Mushroom sticks "Oyster mushroom, thick-legged" / (Armillaria gallica) — considered the most delicious oyster mushroom. Cap diameter 3-8 cm, convex, later spreading, light yellow in color. Stipe 4-8 cm long, firm, thick, light brown in color.
Cultivated on logs of deciduous trees in home conditions and on private plots. Fruiting occurs in waves, 3-4 years on soft wood and 5-7 years on hard wood. Contents of the package is sufficient for inoculating 25 kg of wood. Yield up to 7 kg per year. Used in home cooking in boiled, stewed, salted, fried, and dried forms.
Cultivation of "Thick-legged Oyster"
Only logs of deciduous trees, without signs of decay, cut 1-4 months before inoculation, 30-40 cm long, 15-30 cm in diameter. Dry logs should be soaked in water for 2-3 days. Then place in a well-ventilated shaded area for several days. In the prepared log, drill holes in a checkerboard pattern, 4-5 cm deep, 9 mm in diameter, 10-15 cm apart.
Wearing sterile gloves, insert the "sticks" and cover the holes with pieces of bark, paraffin, moistened cotton, etc. After wrapping in plastic film, making small ventilation holes, place in a dark, humid room for mycelium colonization. At t=20-25°С, the log is colonized within 2-3 months. When white mold appears at infection sites and on log ends, remove the film and plant logs vertically into soil to one-third of their length. In outdoor conditions, select a shaded and wind-protected area. In a greenhouse, plant in pots or containers with soil.
Since fruiting bodies require high air humidity (60-85%), temperature (15-23°С), ventilation, and sufficient lighting (8-10 hours per day), unheated rooms are suitable for cultivation, where optimal conditions can be created. Care involves watering the plants with a sprayer 2-3 times a week, and daily during the fruiting phase. The first harvest on soft wood appears after 2-4 months, and on hard wood after 6 months.
