Is it possible to grow truffles at home?

Truffles are a renowned delicacy that is admired by gourmets around the world. The unusual taste and complexity of cultivation make these mushrooms a rare and valuable product, the cultivation of which promises a decent profit. If you are thinking of a new business, we suggest you consider growing truffles at home.

Choosing a landing site

The natural habitat for truffles is the southern regions of Europe, where the climate is not too hot and at the same time not too humid. Since these mushrooms are extremely demanding on the environment, only residents of the southern regions can afford to cultivate truffles in the open field in Russia or Ukraine.

Good places to plant truffles include the following:

• open ground. As mentioned above, this option is only suitable for regions with a constantly warm climate, since during the cold season there is a high risk of culture death. For cultivation, a forest belt with deciduous trees - oak, walnut, beech is preferable;
• greenhouse. A mushroom greenhouse can provide ideal micro and macroflora all year round. However, setting up a greenhouse will require a significant financial investment, which can only be justified if you plan to grow truffles as a business. Otherwise, spending on a heating, ventilation, air humidification system and expensive soil will not pay off;
• in the basement. The most frequently suggested option for the query “how to grow a truffle at home”. The basement is good because you do not need to spend money on its construction, and it does not depend on the influence of natural phenomena - wind, hail, snow. However, his equipment will also cost a pretty penny. Moreover, the basement will require additional disinfection and treatment with antibacterial substances.

The planting site, regardless of geographical location, must contain soil, the water balance of which is at the border of neutral and alkaline. In addition, the soil should be saturated with air, humus and calcium. The substrate should not contain stones, large irregularities. It must be treated for parasites and diseases.

As well as simpler representatives of the species - oyster mushrooms and champignons - truffles do not like strong winds, active sun and cold weather. The optimum temperature for breeding is + 20-22 degrees. Animals should not be allowed near the site, other flowers, trees and shrubs should not grow there.

Landing features

Modern mushroom pickers cultivate three main varieties of gourmet mushrooms: white, black and Chinese. Each of them can be found in natural conditions and try to grow planting material from the mycelium on their own.

Truffles grow on oaks and beeches. You can grow a crop on the sawdust of trees or on their root system. The first method is easier because it is easier to work with at home.

Shredded trees are infected with mycelium and placed in a sterile, warm place until mycorrhiza forms - the union of the spores of the fungus and the tree. When the mycorrhiza has taken root, it can be used for planting. However, this will not happen earlier than in a year.

An easier option would be to buy ready-made planting material from a trusted supplier.Such material is often sold already in a substrate, which is planted in the soil in small handfuls. For this, holes are dug 25–75 cm deep at a distance of 2 square meters. m apart. Before planting, water is poured into the hole, a layer of humus is laid, and a layer of hay or sawdust (up to 200 mm thick) is placed on top of the mycelium.

It is better to plant the future mushroom in open ground in late spring or early summer, when there will be no frost guaranteed. You can plant mycelium in the basement and greenhouse at any time of the year.

Care and growing rules

Indoor truffles can benefit from supplements containing copper, boron, zinc, calcium and iron. Nitrogen, phosphate and potassium fertilizers will not be superfluous. In a forest area, top dressing is best done not in the place of planting of the mushroom, but in the ground near the tree on which the truffle grows.

This culture does not tolerate weeds, fallen and dry foliage, other plants, except for those useful to it, on the site. Poplar, spruce and chestnut are especially negative for it. Also, the culture does not tolerate interaction with animals, in particular pigs, which are considered "hunters" for truffles.

In winter, plants in open ground are mulched to protect the planting site from freezing as much as possible. In the spring, the land should be treated against parasites and pests.

Harvesting

It takes about 5 years to form the crop, during which a fruit with a dense, embossed rounded shell is formed underground at a depth of 20–45 cm. It is the fruit part that is eaten.

During harvesting, the mushrooms are carefully dug up. Any damage to the fruit negatively affects not only the appearance (the mushroom can rot), but also the taste. To avoid crop losses, dig up the truffles carefully and place them on a flat surface with a layer of soft straw.

The average weight of a mature mushroom is 500–1200 g, and the total weight of the crop can exceed 9 kg.

