When to grow morels
The hose mushrooms are typical spring species and mark the start of the mushroom season. Depending on the regional location and weather, you can find the first mushrooms as early as March. The main season for this species is from April to June.
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The harvest window
In the foothills of the Alps, morels sprout in spring at the earliest from March and usually at the beginning of April. By May they have finished their growth phase and the subsequent spore spread. In central Germany, the season is postponed about two weeks. Here you can harvest the edible mushrooms between the second week of April and the end of May.
Morels need that
The decisive factor for a rich mushroom year is the weather. Morchella esculenta has special requirements in terms of temperature and humidity. It is less important for fungal growth whether the winter was poor in snow, rich in precipitation, short or long. Rather, it depends on the conditions in spring, when the fungus is already growing.
What affects growth
The table morel needs a combination of warm temperatures, moisture and a good supply of nutrients in spring. Rainy spring months with temperatures around freezing point have a negative effect on development. If the thermometer rises in the double-digit range during the rainy season, the fungal threads, which are united in knots, grow and form a fruiting body. In the same way, strong sunlight in combination with large amounts of snow has an effect, because the sun warms the ground and ensures a good moisture balance. Calm conditions also favor the occurrence of fungi.
Unfavorable factors:
- prolonged drought
- cold temperatures
- violent winds
- little or no precipitation
Harvest tips
To preserve the yield, you can use the Dry morels. At 50 degrees and with circulating air, the fruiting bodies lose their moisture within a few hours. The drying process in the sun is gentler. Small specimens can be dried whole, while large mushroom bodies should be cut in half.
Where to look
Food morels belong to the formative Image of alluvial and deciduous forests or meadows, where they colonize a variety of habitats. Occasionally they can be found in orchards and bushes. Soils rich in humus and calcareous are important. Morel species rarely grow on sandy and acidic soils. If you want to collect the mushrooms, watch out for ash trees and fruit trees. Wild garlic is an indicator plant for lime-rich, moist and nutrient-rich soils, which is why you can expect morels in a sea of wild garlic leaves.
Tips
When cowslips or forsythia are in bloom, you should go looking for them. At the appropriate locations and with optimal weather conditions, you have a good chance of a rich morel harvest.
