How to get and optimize Mushroom Logs in Stardew Valley

There’s a new item that was added in the 1.6 update of Stardew Valley that will provide you with Mushrooms of all varieties regularly. This is a very useful tool, but it’s raised an argument within the community that it renders another feature pointless. 

How to make a Mushroom Log in Stardew Valley

To make a Mushroom Log, you’ll need to reach Foraging level 4 to receive the recipe and then use the following ingredients:

• 10 Hardwood
• 10 Moss

How to optimize Mushroom Logs in Stardew Valley

Mushroom Logs can be placed anywhere and will produce between one and five Mushrooms of some variety every four days, shortening to three days if you experience a rainy day.  

The basic chances to receive a particular type of Mushroom are:

• Common Mushroom (80.75%)
• Red Mushroom (14.25%)
• Purple Mushroom (5%)

However, there is a way to optimize Mushroom growth (and get your hands on rarer types of Mushrooms) using wild trees. The type of Mushroom produced depends on the types of trees in a 7×7 square around the Mushroom Log:

• Maple Trees increase the chance of Red Mushrooms
• Mystic Trees increase the chance of getting Purple Mushrooms
• Oak Trees provide the chance to get Morels
• Pine Trees provide the chance to get Chanterelles

The best way to optimize Mushroom growth is to place a Mushroom Log on every other tile, placing a variety of trees in between and behind. Essentially, you want to create a forest area that’s filled with Mushroom Logs. 

The argument over Mushroom Logs

Once you earn 25,000 Gold, Demetrius comes to visit you asking to use the cave on your farm to observe local species. He’ll give you a choice: you can either have a Mushroom Cave or a Fruit Bat Cave. 

Before 1.6, choosing the Mushroom Cave was a solid choice, because it provides all four of the Mushrooms needed to make a Life Elixir. Fruit Bats, on the other hand, bring Fruits of all varieties, which can be used in multiple recipes, used in Bundles, and given to Villagers as loved gifts. 

After 1.6, the Mushroom Cave has been rendered more or less pointless, since Mushroom Logs provide the same Mushrooms that the cave does, can be placed anywhere, and optimized with the proper placement to provide more Mushrooms than the Cave ever has. 

Long story short: If you start a new farm, I’d suggest opting for a Fruit Bat Cave and sourcing your Mushrooms from Mushroom Logs. 

What are Mushrooms used for in Stardew Valley?

There are a few recipes which require one of the different types of mushroom to make in Stardew Valley. Using this optimisation method, though, you’ll never be short of exactly the type of mushrooms you need. 

The most commonly made recipe involving mushrooms is Life Elixir. For this recipe, you need four different mushrooms:

• Rud Mushroom
• Purple Mushroom
• Morel
• Chanterelle

Other than that, here’s every recipe in Stardew Valley which includes mushrooms, of some variety:

Common Mushrooms can also be used in the spool of the Sewing Machine at Emily and Haley’s house (or your own Sewing Machine) to create a Shirt which is a reference to Mario. They can also be used in the dye pots, serving as an orange dye. 

During Fall, Mushrooms can be requested at the “Help Wanted” board outside Pierre’s General Store, and if you have Fish Ponds on your farm, they can be requested by the following fish:

• Bullhead
• Largemouth Bass
• Midnight Carp
• Woodskip

Last of all, but perhaps most importantly, you’ll need one Common Mushroom in order to complete the Fall Foraging bundle as part of the Crafts Room in the Community Center.