Gear guide
Best shiitake plug spawn and what you need to inoculate a log
Picked from Amazon listings, not hands-on tests. How we pick
Shiitake plug spawn is short wooden dowels colonized with shiitake mycelium (spawn is the living culture you put into the wood). You drill holes in a fresh hardwood log, tap a plug into each one and seal it with wax. The usual rule is 30 to 50 holes per 3 to 4 foot log, so 100 plugs cover about two or three logs, and one seller here says 1 to 2. What differs between listings is the plug count and what comes with it. Bare plug packs leave you to buy the three add-ons people forget: a 5/16 inch drill bit for holes 1 to 1.25 inches deep, sealing wax, and a dauber to apply it. Kits add some of these, and none of the listings below mentions a stop collar for the bit. Plugs keep about 6 months in the refrigerator, and the spawn run (the colonization of the log) takes about a year before the first shiitake. This guide compares six listings by plug count, species and whether wax or a drill bit is included, using only what the listings state.
Compare the picks
| Pick | Plug count | Species | Wax | Drill bit or stop collar | Price | Per piece | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 North Spore organic shiitake plug spawn, 100 ct | 100 | Shiitake | not stated | not stated | - | - | Amazon |
 North Spore organic shiitake plugs, 500 ct | 500 | Shiitake | not stated | not stated | - | - | Amazon |
 North Spore log spawn bundle, 3 species x 500 plugs | 3 x 500 (1,500 total) | Shiitake/lion's mane/oyster | Yes, plus applicators | Drill bit, no collar stated | - | - | Amazon |
 2funguys shiitake plug spawn, 50 count | 50 | Shiitake | not stated | not stated | - | - | Amazon |
 North Spore shiitake log inoculation kit, 100 plugs | 100 | Shiitake | Yes, plus 4 applicators | Not in contents list | - | - | Amazon |
 Generic shiitake plug spawn, 100 plugs | 100 | Shiitake | not stated | not stated | - | - | Amazon |
Facts are taken from each Amazon listing. Prices are checked daily and shown with their date.
If you just want one
- Closest match for the jobNorth Spore organic shiitake plug spawn, 100 ctListing states 100 count plug spawn packs are usually enough for 1 to 2 logs.
- Most for the money on paperNorth Spore organic shiitake plugs, 500 ct500 plugs in one pack, five times the 100 count size of the same organic shiitake plug spawn.
- Most complete listingNorth Spore log spawn bundle, 3 species x 500 plugsContents listed: a drill bit, log sealing wax, wax applicators, three 500 ct plug spawn packs and an instruction guide.
The picks in detail
Pick 1 · North Spore
North Spore organic shiitake plug spawn, 100 ct
See price on AmazonA bare pack of 100 organic shiitake plugs for logs. The listing says 100 count packs are usually enough for 1 to 2 logs and that plugs need only a hammer and some wax.
What the listing offers
- Listing states 100 count plug spawn packs are usually enough for 1 to 2 logs.
- Seller describes plug spawn as resilient and economical for small projects, needing only a hammer and some wax.
- Sold as organic, with the spawn produced in house in Maine according to the listing.
Limits to know
- Plugs only: the listing does not list wax, a dauber or a drill bit as part of the pack.
- The listing gives no storage time, strain name or colonization time for the plugs.
Pick 2 · North Spore
North Spore organic shiitake plugs, 500 ct
See price on AmazonThe 500 count pack of the same North Spore organic shiitake plugs. At the usual 30 to 50 holes per log it covers roughly 10 to 16 logs, a stack for a household rather than a single trial log.
What the listing offers
- 500 plugs in one pack, five times the 100 count size of the same organic shiitake plug spawn.
- Listing says plug spawn needs minimal tools: only a hammer and some wax.
- Spawn is produced in house in Maine, according to the listing.
Limits to know
- The bullets describe the 100 count pack and give no log estimate for 500 plugs.
- Wax, a dauber and a drill bit are not listed as included, and a pack this size only makes sense with a stack of fresh logs ready.
