2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Everyone knows the first spring mushroom called "morel". It has an unusual shape, but very tasty. A story about how you can grow this mushroom in your garden
A little about morels
The first mentions of morels date back to the 4th century. BC NS. It is known that in ancient Rome they were considered a delicacy, they were included in the imperial cuisine and served to aristocrats. Today morels are in demand and highly valued by gourmets.
This mushroom, in central Russia, is harvested in April-May, when night frosts recede and the ground still holds melt water. They are found everywhere: in mixed forests, on forest edges, in small forests, in clearings and along forest paths.
The body of the mushroom has a peculiar shape, with an interesting cap, consisting of folds and cellular waves. Morels are divided into field and forest morels. If we talk about cultivation, then only conical and common morels are used.
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Conical morel has a dark brown, pointed conical cap. On the surface there are cells of regular shape, the edges of which are almost rectangular. The width of the cap is about 2 cm, but in large specimens it can reach 4. The height of the cap is 2-8 cm. The leg is whitish-yellow, may have grooves, its dimensions are small: thickness 1.5 cm, height 3-4. In addition to forests, he prefers open places in fields and wastelands. Found in groves, gardens.
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Morel common can be distinguished by the irregular shape of the cap, which resembles an ovoid, bell-shaped shape. The cells on its surface are more rounded and deeper, located in different directions, and do not have an exact shape. Color from dark yellow to any shades of brown. Prefers to grow in parks and deciduous forests. It is considered the tallest among morels, 7-15 cm. The bottom of the cap does not adhere to the leg, which is rather long (3-12 cm). Loves light deciduous forests, glades, often found under aspen and linden trees.
The unusual appearance of morels alarms collectors. If you look at the reference books, then morels are conditionally edible. They do contain gelwellic acid and hermetrin, which are considered to be toxins. But these substances are neutralized with a 5-minute boil and mushrooms, after washing, are quite edible.
Morels are delicious fried, stewed, and also in soups and as mushroom caviar. They have a persistent pleasant odor, which surpasses even the aroma of boletus mushrooms, even in dried form.
Growing morels
Morels have been breeding for more than a hundred years. The largest factories are located in China and the USA. In Russia, they prefer to breed privately. Consider how to grow this mushroom in your backyard.
For a successful result, it is important to remember that for growing you need to create conditions close to natural. The cultivation of these mushrooms is possible on lawns, and in the beds, and in the aisles of apple trees.
Site preparation for sowing
It is better to prepare the area for sowing mushrooms in the fall. The place should be well warmed up by the sun and, if possible, located on a hill. It is better if the soil is loamy or sandy loam. The beds are located across the main slope, no more than one and a half meters wide. This will ensure easy maintenance and collection. Apple pomace, chopped spoiled apples with a shallow embedment are brought onto the surface of the garden.
Further, straw, cardboard, and paper are burned on the surface. Then they again sprinkle with earth, and the next layer is laid out from the soil collected from the place of natural growth or any land from the forest.
Planting material
Developed, full-fledged fruit bodies are selected in the forest. The ripe cap is separated from the leg and crushed into slices (1 cm thick). For subsequent plantings, you need to select the best specimens from the resulting crop. On sale there is a mycelium "Royal Morel", which can be planted until August.
Planting morels and care
In the spring, the prepared soil is watered abundantly, mushroom caps cut into slices or purchased mycelium are sown. They are covered with a layer of forest litter (3-5 cm), covered with spruce branches, and systematically watered all summer. To root mycelium and stimulate its growth, it is recommended to use nutrient solutions for irrigation, for example, Baikal-EM-1. Improves fruiting by introducing microelements or sprinkling the beds with ash.
In early spring, the "insulation" is removed and soon a harvest awaits you: 3 weeks after the snow melts, mushrooms appear. Fees are 2 kg per square meter, under favorable conditions up to 5 kg.
After collecting the beds for the summer, they are again covered with spruce branches, periodically watered to prevent the mycelium from drying out. Every year they need to be fertilized with ash, ash or apple trees. waste. Such care allows harvesting for several years (up to 5 years).
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