Is it possible to do a truffle business

Since growing a truffle at home is an energy-intensive process, farmers want reimbursement as soon as possible. However, the duration of the ripening of the culture and certain difficulties in growing do not make it possible to get a quick profit.

Nevertheless, income can be almost 300% of the deposit amount. Truffles have been in constant demand on the Russian market for the last 20 years. Currently, the average price for 1 kg of mushroom is 56 thousand rubles. The average price in a Moscow restaurant for a truffle dish varies in the range of 500-1000 rubles.

In addition to restaurants, you can offer your products to manufacturers of spices. The strong aroma of this mushroom is also felt in truffle oil, for the manufacture of which manufacturers buy fruits in bulk.

Taking into account the development trends of modern restaurant cuisine, truffle growing can become not only profitable, but also a fashionable business.

Video "How to grow a truffle"

Learn how to grow a truffle yourself in this video.

A mushroom called "truffle" is probably familiar to everyone, but only a few were able to appreciate its taste. This is not at all surprising, because all over the world it is recognized as a delicacy, and the price per kilogram can reach thousands of dollars. Therefore, even having found such a product on store shelves, not everyone can afford to buy it even for a test.

The high cost and valuable nutritional properties of the truffle are attracting more and more people who are trying to grow it on their own in order to get a very good income. How truffles are grown at home and whether it is possible to make your dreams come true, we will find out in this article.

Briefly about the delicacy

More recently, the French were engaged in the cultivation of such mushrooms, they called this product "black diamond".Today, they are trying to grow the delicacy in different parts of our planet, and this process most often ends successfully if this event uses an effective technology developed by specialists.

Currently, not only black but also porcini mushrooms are valued.

It is these varieties that are used by the most famous culinary experts around the world to create their masterpieces.

Such a plant can be safely attributed to unpredictable and even mysterious, since their life activity takes place underground and remains a mystery even for specialists. How the fungus develops depends primarily on what kind of tree, or rather on what roots, it conducts its parasitic activity.

And do not be surprised, this expensive delicacy is classified as a parasite, although it is probably not entirely true to talk about these mushrooms this way. Of course, these plants take their nourishment from the roots, using their own filaments, which are wrapped around the roots of shrubs or trees. But at the same time, mushrooms also benefit their so-called breadwinners, saturating them with moisture and providing protection against harmful microorganisms.

How to grow truffles yourself

It is, of course, possible to grow a "black nutritious diamond" with your own hands, but for a successful process you must follow the basic rules, and the growing technology should in no case be changed, otherwise the chance of success will be zero:

• provide the material with optimal conditions for growth and development;
• find the most favorable site for growing;
• choose a suitable soil;
• purchase quality material for disembarkation.

Optimal conditions for growing a delicacy

First of all, you need to create favorable conditions for the product for growth and development. The created parameters must correspond to a warm, temperate climate, if the temperature indicator is constantly changing, it is better not to try to grow a valuable product. If the climate in the region is favorable, then the chance to grow mushrooms increases significantly.

Purchase of special seedlings

The next step is to buy seedlings, which can be easily purchased from specialized stores. It is best to buy seedlings of such trees:

• hazel;
• hazel;
• oak.

Any kind of seedling must necessarily be grafted with spores of a black or porcini mushroom. It is impossible to say how much such material will cost, since the price most often depends on the region in which the product is sold.

Choosing a place for planting a seedling

It is imperative to carefully choose the place for planting the purchased seedling:

1. The chosen place should be fenced off from animals, both domestic and wild.
2. In this area, the scorching sun should not constantly shine, it is important that there are no drafts.
3. You should try to clear the selected area from other vegetation that will interfere with the growth and development of the new plantation.

Of course, you will have to make a lot of efforts, but there is certainly no other way to create ideal conditions for growing a valuable product.

See also: How much boiled mushrooms can be stored in the refrigerator

Suitable soil

Both black and white truffles will not grow in the wrong soil. Many people know that mushrooms of all varieties thrive in alkaline soil. You should not abandon the idea if it turns out that the soil on the site is not alkaline, but acidic. Lime will help stabilize the parameters. It must be bought in a specialized store, applied to the soil according to the instructions before planting seedlings.

