Shiitake Cultivation on Logs and Blocks
Compare traditional log cultivation with supplemented sawdust blocks and learn to produce quality shiitake with either method.
Programme identification
- 1.1Programme name
- Shiitake Cultivation on Logs and Blocks
- 1.2Type of qualification
- Course
- 1.3Provider / endorsing institution
- Fungaris – International Institute of Mycology, School of Mushroom Cultivation & Production. A Fungaris programme of its own, not endorsed by a university.
- 1.4Mode of study
- Online, with live sessions in a small group, recordings and a virtual campus.
- 1.5Duration (hours / ECTS credits)
- 3 months (12 weeks) · 72 hours in total · 6 modules of 12 hours · 12 live sessions of 2 hours. ECTS credits: not applicable (Fungaris own programme, not an official university degree).
- 1.6Language
- English
- 1.7Start and end dates / intake
- Next intake: 11 January 2027 to 2 April 2027. Enrolment closes on 4 January 2027. Following intake: 8 March 2027. How intakes work →
Overview
2.1Programme description
Shiitake Cultivation on Logs and Blocks compares the two main ways of producing Lentinula edodes. You will learn how to choose and fell suitable hardwood, inoculate logs with plug or sawdust spawn, manage a shaded log yard and force fruiting by soaking. The course then moves indoors to supplemented sawdust blocks, covering formulation, sterilisation, the browning phase that forms the protective skin, and the cold or water shocks that trigger flushes.
Shiitake remains one of the most valued cultivated mushrooms, and both methods have a place: logs suit woodland owners seeking a low-input crop, while blocks deliver year-round supply for commercial buyers. Understanding both lets you choose with confidence. The course suits growers, foresters and smallholders with some basic growing experience. The final project asks you to design a shiitake production plan for a real site, choosing between logs, blocks or a mix, with a timeline, quality grading approach and sales outline that your professor reviews in detail.
2.2Why it matters / what need it meets
It meets a practical need: applied, up-to-date knowledge in cultivation, useful in areas such as Specialty mushroom production, Agroforestry and woodland management, Smallholder agriculture, Fresh and dried food markets.
Mycology is moving fast and good practical training is still scarce. This programme gives you a structured path, taught live by people who work in the field, so you can apply what you learn with judgement and safety.
Objectives and competences
3.1General objective
To finish the programme able to apply its content professionally and with judgement. In short:
Compare traditional log cultivation with supplemented sawdust blocks and learn to produce quality shiitake with either method.
3.2Specific objectives
- Build the foundations: Shiitake Biology and Strains; Log Selection, Felling and Inoculation.
- Put them into practice: Log Yard Management and Forcing; Supplemented Sawdust Blocks.
- Apply everything to a real case: Browning, Shocking and Fruiting; Quality Grading and Marketing.
- Complete a final project reviewed by your professor.
3.3Competences you will gain
- Select hardwood logs and shiitake strains for a given site.
- Inoculate and manage logs through colonisation and forcing.
- Formulate and prepare supplemented sawdust blocks.
- Control browning and shocking to produce consistent flushes.
- Grade shiitake by quality and plan appropriate sales channels.
Student profile
4.1Who it is for (entry profile)
Growers, foresters and smallholders.
4.2Entry requirements
Basic knowledge of mushroom growing is helpful but not essential. Access to hardwood logs or a simple sterilisation set-up allows you to practise either method.
4.3Career paths (exit profile)
- Log-grown shiitake producer on a woodland property
- Indoor block production technician
- Agroforestry or forest farming consultant
- Smallholder diversifying into specialty mushrooms
- Production supervisor on a specialty mushroom farm
Outcomes depend on your experience and on your local market.
Study plan
5.1Overall structure (modules and workload)
| Module | Title | Phase | Topics | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Shiitake Biology and Strains | Foundations | 3 | 12 |
| 02 | Log Selection, Felling and Inoculation | Foundations | 3 | 12 |
| 03 | Log Yard Management and Forcing | Practice | 3 | 12 |
| 04 | Supplemented Sawdust Blocks | Practice | 3 | 12 |
| 05 | Browning, Shocking and Fruiting | Application & project | 3 | 12 |
| 06 | Quality Grading and Marketing | Application & project | 3 | 12 |
| Total | 72 |
6 modules × 12 hours = 72 hours: 24 hours of live sessions, and the rest for campus study, exercises and the final project.
5.2Content by module
Hover or tap a module to follow the path from the first session to the final project. Open a module to see the topics it covers.
- Lentinula edodes biology
- Warm, cold and wide-range strains
- Matching strains to method
- Suitable tree species and log size
- Felling season and storage
- Drilling, plugging and waxing
- Shading, stacking and moisture
- Soaking and forcing schedules
- Log yard hygiene and lifespan
- Block formulations and supplements
- Bagging and sterilisation
- Inoculation and incubation
- The browning and popcorning phases
- Cold and water shocking
- Managing flushes and rest periods
- Cap, gill and stem grading criteria
- Donko and flower shiitake
- Fresh and dried market channels
5.3Company placement
This programme does not include a company placement. Practice is built into every module through exercises, case studies and the final project.
