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Truffles have always been synonymous with luxury and opulence due to their amazing culinary qualities. However, they are very difficult to find in the wild, so these mushrooms have always had a very high price. For a long time it was believed that growing truffles at home is impossible, but numerous experiments have proven that this is not the case. Today, it is quite possible to grow these mushrooms on your own, if you simulate the necessary conditions for this.
Is it possible to grow a truffle at home
Truffles belong to marsupial mushrooms, tuberous fruit bodies of which develop underground. In total, there are about 40 different types of these mushrooms, but not all of them are edible, and even more so delicacy.
The most valuable are the following types of truffles:
- Perigorsky (Black).
- Piedmontese (Italian).
- Winter.
Under natural conditions, these species grow in the south of France and Switzerland, as well as in northern Italy. In Our Country, one of the types of truffles is found – summer. It grows in the Central region. Sometimes these mushrooms are found in other areas, for example, they are periodically found in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, as well as in the Crimea.
In the wild, the truffle most often grows in broad-leaved forests, forming mycorrhiza with the roots of oak, beech, and hornbeam. It was this property of mushrooms that was used in developing the principles of their artificial cultivation. The first successful attempts to cultivate truffles were made in France at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. Calling this a full-fledged growing cycle is difficult, since the researchers simply simulated the natural environment in which the mycelium of the fungus grows.
The essence of the experiment was as follows. Acorns were collected, taken from those trees under which mushrooms were found in the wild. They were germinated, and then the seedlings were planted in a separate oak grove. Subsequently, truffles were found under many of these oak trees. The method was recognized as successful, and by the end of the 700th century, the total area of such nursery groves was already more than XNUMX square meters. km.
Currently, the delicacy mushroom is cultivated in many countries. In addition to France, truffles are grown in Spain, Great Britain, and the USA. At the beginning of this century, China took the 1st place in the production of mushrooms. In Our Country, truffle cultivation can only be practiced in southern regions with similar climatic conditions. Otherwise, it will be necessary to simulate the microclimate artificially, which will require large material costs.
Technology of growing truffles
Breeding truffles at home is usually done in artificial nursery groves. The basis of the method is the inoculation of oak or hazel seedlings with mycelium of the fungus, followed by planting the latter in the prepared soil of special nurseries. In the following months, strict quarantine is carried out and plantings are monitored. After the mycelium has successfully taken root on the roots of the seedlings, they are planted in a prepared open area.
Truffles can also be grown indoors, in which the necessary microclimate parameters are artificially maintained. In this case, a special oak sawdust substrate is used, on which the mycelium of the fungus develops. Under good conditions, mycorrhiza occurs, and fruiting bodies appear on the mycelium.
Conditions for growing truffles
Before planting oak or hazel seedlings inoculated with mycelium, the site must be prepared. Here are the basic requirements for the normal cultivation and development of mushrooms:
- Well-cultivated, loose soil.
- The presence of a sufficient amount of humus in the soil, an increased content of calcium.
- The acidity of the soil is at least 7,5 (optimally pH = 7,9).
- The absence of any other fungi on the mycelium site.
- Relatively dry climate.
- The average temperature in summer should be kept within + 18-22 °C.
How to grow truffle at home
Unfortunately, the climatic conditions of most of Our Country are very different from the weather conditions of Southern Europe, so it is most likely not possible to grow truffle from mycelium in the Moscow region using the method described above. And besides, not everyone has the opportunity to plant their own oak grove on the site. In this case, you can try to grow a truffle under a single tree, and in areas with an unfavorable climate – in the basement of a house or a greenhouse.
How truffles are grown under trees
You can grow your own truffle under a tree. In regions with warm summers and mild winters, such an experiment may well end successfully. To do this, you will need to plant a seedling, the roots of which have already been inoculated with truffle mycelium. Such planting material can be purchased online or in specialized stores.
Most often, supplier companies offer Lebanese cedar, common hornbeam, pedunculate oak, holm oak, Atlas cedar, Aleppo pine, bear hazel, and European beech as seedlings for cultivation.
Young seedlings are sold, as a rule, in containers of various capacities (depending on their age). After the purchase, the tree is planted on the prepared site. Under favorable conditions, mushroom crops may appear within the next 3-5 years.
How to grow truffles in a greenhouse
You can use the greenhouse to simulate weather conditions in those regions where the climate does not allow growing truffles under trees. This will require significant financial outlays for special equipment, arrangement of heating and air conditioning systems, as well as for soil preparation. It needs to be cleaned of roots, stones, to ensure a normal level of acidity and the presence of necessary trace elements.