Staged landing

The soil in the selected area must be treated with a herbicide in advance. Not every type of drug is suitable for this process, experts advise choosing a composition that contains ammonium glufosinate, which can rapidly decompose. As already mentioned, the treatment must be carried out in advance so as not to harm the mycelium.

Seedlings are planted in open ground in early spring, when there will be no more frost on the soil:

• the depth of the planting hole should be 60-70 cm. Before planting a tree, it is watered abundantly with settled water;
• before loading the green plantation, the root system must be carefully straightened, fertile nutritious soil is poured over the roots;
• it is recommended to lay a layer of mulch on top of the ground, you can use fallen leaves or sawdust;
• in order for the seedlings to take root faster, they need to be fed with special fertilizers;
• in severe frost, it is recommended to cover the seedlings with a plastic bag.

When can you harvest

To get the expected harvest, you will have to wait 3-4 years. Of course, the period is very long, but over the next 20 years, if the rules of care are constantly observed, you can easily collect a valuable delicacy both for sale and for self-preparation of unusually delicious dishes.

It is quite easy to see white or black truffles, they usually grow in groups of 5-8 pieces, the soil will slightly rise under the fruits. To remove them from the ground, you will have to go deeper by about 15-20 centimeters, and the weight of the "black diamond" can vary from 500 grams to 1.3 kilograms. When digging up the fruit, you need to use a small spatula, carry out the process carefully so as not to damage both the product itself and the root system of the trees.

If the climate of the region is favorable, you are ready to spend time and energy on preparing the territory and waiting for the harvest, then you can safely try to start growing truffles at home and, of course, do not forget to believe in success.

Growing truffles - mushrooms that the vast majority of people saw only in pictures, is this business really generating fabulous income? And is it so easy to implement such a project for a novice entrepreneur in Russia, where truffles are extremely rare? Read today's article and you will find out how to grow a truffle in Russia - in an ordinary greenhouse.

Business brief analysis: Costs of organizing a business: from 200 thousand rubles Relevant for cities with a population: for rural areas Situation in the industry: an emerging market Complexity of organizing a business: 3/5 Payback: from 1 season

Probably every man in the street dreams of earning a lot quickly and, most importantly, a lot. And only those people who have ever tried to create their own business understand that this can only be in “Hollywood fairy tales” or in books. In life every million is worth months and years of hard work, deprivation and rejection of everything that the same man in the street is often unable to refuse. The question of time in creating their own successful business is of great concern to many. However, nevertheless, someone chooses projects with a payback period of 5-6 years or more, others - in 2-3 years, and still others - want to recoup the costs in a few months. Which category do you belong to?

It should be noted right away that even the cultivation of porcini mushrooms - the "elite" of the mushroom kingdom, and even more so the cultivation of oyster mushrooms and honey agarics, or champignons - cannot be compared in terms of profitability with truffles. For example, how much does a mushroom truffle cost at the purchase price in elite restaurants? Up to 2 euros for 1 gram! And one mushroom weighs from 100 to 200 grams, and can even reach 700 g in weight! Agree, a very tempting prospect ?!

The only negative is that the indicated price is paid for a black truffle harvested in the south of France. The Russian truffle mushroom, which grows in its native forests, is of somewhat inferior quality and taste, and therefore much cheaper. The most expensive truffle is a white Italian truffle grown in the province of Tuscany. Its price is from 1500 euros per 1 kilo. Truffles are artificially grown in China in literally tens of tons, but, unfortunately, like many Chinese goods, the quality of such mushrooms leaves much to be desired.

Truffles in nature

Before you start considering a truffle growing business idea, you need to get acquainted with its natural habitat in our country. Many readers probably know that truffles grow underground. But few other details are known to few:

• only one type of truffle grows naturally in Russia - summer truffle. Most often found in the central part of Russia on the Black Sea coast;
• truffles "prefer" deciduous forests (beech, hornbeam, oak groves), forming a kind of symbiosis with tree roots, which is one of the most important factors for the life and growth of mushrooms. In other words, without a tree nearby, the truffle simply cannot survive. Moreover, in Italy, the mushroom grows next to birch, mountain ash, poplar, and linden - i.e. all those trees that are most often found in our country. In other words, the prerequisites for growing truffles in Russia are created by nature itself. The only obstacle to its full maturation is the short summer and a slightly different type of soil.