5.4Final project
A shiitake production plan for a real site, comparing log and block options, with timeline, grading criteria and sales outline.
Methodology
6.1How it is taught
- Live online sessions, usually weekly, with a working professional and a small group.
- Recordings of every session, so you can catch up if work or time zones get in the way.
- Exercises and real case studies in every module.
- Tutoring: your professor answers questions and gives feedback on your exercises and project.
6.2Platform and resources
A Moodle virtual campus with session recordings, readings, exercises and forums for each module. You need a computer, an up-to-date browser and a stable connection; a webcam and microphone are recommended.
Technical requirements →6.3Estimated weekly workload
About 6 hours a week for 12 weeks: one 2-hour live session on a weekday evening, plus study and exercises on the campus at your own pace.
Assessment
7.1Assessment system and weighting
Assessment combines participation in live sessions with practical exercises at the end of each module. The professor reviews the final project and provides individual feedback.
7.2Requirements to pass
- Complete every module, by attending the live sessions or watching the recordings.
- Hand in the module exercises.
- Have your final project approved by your professor.
Teaching team
8.1Academic direction
The Cultivation at Fungaris coordinates the content and quality of this programme. The academic director of each intake is named in the intake guide.
8.2Faculty
Taught by professionals who work in the field. The professor of each intake is confirmed before the start.
Meet our faculty →Certificate
9.1Certificate awarded
Course Certificate
On completing the programme and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Accreditations are assessed according to the training completed and the local regulations of each country.
9.2Issuing body / recognition
Issued by Fungaris (operated by Nexora Generation, S.L.) as a digital certificate. It is a Fungaris certificate of its own: it is not an official university degree and does not award ECTS credits.
About our certificates →Admission and enrolment
10.1Admission process (steps)
- Send your request through the form or write to admissions.
- Admissions reviews your profile and confirms the start date, the session schedule and the fee.
- You secure your place with full payment or a 40% reservation.
- You receive your campus access and welcome guide before the first session.
10.2Documents required
- A valid identity document.
- Contact and billing details (personal or company).
10.3Deadlines
Enrolment for the intake starting on 11 January 2027 is open until 4 January 2027, or until the group is full (maximum 20 students).
10.4Fee and payment options
Fee: £340
- Full payment before the start: £272 (20% reduction).
- 40% reservation (£136) and 3 monthly instalments of £68.
10.5Grants, discounts and funding
Discounts: 10% for Fungaris alumni and 15% for groups of three or more people from the same organisation. Discounts cannot be combined with each other or with the full-payment reduction.
Your employer can pay for the programme and receive the invoice in the company name. Whether a public or employer training budget can cover the fee depends on your country, so check with them.
10.6Cancellation policy
The conditions for cancelling, withdrawing or moving to a later intake are explained in our cancellation policy and in your enrolment confirmation. Nothing there limits your rights under the consumer law that applies to you.
Cancellation and refunds →Additional information
11.1Frequently asked questions
Do I need experience to study Shiitake Cultivation on Logs and Blocks?
Basic knowledge of mushroom growing is helpful but not essential. Access to hardwood logs or a simple sterilisation set-up allows you to practise either method.
How is Shiitake Cultivation on Logs and Blocks taught?
Live online, in 6 modules with a working professional, a small group and a final project.
How am I assessed?
Assessment combines participation in live sessions with practical exercises at the end of each module. The professor reviews the final project and provides individual feedback.
What is the final project?
A shiitake production plan for a real site, comparing log and block options, with timeline, grading criteria and sales outline.
What certificate do I get?
On completing the programme and its project, Fungaris issues a Course Certificate. Accreditations are assessed according to the training completed and the local regulations of each country.
What can I study after Shiitake Cultivation on Logs and Blocks?
The natural next step is Diploma in Gourmet Mushroom Production.
11.2Alumni testimonials
We only publish verified testimonials from real students. This programme does not have any published yet; they will appear here once its first intakes finish.
11.3Admissions contact
Write to info@fungaris.institute or use the contact form. Admissions answers in your language.
Read before you start.
CultivationHow to Grow Shiitake on Logs: A Step-by-Step Outdoor GuideLog-grown shiitake takes patience, but a well-made stack of logs can fruit for several years. Here is how to do it step by step, from cutting wood to harvest.Read the article 
CultivationHow to Grow Oyster Mushrooms at Home: Step-by-Step GuideOyster mushrooms are the most forgiving gourmet species to grow. This step-by-step guide takes you from straw and spawn to your first harvest, and on to a small farm.Read the article Keep branching.
From our species guide.
Join the next intake.
Pay in full with a 20% reduction, or reserve your place with 40% and pay the rest in monthly instalments. All prices are stated in pounds sterling (GBP).