How to grow truffles: mycelium, soil, technology. Where truffles grow

It's unlikely that you have met a person who has never heard of a truffle. But few of us managed to at least once try this exquisite, expensive delicacy. He meets so rarely that with any hints that he can be tried to collect from his summer cottage site, people shrug their shoulders in bewilderment. After reading this article, you will learn how to grow truffles at home.

Where does this unique mushroom grow?

Despite the fact that today it is grown practically in all corners of the planet, the truffle is still considered the national treasure of France. The inhabitants of this state call this unusual delicacy not otherwise than "capricious prince" or "black diamond".

The greatest surprise is that even today no one can say with absolute certainty how the truffle grows. This is not known even to specialists who devoted most of their lives to the study of fungi. The fact is that under the earth, where truffles grow, too much depends on plants, the root system of which serves as their main source of carbohydrates. In turn, the truffles provide the roots of trees with reliable protection against microbial diseases. The filamentous threads of this fungus envelop the roots of bushes and trees, saturating them with additional moisture. In science, such coexistence is known as symbiosis.

How does the truffle multiply?

It is the mycelium which is the main and most important part of any fungus. Therefore, in those places where truffles grow, it is necessary to carry out any excavation work with special care. A healthy body begins to develop actively from a healthy mycelium, the spores of which will participate in the subsequent reproduction. Unlike all other fungi, the reproduction of the truffle directly depends on the animals living in the forest. Animals find it and eat it. Subsequently, digested truffle spores fall to the ground, giving life to a new mycelium. To attract the attention of forest animals, the fungus exudes a certain flavor. True, it can not be called pleasant for the human sense of smell. The stench coming from most truffles is more like the smell of rotting onions or spoiled herrings. And only a few species of this fungus stimulate active release of gastric juice in humans. One of these varieties is a black Perigord truffle.

What does a truffle look like?

The description of this fungus can be found in any specialized directory. This underground marsupial mushroom of yellow, gray, white or black hue has a fleshy tuberous body covered with a rough skin. Inside the fungus is a flesh that looks like a labyrinth of veins. Dimensions of the delicacy, the cut is similar to polished marble, can range from quail eggs to large apples. The truffle mycelium consists of the finest fibers penetrating into the inner layers of the cortical cells of the root system and actively interacting with them.

In what conditions can this underground mushroom grow?

Before growing truffles, you need to ask where they can grow. The main condition for the cultivation of this delicate fungus is a warm climate. These criteria are best suited to the wooded zones of Portugal, Spain, southern Germany, Italy, France and Croatia. It also grows on the Pacific coast of America, in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Very rarely find truffles in the suburbs.

Is it possible to grow this delicacy at home?

Today, more and more people are interested in how to grow truffles and whether it is possible to do it yourself. At once we will say that this is a very real task. The main thing is to approach it with all responsibility. It is important to choose the right seedlings, find a suitable plot and prepare the soil well.

Those who are interested in how to grow truffles at home should understand that this is a very difficult task requiring a responsible approach.

The main stages of mushroom cultivation

It should be understood that the cultivation of truffles is carried out in three stages. At the initial stage, the mycelium is transplanted to the most favorable place. At the second stage, the planting material is grown from the fruit bodies. And only after that you can start planting young truffle buds. As a rule, mushrooms are bred by planting young trees with a developed mycelium truffles.

How to choose and prepare a place for planting?

It should be understood that these fungi are rather capricious. They need a warm, temperate climate. Therefore, those who live in areas with an unstable climate, with too hot summers and frosty winters, it is better to abandon this idea. If you live in the region, the conditions in which you can grow this delicacy, then you can safely embark on the realization of your plan.

Before growing truffles, you need to find the right land. The soil should be rich in calcium and humus, its pH should be at least 7.5. In soils on which it is planned to plant truffles, there should not be other mushrooms that can compete with them. At the same time, it should be remembered that too relief territory can significantly complicate the mechanical treatment of the soil.

In general, the site should have a favorable location relative to the sun and wind. In addition, it must be resistant to water erosion and have a slope not exceeding 15 degrees.

Planting process

Having created optimal conditions for growing truffles, you can proceed directly to planting. The best time for planting grafted with mycelium mushroom seedlings is spring, when no longer predicts frost. Young trees are planted in the ground, completely freed from weeds. For this purpose, pits are dug in the ground, the depth of which reaches 75 cm. In a radius of 40 centimeters from each planted tree it is recommended to pour a layer of mulch from last year's fallen oak leaves. The seedlings must be covered with a polyethylene hothouse film.

There is another method of growing these fungi - on sawdust. However, this technology implies thorough preliminary preparation of the soil. The substrate must be saturated with calcium and humus, and top with fresh oak or beech sawdust. After that, the soil should be sifted with complex fertilizers and then you can start planting mushrooms. The mycelium truffles are mixed with the soil and spread on sawdust.

How to care for planting?

Understanding how to grow truffles, do not relax, thinking that after planting the seedlings you can just sit and wait for the harvest. In fact, they need some kind of care. Periodically, trees need to be fed with complex fertilizers, which can be found without problems in any specialized store. In addition, it is recommended to introduce a little bit of microfertilizers (boron, zinc, magnesium and iron) into the soil. This scheme is suitable for growing a hazel, inoculated with a mycelium truffle.

Also, do not forget about the main pests of the royal fungus, including pigs and rabbits. These animals are categorically forbidden to enter the territory where truffles grow. No less dangerous for this fungus are black cockroaches and weevils. Trees owners of truffles also need special care. They must be subjected to periodic pruning, which consists in removing the main part of the powerful branches and in reducing the height of the trunk. This makes it possible to increase the patency of rainwater and sunlight into the soil.

Harvest

Appearing in the summer, the fruit truffle body should grow for several months. As a rule, by the autumn it reaches the necessary condition. A black ripe truffle, whose taste is beyond praise, exudes a rather strong pleasant smell. An unripe fungus can be recognized by the presence of a reddish skin. As a rule, the harvest of black truffles can be collected from November to March. Ripening of white and Burgundian varieties occurs a little faster.

Collecting these mushrooms is very similar to harvesting potatoes. However, there are several subtleties. Otherwise, you can accidentally damage the mycelium, so that the plantation of truffles will quickly run out. Act with the utmost care, gently removing from the soil the fungal fruiting bodies. In this case, it is necessary not to disturb the integrity of the soil structure and not to damage the mycorrhiza system. Collect only ripe mushrooms.

To accelerate the harvesting of ripened truffles, it is possible to involve specially trained animals in this process. They will smell the fruit hidden beneath the ground. For these purposes, you can use not only dogs, but also pigs. From a plot of one hectare, you can collect from 50 to 100 kilograms of mushrooms.

Most of the harvest is perfectly preserved throughout the year. Truffles can be frozen and dried by lyophilization.

Useful advice for beginners mushroom pickers

Just before planting young trees, soil should not be fertilized. Such actions can cause death of the mycelium. In the process of planting, it is necessary to protect the root system of seedlings. In the pits in which young oaks will be planted, add a little water, sprinkle with earth and water again.

In the future, care must be taken to ensure that cracks do not appear on the surface of the soil. In the case of their formation, this place must necessarily be sprinkled with sand. In addition to oaks, you can use other trees, including olive, citrus and sequoia. For the successful cultivation of truffles, the depth of planting should be 75 cm. This is the only way to ensure reliable protection of underground fungi from frosts, winds and pests. It is strictly prohibited to grow truffles near fir, poplar, willow and chestnut.