This is interesting: truffle has been known as a delicacy for a very long time. Moreover, from time immemorial, it was harvested with the help of pigs, which smelled "delicacy" for several tens of meters. But very soon the man gave up the "pigs" in search of truffles, as they encroached on the prey, which they rightly considered their own, and began to use specially trained dogs.

Growing truffles at home

In order to grow truffles at home, several methods are used. We will consider only two - the most optimal, the most suitable for Russia, and successfully tested by domestic mushroom growers:

1. how to grow a truffle in a greenhouse;
2. and how to grow a truffle in its natural environment - in the forest.

Growing truffles in a greenhouse

For a long time it was believed that from the "capriciousness" of these mushrooms, it is almost impossible to recreate the conditions for growing them at home. But, as it turned out, when certain conditions are created, the truffle can be grown even in a greenhouse in the country... About what kind of business you can still do with your own six hundred square meters, read this link -

What is needed for this? First of all, prepare the necessary seed - mushroom mycelium and nutrients for planting:

• land taken from the topsoil in a deciduous or mixed forest along with tree leaves;
• a nutrient solution containing npk-fertilizers (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium);
• freshly cut wood of those tree species (in the form of sawdust or shavings) that are more suitable for those types of truffles that are supposed to be cultivated. The best tree for this is oak.

Growing mushrooms in a greenhouse step by step is as follows:

1. prepare the soil in the greenhouse by sifting it before backfilling in order to saturate with oxygen and remove stones, carefully controlling its acidity, which should not exceed 7.5 units;
2. pour a layer of sawdust or shavings on the beds with prepared soil;
3. mix the mycelium with a small amount of soil treated with npk fertilizers;
4. pour the resulting mixture onto a layer of sawdust or shavings;

Now you can “forget” about truffles for a month, occasionally watering the plantings in moderation (these mushrooms do not like high humidity) and weeding out weeds, which truffles “do not like” very much.

After a month, you can try to harvest the first crop, however, you should not immediately hope for stunning results - it takes at least a year for the mycelium to fully take root. Therefore, the first truffle harvest can be a little disappointing for a beginner mushroom grower.

The main "peak" of yield is observed 3-4 years after planting, the number of mushrooms will increase every year.

Creation of a "truffle forest"

This is not an exaggeration at all.People who are seriously involved in growing truffles plant entire forests to obtain a valuable product in conditions that are as close to natural as possible. For this purpose, the seedlings of the necessary trees are specially infected with mushroom mycelium, and in the spring they are planted in open ground.

Why is a tree needed? Can't a truffle grow on its own? No. We have already mentioned the symbiosis that the fungus forms with the tree, receiving from it all the substances useful and necessary for its growth - carbohydrates, amino acids, trace elements. But symbiosis is a mutually beneficial "partnership", and the truffle, in turn, gives phosphorus and various minerals to the tree. If the tree for growing truffles is chosen correctly, then both plants feel "comfortable" and grow quickly and fully. The ideal "partner" for truffles in this respect is oak. This is what most experienced mushroom growers use.

Seedlings infected with mycelium are planted in the soil at a distance of 5 meters from each other and 4 meters between rows. It should be borne in mind that it is impractical to plant more than half a thousand trees on an area of ​​1 hectare.

Fertilize the soil, in order to avoid the death of the mycelium before planting, in this case it is impossible. The maximum "chemical treatment" is the introduction of ammonium glufosinate, a herbicide that inhibits the growth of weeds, into the soil.

The depth of the pit for planting a truffle is up to 75 cm. This is necessary to protect the truffle from wind, soil freezing, and pests. Before planting the seedling, you need to pour a small amount of water into the dug hole, another watering - after filling the young shoot with soil.

Around each planted tree with a radius of 40-50 cm is laid a layer of mulch up to 10 cm deep, consisting of ordinary forest land with the remains of the leaves of the same trees or oak. You can also cover this surface near the seedling with plastic wrap.

However, not every terrain is suitable for planting such a "truffle forest". First of all, you need to pay attention to the location of the landing region above sea level. Above 1000 and below 100 meters can be ignored. The best option is within 500 (plus or minus 100) meters above sea level.

