Morel (Morchella) Cultivation attempts

[jpcyan2]

SPORE SLURRY: About 30 morels were cut, split, and soaked for 12 hrs, in one gallon of water with salt added to remove the bugs, mites and any debris. The mushrooms were strained out and soon after cooked and consumed. MMMMM yummy.

I added 2 tbs of molasses to the soak water and added it to a bucket with an air stone and pump to brew. I added one more gallon of water , 2tbsp of salt, and 1 more tsp of molasses. 24 hrs later the bucket was almost overflowing with foam.

I chose a location were there were currently morels fruiting. cleared off the leaves and debris, and slowly poured the solution over the area. Making sure to pour along the roots of the Elm tree. 90% of my finds are under dying or recently dead elms in the upper forest areas here.

I then recovered with leaves and some straw and will make sure the area doesnt dry out too much over summer.
Next spring will be the first possible indication that his project succeeded.

 

[Deebs]

This is soo awesome @jpcyan2~ If this works out this will be amazing. Also using a spot which already shows to have a symbiotic relationship to the mycelium is exactly what I was wanting to try also.....nature amazes me, i cant wait to see how this turns out for you next spring

 

[jpcyan2]

I have a few more methods to try. Gonna try a couple whole mushroom/ pieces slurries, injected into sterilized rice jars. Also saved all the bases and possibly even got a couple sclerotia to go into containers directly with a substrate mix. I need to cut some fresh sawdust, and wood pieces. Might try a few soils from different areas where I have located mushrooms this year.
I'll do at least one or two more outdoor beds, and see what I can do in containers indoor as well.
I dont have great confidence that any will produce fruit, but it's easy enough to try while I have the fresh mushies available.

 

[macsnax]

Way cool I want to do some stuff like this down the road. If you figure out how to grow those things indoors, let a mofo know lol

 

[Deebs]

Any signs of mycelium growth @jpcyan2? You probably know I am keeping a watchful eye on this thread lol, cant remember if you said you took cultures or not..

 

[Deebs]

Hey @jpcyan2 , This looked really interesting, thought I would throw it your way

Gardening with Landscape Black Morels

The Everything Mushrooms Landscape Black Morel Spawn is composed of a recently described species of morel – Morchella importuna. In a paper by Kuo, et al (2012) they explain the importun…

everythingmushrooms.com

 

[jpcyan2]

No signs of mycelial growth yet. But the outdoor patches I dont expect any visual signs until and if, it fruits next spring.

I did a blender slurry using a whole mushroom. Cleaned and saltwater soaked. I hit two rice jars with it, from a syringe.
Within days I had multiple colors of mold and bacteria completely engulfing the rice. It was discarded in the compost pile.

The remainder of the slurry I dumped in the area where they were naturally popping up along the roots of the elm trees.
Most of the stems butts were also lightly blended in a slurry. Molasses was added, aerated in the bucket as before, and poured over areas that had fruited and along elm roots.

I have refrigerated a couple of the stem butts with soil attached, and what may be sclerotia. Once I have some agar ready, I will try to remove some of the inner tissue and transfer as cleanly as possible. I also cut some sawdust and chips, and will just plants some rehydrated pieces in a mix with a layer of sand in the bottom, and a sawdust/soil mix.

I tried to get spores from a couple fresh specimens. They are not visible with out a pretty powerful microscope, making it very difficult to determine if I actually got any lol. I did get plenty of mushroom mites and tiny bugs. I dont think this provided anything usable.

That's an interesting article. I haven't seen the process they describe in any other source. I'm not sure I fully understand it.

There is so much info, and mis-information out there, and very little actual documented successes. Unless you count ytube vids. I just dont trust that it is as easy as some of those make it seem. Most show how to build a bed, but dont show it actually growing any lol.

 

[macsnax]

No signs of mycelial growth yet. But the outdoor patches I dont expect any visual signs until and if, it fruits next spring.

I did a blender slurry using a whole mushroom. Cleaned and saltwater soaked. I hit two rice jars with it, from a syringe.
Within days I had multiple colors of mold and bacteria completely engulfing the rice. It was discarded in the compost pile.

The remainder of the slurry I dumped in the area where they were naturally popping up along the roots of the elm trees.
Most of the stems butts were also lightly blended in a slurry. Molasses was added, aerated in the bucket as before, and poured over areas that had fruited and along elm roots.

I have refrigerated a couple of the stem butts with soil attached, and what may be sclerotia. Once I have some agar ready, I will try to remove some of the inner tissue and transfer as cleanly as possible. I also cut some sawdust and chips, and will just plants some rehydrated pieces in a mix with a layer of sand in the bottom, and a sawdust/soil mix.

I tried to get spores from a couple fresh specimens. They are not visible with out a pretty powerful microscope, making it very difficult to determine if I actually got any lol. I did get plenty of mushroom mites and tiny bugs. I dont think this provided anything usable.

That's an interesting article. I haven't seen the process they describe in any other source. I'm not sure I fully understand it.

There is so much info, and mis-information out there, and very little actual documented successes. Unless you count ytube vids. I just dont trust that it is as easy as some of those make it seem. Most show how to build a bed, but dont show it actually growing any lol.

I hope it works out for you buddy, then I'll know what to do lol

 

[jpcyan2]

My expectations for indoor cultivation are not high at all. Without a doubt, Morel is the most difficult variety I've ever tried to cultivate.
Thanks for the good vibes on my attempts though

 

[macsnax]

I'm pulling for ya, sending some good mycelial vibes your way. I wonder how the info on how to grow these indoors is being passed? I know there multiple ops don't it on a commercial scale. Who is the Mr Miyagi of morels 🤣

 

[jpcyan2]

Good article on who, where, and how it has been done.

Resources: Morel Mushroom Cultivation - The Mushroom Growers' Newsletter

www.mushroomcompany.com

 

[macsnax]

Good article on who, where, and how it has been done.

Resources: Morel Mushroom Cultivation - The Mushroom Growers' Newsletter

www.mushroomcompany.com

Interesting and it sounds like with instruction to the first technique that people were still failing. I can get stuck on things that are hard to figure out, like stuck as in I won't quit messing with it until I figure it out. I think there's plenty of other species for me to play with before I go there lol.

 

[stiickygreen]

We had really good luck last year here finding morels. This year....it's just too dry. Saw one the other day but only because I've been watering that area.

Like em.... but not enough to grow em.

 

[Deebs]

We had really good luck last year here finding morels. This year....it's just too dry. Saw one the other day but only because I've been watering that area.

Like em.... but not enough to grow em.

I didn't have as much luck last year either, was probably the worst in the past few years, from a yield perspective. There is quite a living to be made if this process was streamlined, and figured out. They are quite expensive to purchase, and i know many chefs that want all of my personal pickings every year...I kick em a pound or 2 nothing significant total....just something for themselves and their families.

 

[Deebs]

Was reading this and feel some good information present..

Morel and morel excited! - Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms - Shroomery Message Board

Thanks to Workman and greysRDbest there are some great threads on topia regarding morel cultivation. Based on this inspiration and the programmable greenhouse (http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat

www.shroomery.org

 

[GthaEnigma]

Anxiously awaiting results of your attempt. I know a few places where they fruit in cottonwood litter. Would love to amplify a colony like that.