We Are Growing Our Own Shiitake Mushrooms: Here’s How You Can Too

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It’s winter, so I’ve been craving more slow, tactile projects lately,  where you work with your hands, wait patiently, and trust nature to do its thing. And the coziest, most winter-themed project is growing mushrooms. This week, I finally did something I have been wondering about (and watching YouTubes about) for months: I inoculated oak logs to grow shiitake mushrooms. Yes! You can literally grow your own shiitake mushrooms. Given how pricey they are – and how delicious – this is a hobby you won’t regret. It felt equal parts practical and ancestral. Like something a great-grandparent would’ve known how to do without Googling a thing. Can you imagine not ever having to buy mushrooms again? I took video and photos along the way, and if you’ve ever thought about growing mushrooms but assumed it was complicated or intimidating, I promise: this is one of the fastest and easiest “garden” projects I’ve done. I got it done in just a few days, broken up into increments of an hour each. In a hurry? Grab all of the materials you need on our Amazon storefront.  Don’t want to do ANY WORK JUST WATCH THEM GROW? You can cut corners and just buy this Shiitake Mushroom Log kit from Williams Sonoma.

What You Need to Grow Shiitake Mushrooms at Home

This is refreshingly simple, and you don’t need a greenhouse! You’ll need:

• A drill – any drill works, but a wood drill bit is best. If you want to have fun with it, grab this $30 pink drill at Walmart. 
• Shiitake spawn (plug spawn or sawdust spawn)
• Beeswax – to seal the holes
• Fresh oak logs

That’s it.  

Why Oak Is the Gold Standard (and What to Use If You Can’t Find It)

Don’t assume you can just use any old logs in your yard, because they won’t work. Shiitake mushrooms love hardwood, and oak is the gold standard. It’s dense, slow to decompose, and holds moisture beautifully, which gives the mushrooms a long, steady food source. You will also want logs that are fresh (cut within the last month), because logs that are older will likely have OTHER critters growing on them, and they will compete alongside your babies. Oak logs can produce mushrooms for years so you’ll have a nice evergreen source.  If you have oak in your yard? Fabulous. Not sure? You can check here. If you can’t find oak, good alternatives include: Maple Beech Sweetgum Ironwood Avoid softwoods like pine or cedar — they contain resins that mushrooms don’t like. I sourced my oak from a local farm, but here’s a little insider tip: Call local tree-cutting or arborist businesses. They often have fresh hardwood logs they’re happy to give away for free. You want logs that were cut recently (ideally within the last few weeks), before other fungi move in.

The Process (It’s Easier Than It Sounds)

Here’s exactly what I did:

1. Drill the holes

Using my drill, I made holes all over the oak log – spaced a few inches apart, in a staggered pattern. Think triangle, not circles.

2. Add the shiitake spawn

I used shiitake sawdust plugs, but sawdust works too. Each hole gets packed with spawn — this is essentially planting the mushroom’s “roots.” You can buy shiitake spawn from specialty mushroom suppliers online, or even Amazon if you want something easy and quick. I bought mine from the 2FunGuys amazon storefront. 

3. Seal with beeswax

I melted beeswax and sealed each hole. This step is important because it: Locks in moisture Protects the spawn Keeps bugs and competing fungi out It felt soooo good to seal the log, like closing a tiny promise.

4. Move the log to a shady spot

Once sealed, I placed the log in a shady, quiet corner of the yard with no sun.  And then… you wait.

The Waiting Game (and Why I Love It)

Here’s the part that feels very Señora Era: Shiitake mushrooms take 6–12 months to grow. Over time, the mycelium slowly colonizes the log, weaving its underground magic until — one day — mushrooms appear like little gifts after rain. I love that this project asks nothing from me now except trust. I’ve done my part. Nature will do the rest.

Why I’m Obsessed With This Kind of Project

I love this because it’s Learning skills that don’t live on a screen Reconnecting with food in a real way Choosing projects that reward patience over productivity Growing shiitake mushrooms feels a little radical – a slow project that goes against the idea that everything has to be fast, optimized, or monetized. Sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is drill holes in a log, seal them with wax, and wait a year. I can’t wait to see what grows.