It is also necessary to conduct an examination of the soil for:

• resistance to water erosion. In other words, does the washing away or destruction of the upper fertile layer occur in this region under the influence of temporary water flows (rain, melt water, etc.) and wind.
• the thickness of the fertile soil layer, which should be at least 10-15 cm.
• the level of alkali contained in it. This can be done with a simple experiment: dip a litmus paper into the ground. If the indicator turns blue, it is an indicator of ideal soil for truffles.

This is interesting: you can find out that the truffles have grown and are ready to harvest by looking at the small bumps on the ground around the tree.

By the way, experienced mushroom growers prune the branches and trunk of a tree "infected" with mycelium. The “correct” height of such a tree should be no more than 1 meter, and its shape should look like an inverted cone.

If you plant saplings with mycelium in the spring, then the appearance of ripe truffles can be expected by autumn - early September. However, it is better to give the mushrooms as much time as possible - from 4 to 6 weeks before full maturation.

Ripe mushroom is black in color with a characteristic earthy smell with a nutty tinge. Unripe truffles are reddish in appearance. Truffles are dug up after discovery in much the same way as potatoes, only with greater care so as not to damage the mycelium.

Sales of products

The only thing you can be absolutely sure of is that there will always be a truffle distribution channel. It can also be elite restaurants in megacities in the country that can pay big money for elite delicacies, and, if you're lucky, the quality will meet all the conditions, foreign centers of gourmet cuisine. As a result, there will be only one problem - how not to get too cheap with the sale.

Table of contents:

1. Suitable conditions for growing truffles
2. Truffle growing process
3. Soil selection
4. Planting partner trees
5. Tree care - partners
6. Harvesting

Man has been eating mushrooms since ancient times. One of the most amazing representatives of this family is the truffle. This mushroom is not only well absorbed in the body, but also has an unforgettable taste (it can be used to prepare delicious dishes, including julienne with mushrooms and chicken). Perhaps this is why truffle is considered the most expensive mushroom in the world. But, despite its high cost, this mushroom is widely used in cooking. Currently, two types of truffles are grown - white and black. Most often, these mushrooms are found in France. This raises a legitimate question, how to grow a truffle in Russia? To do this, you just need to provide the necessary conditions for the mushrooms.

Suitable conditions for growing truffles

It is necessary to start with the fact that the truffle is a rather capricious mushroom. The conditions for its growth depend on many factors. One of them is mycorrhiza, that is, the symbiosis of a fungus and a tree. As a result of such mutually beneficial "cooperation", the mushroom receives amino acids, carbohydrates and other substances necessary for its growth from the tree. And the mycelium helps the tree to be saturated with phosphorus and minerals. It has been noticed that as a result of mycorrhiza, trees absorb phosphorus much faster than with roots. If such interaction is well developed, then the mushroom grows much faster, because it receives everything it needs from its partner.

Truffles are very mushrooms dependent on mycorrhiza. They interact best with oak trees. But oak is far from the only tree that prefers truffle. The host tree can be: chestnut, linden, hornbeam, hazelnuts. A symbiosis of truffles with some conifers has also been noticed.

The right climate for truffles

Climate is the second factor that affects the growth of a truffle. These mushrooms grow well in areas with moderate climates and little rainfall. Therefore, in cold areas with a long winter period, these mushrooms do not grow. The balance between rainy and sunny days also plays a big role in the development of a truffle. Is it possible to grow a truffle on the territory of our homeland? The unequivocal answer is yes, because the climate of central Russia with the most optimal combination of rainy springs, sunny summers and changeable autumn has the most favorable effect on the growth of these capricious mushrooms.

Spring rains favor mycorrhiza, the summer sun provides the mycorrhiza with everything you need, and mild autumn ripens.

Suitable terrain for truffles

Not all terrain is suitable for truffles. The optimal area is considered to be about 500 meters above sea level. This fastidious mushroom considers heights below 100 meters and more than 1000 to be unworthy for its growth. The moisture content of the soil should not exceed 70%, the terrain should be gentle, but at the same time protected from the cold wind.

Truffle growing process

The whole process of growing truffles can be roughly divided into four stages:

Stage 1. Selecting a growth-friendly soil.

Stage 2. Germination of fungal embryos.

Stage 3. Transfer of grown embryos into soil.

Stage 4. Harvesting.

