patience, you can grow fresh shiitake mushrooms at home from a clean, reliable hardwood substrate.

Garfield Bullock
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