Contact your County Extension Agent for help in locating a spawn supplier near you. Obtaining suitable hardwood logs. Usually oak, maple, beech, ironwood, chestnut or alder are used. Diameters from 2 to 6 inches seem to work well. Be careful to avoid damaging the bark.
Torn bark can allow other organisms to enter the log and compete with the shiitake for nutrients.
Inoculating the logs. Inoculate the logs with the spawn between 1 and 3 weeks after cutting to ensure optimal moisture content. Inoculate the log by drilling holes partway into the log. Then carefully packed these holes with the spawn and seal them with wax to retain moisture and keep out competing organisms. Allowing shiitake to colonize the wood.