Under strict observance of all these conditions, truffles are quite realistic to grow on the territory of Russia, just as many grow mushrooms at home. The southern regions are especially relevant for this. But first things first.

Soil selection

Before growing a truffle, it is important to choose the right planting site. To select the most favorable soil, it is recommended to take soil samples and send them for laboratory analysis. The site you choose must meet the following requirements:

• Resistant to water erosion.
• Optimal ratio of wind and sun.
• The fertile layer ranges from 10 to 30 centimeters.
• The angle of inclination is no more than 15 degrees.

In addition, calcium, lime and other organic substances must be present in the soil for the favorable growth of fungi. The site you choose should be rich in nitrogen, carbon and minerals. This will serve the best mycorrhiza.

The alkali level in the soil also plays an important role. In order to check the soil for the presence of alkali, it is enough to dip a litmus paper into the ground. If it turns blue, it means that the soil is suitable for your purposes. If not, then you will have to look for another site. Or, alternatively, increase the acidity of the soil with fertilizers.

Planting partner trees

To create a truffle plantation, you will need host trees with already formed truffle mycorrhiza. As a rule, they are chosen from breeds that are closer to your region. The most optimal for these purposes are oak and hazel. In extreme cases, they can be replaced with linden, chestnut or hornbeam.

It is better to plant plants according to the principle of 5x4 m.Thus, on one hectare of the plantation there should be no more than 500 trees.

The soil should not be fertilized before planting seedlings. This can lead to the death of the truffle embryos. In addition, the roots of the host tree should be handled with care.

1. Each hole intended for planting is slightly moistened with water.
2. Then the tree is covered with earth and watered abundantly. The recommended planting depth is about 70 centimeters... Thus, the truffle will be reliably protected from various external influences.
3. The topsoil of each tree is covered with straw or twigs for protection. Fallen oak leaves are also good for these purposes.
4. The seedlings can be protected with ordinary plastic wrap. The radius of the soil protected in this way must be at least 40 centimeters.

Avoid poplars, willows, fir and spruce near the host trees. This neighborhood will negatively affect the growth of truffles.

When vegetation dies around the selected tree (usually this happens in the 4th and 7th year from its planting), the soil is not subjected to any influences other than removing weeds. In the spring, when the plants bear fruit and the sun warms the earth, it is recommended to loosen the soil around the host tree. This will stimulate the growth of the truffle. So that the soil does not dry out and to maintain an optimal growth environment, the soil can be covered with straw or spruce branches. If there is no rainfall for a long period, the plantation must be watered. It is best to do this in a drip method. If watering is neglected, then the mycelium will die.

Tree care - partners

When learning how to grow truffles at home, pay due attention to their partner trees. They also need to be protected from pests and animals. You also need to prune your branches periodically. This is done to improve mycorrhiza. Moreover, one should take into account the fact that not only the branches are cut off, but also the trunk of the tree. This allows the sun's rays to penetrate the soil unhindered, promoting the growth of fungi. Ideally, trees should not be more than 1 meter high and resemble an inverted cone in shape.

If the plantation is created under already large trees, then they must be pruned and the crowns thinned. In winter, you can cut down excess trees that prevent the soil from receiving full sunlight.

Harvesting

Typically, truffles begin to appear in early autumn, but until they are fully ripe, you need to wait another 8-10 weeks.

It is quite simple to distinguish ripe truffles: they have a rich black color and aroma. In unripe mushrooms, the color is reddish.

If all conditions are met, the black truffle can be harvested between November and March. The white variety ripens much earlier.

Harvesting truffles is like digging up potatoes in the country. But there is still a difference. Unlike potatoes, truffles are removed carefully so as not to damage the mycelium. Remember to pick only fully ripe mushrooms!

For harvesting, you can use specially trained animals such as pigs or dogs. They can easily find truffles by smell. Perhaps that is why it is recommended to pick these mushrooms at night. At this time of day, their aroma is most expressive. Average, from 1 hectare you can get about 100 kilograms of mushrooms... And under the most favorable conditions and more.

After proper processing, these mushrooms keep pretty well. They can be stored dried or frozen.

Would you like to grow truffles on your site? Or do you think this is too time consuming undertaking? Share your opinion in the comments.