As a nutrient medium for growing mushrooms, sawdust of various hardwoods, primarily oak and beech, is used. They are infected with truffle mycelium and placed in a sterile environment until mycorrhiza is formed. This may take up to 1 year. After the mycelium develops, it is planted in a greenhouse, in a prepared soil substrate.
Landing is carried out as follows:
- Deepenings of the order of 0,5-0,6 m are made in the ground, placing them at a distance of 1-2 m from each other.
- Pits are spilled with water and a layer of humus is added to them.
- Sawdust with a truffle mycelium that has developed on them is laid out in the holes, about 1 handful for each hole.
- From above, the mycelium is covered with hay or sawdust.
In the greenhouse, you constantly need to maintain conditions close to ideal. The ambient temperature should be about + 22 ° C, and the relative humidity of the air should be 55-60%. In winter, the soil should be mulched with peat for additional thermal insulation.
How to grow truffles in the country house in the basement
Growing truffles at home all year round is possible using, for example, the basement of the house. To do this, it must be equipped with the same systems as the greenhouse. Basements are more preferable for growing not only truffles, but also any mushrooms in general, since they have much more inertia. They keep the parameters of temperature and humidity more stable, in addition, there is no need to take measures to limit the excess of sunlight.
Accumulating in the process of decomposition of organic residues, CO2 is heavier than air, it can gradually fill the entire basement, and this can be life-threatening.
For the convenience of work, it is desirable to zone the internal space of the basement, that is, to separate the places for growing mycelium and ripening mushrooms directly. Before starting work, the room is equipped with racks for placing containers with the substrate, and it is also disinfected.
Harvesting truffles
In the first few years, the yield of truffles is low. From the age of 4-5 years, the quantity and quality of mushrooms increases significantly. The optimal time for collecting truffles is the beginning of autumn, the first half of September. Fruiting bodies mature underground, which creates serious problems for their search. Therefore, specially trained animals are used to detect truffles – dogs or pigs. Their subtle sense of smell is perfectly adapted to detect mushrooms even under a layer of soil.
Another sign of the presence of truffles in the soil is midges swarming over its location. Insects catch the mushroom smell and gather around in the hope of laying eggs in the fruiting body. These are the places to check first. A growing mushroom resembles a rounded or oblong tuberous potato with a dense shell in shape.
The weight of one mature truffle usually ranges from 0,5 to 1,2 kg. Most of them are located at a depth of 0,15-0,2 m. After being removed from the ground, it is cleaned and laid on straw or a clean cloth.
Video about growing truffles at home:
Methods and terms of storage
Truffles are consumed fresh. Harvested fruiting bodies quickly lose their aroma, and therefore their value. You need to eat them as soon as possible, after 1-2 weeks the fungus can completely deteriorate.
Rice is often used to store truffles; this cereal removes excess moisture. Another way to store these mushrooms is to deep freeze them. Before that, the peeled truffles are oiled, wrapped in foil and placed in a vacuum package. In this state, mushrooms can be stored for up to six months. Before use, they are not thawed, but rubbed on a grater.
Growing truffles as a business
High prices for truffles have always been a good incentive for entrepreneurs who dreamed of starting the artificial cultivation of these wonderful mushrooms. Meanwhile, not all of their types are in high demand. Now the average price for 1 kg of truffle is about 250-300 dollars.
The most serious competitors in this market are China, which provides the most massive supplies of mushrooms at a low price, as well as Australia and New Zealand, which have recently been able to establish artificial mushroom cultivation in their territories. It is thanks to the last two countries located in the Southern Hemisphere that it was possible to significantly smooth out seasonal fluctuations in demand.
Artificial cultivation of truffles can be a good business, but only with the right approach and a significant initial investment. The productivity of a mushroom farm is an unpredictable value, so it is difficult to focus on any payback period in calculations. The first harvest can be obtained no earlier than in 3 years, and not all businessmen are ready to make such long-term investments. Nevertheless, the artificial cultivation of mushrooms can be a good addition to the work of, for example, a large agricultural holding as one of the areas of development.
In Our Country, the demand for truffles has been stable over the past few decades. The average price of one dish of these mushrooms in Moscow restaurants starts at 500 rubles. The wholesale price for mushrooms ranges from 500 to 2000 US dollars per 1 kg.
A short video on the development of a business for growing truffles at home:
Conclusion
Growing truffles at home is possible, but it is associated with high costs and certain risks. But your own mushroom farm can become quite a worthy business, providing income to its owner for many years. The yield from 1 hectare of truffle oak grove can be 40-50 kg, and active fruiting continues for 30-35 years. It is easy to calculate that at high prices for truffles, the costs incurred in such a time will pay off many times over.