Plug Spawn
Plug spawn is mycelium grown into hardwood dowels which can be easily tapped into holes drilled into a log. It’s a natural choice for small projects because it is easy to use, requires no special tools and is available in small quantities. Use a 5/16" drill bit and 5/16" stop set at about 1 inch, or an 8.5mm bit with stop to drill the logs, and a hammer to tap them in. Once the log is inoculated, the plug is sealed with wax to prevent them from drying out.
Plug spawn is extremely durable and we recommend it for fall inoculations in cold climates, stump inoculations, and shipments being sent overseas. It is also a reliable medium to carry slower growing fungal species. Although it takes nearly 30% longer than thimble or sawdust spawn to colonize a log, and is more expensive than sawdust spawn at equivalent inoculation rates, it is an excellent spawn type choice for small projects and beginners.
Plug spawn is used with natural logs for Shiitake, Oyster, Lion’s Mane, Reishi, Maitake, Box Elder, and Nameko mushroom cultivation.
100 plugs will plant approx. 2 logs, 250 plugs will plant about 5 logs and 750 plugs will plant about 15 logs (based on an average log size of approx. 40" long and 4" in diameter - about 50 plugs per log). Quantity discounts for plug spawn apply only to 750 ct. bags (bulk pricing applies for all large bags of plug spawn, regardless of species or strain).
