# Best shiitake plug spawn and what you need to inoculate a log Source: https://spawnrun.com/best/best-shiitake-plug-spawn Publisher: Spawn Run. Picks are chosen from what each Amazon listing states, not from hands-on tests. Method: https://spawnrun.com/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. ## Picks ### 1. North Spore Organic Shiitake Mushroom Plug Spawn for Logs, 100 ct Plug count: 100; Species: Shiitake; Wax: not stated; Drill bit or stop collar: not stated A 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. ### 2. North Spore Organic Shiitake Mushroom Plugs for Logs, 500 ct Plug count: 500; Species: Shiitake; Wax: not stated; Drill bit or stop collar: not stated The 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. ### 3. North Spore Log Spawn Bundle, 500 ct of Shiitake, Lion's Mane, Blue Oyster Plug count: 3 x 500 (1,500 total); Species: Shiitake/lion's mane/oyster; Wax: Yes, plus applicators; Drill bit or stop collar: Drill bit, no collar stated A 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. ### 4. 50 count Shiitake Plug Spawn Plug count: 50; Species: Shiitake; Wax: not stated; Drill bit or stop collar: not stated A 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. ### 5. North Spore Shiitake Log Inoculation Mushroom Grow Kit, 100 ct Plugs Plug count: 100; Species: Shiitake; Wax: Yes, plus 4 applicators; Drill bit or stop collar: Not in contents list The 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. ### 6. Shiitake mushroom plug spawn 100x Plug count: 100; Species: Shiitake; Wax: not stated; Drill bit or stop collar: not stated An 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.