Part 3: Harvesting Your Hen of the Woods

[@LauraCappe]

Thank you for this series of videos - very clear and informative.

[@thehandymancan5112]

Love your videos

[@lazartonu3385]

Can you please specify whether you take the log out of the bag before you put it in the ground? And also, can you give us a few examples of good locations?

[@eatplantstravelplanet2798]

You take it out of the bag before placing in the ground. She explains this in her part 2 video. She also mentions in that same video to place. somewhere shaded.

[@sophialawrence9186]

So awesome! Updates on your Chicken of the Woods log? Going to try the cultivation kit in March! Also, can you transplant a log that's been buried or would you recommend leaving it for its lifetime where it was buried?

[@FieldandForestProducts]

Updates! The chicken log fruited on August 24th (right as we were leaving for vacation naturally)- 19 months after the inoculation date. And you can transplant logs, but they would need to be transplanted in the spring of the year, so they can re-establish themselves for the fall fruiting!

[@mrschefyoda7825]

Great videos!!! Does this produce more than 1 harvest each year? And how many lbs of mushrooms do you expect for each harvest? Thank you.

[@FieldandForestProducts]

We have gotten two harvests before, but more often you only see one per year. And the yield depends on the size of the log- the larger the log the larger the fruiting body. For Maitake it's similar to what you find in the wild, but for Chicken of the Woods it's usually smaller than the chunks you find in the wild.

[@katburce852]

How much smaller was this log compared to the chicken of the woods log used in previous videos? Dimensions?

[@katburce852]

Also, how long will this log produce for?

[@andrewdudeman4074]

@@katburce852 6 to 8 years roughly.

[@katburce852]

@@andrewdudeman4074 Great, and how often per year? Certain seasons?

[@FieldandForestProducts]

This logs was about 8 inches in diameter and 10 inches tall. So similar, but not quite as large!

[@liambarry35]

How to you know when the chicken of the wood will be ready for harvest?

[@ianblanchard8366]

The fronds should be about 1 cm thick and should feel moist but not rubbery. When they first form they have a lot of water and a very smooth fleshy texture , this stage is too soon. when they are perfect they should have a more ripely texture and be soft at the edge. when they are too old they will be brittle and light colored . Ideally when harvesting you will see a few small droplets of water leaking from the log where you cut the mushroom. Check for worms!

[@eexner4242]

Check for worms?