Cultivation site
An appropriate site is also needed to cultivate the mushrooms in
the logs. The mushroom house described in the section concerning cultivation of
mushrooms in plastic bags is equally well-suited for logs. Growing wood ear
mushrooms in a mushroom house will allow a farmer to extend the growing season
and take advantage of higher prices during the dry season. However, if a farmer
does not wish to build a mushroom house, the wood ear mushroom logs can be
stored easily and cultivated under a tree, out of direct sunlight, during the
rainy season. The naturally moist and humid conditions prevalent during the
rainy season make this method of cultivation possible and profitable and reduces
labor, since if it rains, the grower does not need to spend time watering the
logs.
Wood ear mushroom spawn, unlike angel, oyster and abalone spawn,
is not sensitive to prolonged contact with water. Hence, it can and
should be exposed to rainfall; the more the better. Conversely, angel, oyster
and abalone mushrooms are not grown profitably when exposed to heavy rainfall,
i.e., when cultivated under a tree with no overhead shelter. As previously
stated, angel, oyster and abalone mushrooms will rot before reaching maturity if
exposed to prolonged contact with water. For obvious reasons, wood ear mushroom
logs will not produce well, if at all, when cultivated under a tree during the
dry
season.