Pick 3 · North Spore
North Spore log spawn bundle, 3 species x 500 plugs
See price on AmazonA bundle of three 500 ct plug spawn packs, shiitake, lion's mane and blue oyster, with a drill bit, log sealing wax, wax applicators and an instruction guide. Only a third of the plugs are shiitake.
What the listing offers
- Contents listed: a drill bit, log sealing wax, wax applicators, three 500 ct plug spawn packs and an instruction guide.
- The only listing in this guide that includes a drill bit along with the wax and applicators.
- Seller states plug spawn can be refrigerated for up to 6 months and logs take about 12 months to colonize.
Limits to know
- Only 500 of the plugs are shiitake: the rest are lion's mane and blue oyster, which need their own logs.
- A large bundle: three 500 ct packs call for dozens of fresh logs within the storage time.
Pick 4 · 2funguys
2funguys shiitake plug spawn, 50 count
See price on AmazonA small pack of 50 shiitake plugs with inoculation instructions. By the usual rule of 30 to 50 holes per log it is enough for one log, which suits a first try.
What the listing offers
- 50 count pack of shiitake plugs, the smallest size in this guide and enough for a single log.
- Inoculation instructions are included, according to the listing.
- Seller describes the culture as fast running shiitake mycelium.
Limits to know
- The listing does not state the dowel size, a strain name or how long the plugs keep.
- No wax or drill bit is listed, and 50 plugs leave nothing spare for a second log.
Pick 5 · North Spore
North Spore shiitake log inoculation kit, 100 plugs
See price on AmazonThe do it yourself route: 100 shiitake plugs with log sealing wax, 4 wax applicators and an instruction guide. You cut and drill your own hardwood log, and the listing gives about 12 months for it to colonize.
What the listing offers
- Kit contains log sealing wax, 4 wax applicators, 100 ct plug spawn and an instruction guide.
- Listing names suitable wood, including oak, hard maple, beech, sweetgum and birch.
- Seller states the plug spawn can be refrigerated for up to 6 months before use.
Limits to know
- No log is included and none arrives inoculated: you need a freshly cut hardwood log and a drill.
- The listing says a log takes approximately 12 months to colonize, so the first shiitake are about a year away.
Pick 6 · Generic
Generic shiitake plug spawn, 100 plugs
See price on AmazonAn unbranded pack sold as shiitake mushroom plug spawn 100x. The title is the whole listing: a count and a species, with no bullets to compare against the other packs.
What the listing offers
- The title states the species and form plainly: shiitake mushroom plug spawn.
- 100 plugs, the same count as the common 100 ct packs and about two logs at 30 to 50 holes per log.
- A bare plug pack, so it fits a buyer who already owns a 5/16 inch bit, wax and a dauber.
Limits to know
- The listing has no feature bullets: no dowel size, strain, storage time or instructions are stated.
- Sold under a generic brand, so the maker of the spawn is not named.
Read before you buy
- What wood do mushrooms grow on? Tree chart for lion's mane, shiitake and oysterTree-by-species chart for mushroom logs: lion's mane on beech and maple, shiitake on oak, oysters on poplar and willow, plus cherry, walnut and conifers.
- How to grow shiitake mushrooms on logs, from cutting to first harvestShiitake log growing in numbers: 4 to 6 inch oak logs, 30 to 50 holes 1 inch deep, about a year of spawn run, then a 12 to 24 hour soak to fruit.
- Growing mushrooms in the garden: how to build a wine cap bedBuild a wine cap bed in the garden: 3 to 5 in of hardwood chips, one 5 lb bag of spawn per 16 to 25 sq ft, 1 in of water a week, mushrooms in 2 to 10 months.
- Grain spawn vs sawdust spawn vs plug spawn: which one for your projectGrain, sawdust and plug spawn compared by best use, tools, speed and storage life (3 to 6 months refrigerated), with a chooser for straw, blocks, logs and beds.
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