The Maitake mushroom has been valued for centuries, especially in Asia. Its nickname “King of Mushrooms” shows how special it is to people. Its popularity remains, whether for cooking, supplements or its suspected healing properties. The Maitake Liquid Culture Syringe is made from pure mushroom culture. These cultures are produced with high-quality ingredients. Liquid mycelium from these pure cultures works better than that from spores: it colonizes more consistently, faster and more reliably. The final product, the grain spawn, is also more effective than when made by older methods.

Contents

These items are further packaged in a zippered bag to further protect against contamination.

• 1x 10 ml liquid culture in a syringe
• 1x alcohol wipe
• 1x sterile needle

Use

• Add 2-5 ml to each liter or jar of sterilized grain.
• Shake the liquid culture well before use
• Be patient after inoculation. The Maitake mycelium has slow and sometimes irregular growth. It may seem like no growth is taking place, but the process has probably already begun.

After use

• Store it again in the refrigerator.
• Dry the needle thoroughly before replacing the protective cap to prevent rust.
• Optional: use a lighter to heat the needle and evaporate any remaining water. Then let it cool before replacing the cap.
• Put the liquid culture in a ziplock bag for extra protection and place it back in the refrigerator.

These instructions ensure that the liquid culture remains effective and usable for as long as possible.

What substrate do we grow on?

Large-scale cultivation of Maitake requires a specific bulk substrate. You can use different hardwoods for this purpose, such as hardwoods (poplar, oak, alder, aspen, maple, birch, ash, beech, willow, elm) mixed with bran. Another popular mix is the “master’s mix,” which contains an equal ratio of hardwood sawdust and soybean hulls. Should you prefer a more natural approach, it is also possible to cultivate Maitake outdoors directly on hardwood logs.

Stage 1: Growth conditions

• Phase 1: Mycelial growth
• Temperature: 21 – 24°C
• Humidity: 95 – 100%
• Duration: 14 – 30 days, then rest period 30 days
• Light: n/a.

Phase 2: Primordia formation

• Temperature: 10 – 15.6 °C
• Humidity: 95%
• Duration: 5 – 10 days
• Light: 100 – 500 lux

Phase 3: Fund development

• Temperature: 10 – 15.6 °C
• Humidity: 90 – 95%
• Duration: 10 – 14 days
• Light: 100 – 500 lux

Stage 4: fruiting and harvesting

• Temperature: 13 – 16 (18)°C
• Humidity: 75 -85%
• Duration: 14 – 21 days
• Light: 500 – 1,000 lux
• Cropping cycle: 2 rinses, every 3-4 weeks

Storage advice

• Use the liquid culture within 2 months.
• Store it in the refrigerator or another cool, dark location.
• Avoid exposure to UV light.