If you ask me Sweetgums are woody weeds, but I hate to see all that wood go to waste. So, I was delighted when I learned that Sweetgum logs can be used to produce Shiitake mushrooms. In addition to Sweetgums, both Red and White Oaks will work well for Shiitake production. I mention oaks because sometime a grove of trees can benefit from judicious thinning, especially when the stand contains poor quality trees, or trees that are competing with more valuable species. Shiitake mushroom production is a good way to utilize the wood from low quality hardwoods that might otherwise be wasted.
Lets start with the logs.
Logs should be cut from living trees free of any decay. Trees should be harvested during the dormant or winter season when wood contains the maximum amount of stored carbohydrates. During log cutting try not to damage the bark layer on your logs. These, plugs are hammered flush or just below the surface of the log, then covered with canning grade paraffin wax to seal in moisture and protect against contamination. Shiitake spawn will grow between 40 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but the optimum temperature is between 72 and 78 degrees.