lions mane log kit

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Log Grow Kit

Ships each wednesday...Grow your own Lion’s Mane mushrooms the natural way — on hardwood logs, just as they grow in the wild. This simple, low-impact method avoids single-use plastics and complex equipment. Once established, each log can fruit for up to 5 years, producing beautiful cascading white clusters that taste as impressive as they look.

Why Grow on Logs

Log cultivation is low-tech, durable and waste-free. It needs no grow bags or electricity — just wood, fungi and time. Once the mycelium takes hold, your log becomes a living system that fruits season after season with little maintenance. It’s the most sustainable way to grow mushrooms long-term.

About Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) is a striking white mushroom with soft, cascading spines and a mild, seafood-like flavour often compared to crab or lobster. It’s rich in bioactive compounds such as hericenones and erinacines, studied for supporting focus and cognitive health. Delicious sautéed, roasted, or torn into “steaks,” it’s a genuine gourmet variety.

What’s in the Kit

• 30 pre-colonised Lion’s Mane dowels (8mm x 35mm) – ready to inoculate your log
• Drill bit with depth stop – perfectly sized for the dowels
• Natural log-sealing wax
• Foam brush for sealing
• Printed instruction card – clear, step-by-step guidance

What You’ll Need

• A freshly cut hardwood log – beech, oak, alder or maple
• Power drill
• Mallet or hammer
• Heat source (for melting wax)
• Shady outdoor space – sheltered and protected from wind

Before You Start

Keep dowels at room temperature for 2–3 days after delivery. If not using immediately, store sealed in the fridge (not freezer) for up to 6 months. Remove 24 hours before use to reach room temperature. Handle gently — the mycelium is alive and active.

Step 1: Prepare Your Log

Use a hardwood log 8–20 cm in diameter and 50–100 cm long. Cut within six weeks and rest for two before inoculating. Avoid logs with visible decay or existing fungus.

Step 2: Drill and Plug

Drill holes 5–7 cm apart in a staggered pattern. Tap one dowel into each hole until flush with the bark.

Step 3: Seal

Melt the wax gently and brush over each hole and any exposed ends. This seals in moisture and protects against contaminants.

Step 4: Incubate

Keep your log in a shady, sheltered space, raised off the ground. Colonisation takes 9–18 months depending on wood and weather. You’ll see white mycelium threads at the ends once it’s established.

Step 5: Fruiting

Once colonised, your log will fruit naturally during cool, damp periods. To encourage a flush, soak in cold water for 24 hours, then return to the shade. Fruiting usually begins within a week.

Ongoing Care

• Water during dry spells
• Soak yearly to refresh the log
• Keep off soil to prevent contamination

With care, your Lion’s Mane log can produce for several years.

Harvest

Harvest when the spines are long and soft but before they yellow. Cut cleanly from the base. Cook fresh for the best texture or store in paper bags in the fridge.

Growing Lion’s Mane on logs is simple, low-waste, and deeply rewarding — a way to grow exceptional food with minimal footprint.