At North Spore we produce three distinct types of spawn (and many species of mushroom for each type!). The spawn types differ by the mediums on which we've cultured our different species of mushroom. We produce sawdust spawn, plug spawn, and grain spawn. Each has its particular use, tradeoffs, and benefits.
Plug Spawn - This is the type of spawn you'll see in our little bags of spawn sold at garden centers, co-ops, and farmers' markets. They are locally produced wooden dowels that we've grown mushroom mycelium on. To use plug spawn you need to have access to freshly cut hardwood logs. Holes are drilled in the log, spawn plugs are hammered into the holes, and melted wax is brushed over the plugged holes to seal the log (for detailed directions go to the FAQ tab on our website!). Inoculating with plug spawn is a great introduction to the joys of mushroom cultivation outdoors. It is simple to use, requires no tools but a hand-drill, and is great for small projects. The trade-offs are that the method is slower than using sawdust spawn and that the colonization rates are slower. We make Blue Oyster, Golden Oyster, Italian Oyster, Snow Oyster, Lion's Mane, Reishi, Shiitake, Chestnut, Chicken of the Woods, and Hen of the Woods plug spawn.
Sawdust Spawn - Used much like plug spawn but requires an inoculation tool for injecting into logs. Sawdust spawn is cheaper than plug spawn, more reliable, and colonizes faster. This is the type of spawn used by most small farms and people looking to inoculate more than a couple logs outdoors. If you plan on inoculating logs for consecutive years, the tool costs are made up for by the cheaper cost of the spawn.
Grain Spawn - Grain spawn is used for commercial indoor mushroom grows. Almost all of North Spore's production is indoor and utilizes grain spawn. Grain spawn is not suitable for inoculating outdoor logs and is meant for indoor cultivators or inoculating straw beds. We offer wholesale pricing on grain spawn for larger orders or repeat customers. All of North Spore's grain spawn is produced using millet and rye berries.