The Latest Morel Mushroom Cultivation Techniques and Methods Tutorial

Morel Mushroom Cultivation Techniques

The morel mushroom is commonly known as sheep tripe vegetable or sheep tripe mushroom. It is named because the surface of its cap is uneven and its shape closely resembles a sheep's tripe (stomach). It is a very precious natural tonic, rich in protein, multiple vitamins and more than 20 kinds of amino acids, with a delicious taste and rich nutrition. Morel mushrooms are divided into two types: naturally grown and artificially cultivated. Currently, artificially cultivated morel mushrooms are more common on the market. The cultivation techniques for morel mushrooms are as follows.

Cultivation Conditions for Morel Mushrooms

1. Temperature and humidity: Morel mushrooms are low-temperature, high-humidity fungi. They mostly appear after rain from March to May each spring, and occasionally appear from August to September in autumn, but in very small numbers. Morel mushrooms have a long growth period. In addition to requiring relatively low temperatures, they also need a large temperature difference, which can stimulate mycelium differentiation. The mycelium growth temperature is 21-24°C; the primordium formation temperature is 16-21°C; the fruiting body formation and development temperature is 4.4-16°C, with humidity of about 65%-85%. For this reason, the cultivation time should be placed in November to December as much as possible.

2. Sunlight: Weak scattered light is beneficial to the growth and development of morel fruiting bodies, while strong direct light has an adverse effect.

3. Soil: The soil pH requirement is about 6.5-7.5. Neutral or slightly alkaline soil is beneficial to the growth of morel mushrooms. Morel mushrooms often grow in limestone or chalk soil. They can grow in humus soil, black and yellow loam, and sandy mixed soil.

4. Air: In dark places and in excessively thick fallen leaf layers, morel mushrooms rarely appear, and even when they do, their quality is relatively poor. Sufficient oxygen is essential for the normal growth and development of morel mushrooms.

Morel Mushroom Substrate Formulas

1. Sawdust 75%, bran 20%, phosphate fertilizer 1%, gypsum 1%, humus soil 3%.

2. Cottonseed hulls 75%, bran 20%, gypsum 1%, lime 1%, humus soil 3%.

3. Corncob 40% (crushed), sawdust 20%, bean hulls 15%, bran 20%, phosphate fertilizer 1%, gypsum 1%, sugar 1%, plant ash 2%.

For the above three substrate types, any one can be chosen. The material-to-water ratio is 1:1.3, and the moisture content should be maintained at 60%.

After reading about the cultivation conditions for morel mushrooms and the morel mushroom substrate formulas, next let us look at morel mushroom cultivation, post-cultivation management, and pest and disease control and other related techniques.

Morel Mushroom Cultivation Techniques

1. Sterilized substrate bag-removal cultivation

Mix the substrate well, fill 17×33cm polypropylene or polyethylene plastic bags with the substrate, about 500-600 grams per bag, then sterilize under high pressure or normal pressure. After sterilization, inoculate, place at 22-25°C for cultivation, and after the mycelium fills the bags, extend cultivation for another 5-6 days so that the mycelium grows fully, and then cultivation can begin.

① Indoor bag-removal cultivation. After disinfecting the mushroom house, first spread a piece of plastic film on each layer of the bed surface, then spread 3cm thick humus soil, flatten it, and then arrange the bag-removed mushroom sticks one by one on the bed. Generally, 40 can be arranged per 1 square meter of bed surface. After arranging the mushroom sticks, lightly spray water once, then cover with 3-5cm of soil, and on the surface cover another 2cm thick layer of broadleaf tree fallen leaves, keeping the soil moist and the air humidity at 85%-95%. Generally after more than one month, at a temperature of 4.4-16°C, fruiting bodies can emerge.

② Outdoor bag-removal cultivation: Mushroom sticks cultivated indoors can also be moved outdoors for cultivation. Choose woodland with light conditions of 3 parts sun and 7 parts shade to make beds. The bed width is 1m, depth 20-25cm, and length is unlimited. After preparing the beds, spray or lightly water once, and use 10% limewater to kill pests and miscellaneous bacteria. The method of removing bags and arranging mushroom sticks is the same as indoor cultivation, except that the bottom layer may not be covered with plastic film, but attention should be paid to temperature changes in the bed to prevent direct sunlight.

2. Outdoor raw substrate cultivation

Outdoors, choose a place with 3 parts sun and 7 parts shade or half shade and half sun, loose and moist soil, and good drainage, dig a pit 20-25cm deep, first wet the bottom of the pit with water, take any one of the above formulas, weigh the ingredients according to the proportions, mix well with water, spread a layer of substrate on the bottom layer, flatten it to about 4-5cm, use 2 bags of spawn (12×28cm) per square meter, break it into walnut-sized spawn blocks, evenly scatter them on the substrate, then cover with a thin layer of fine humus soil. Then spread a second layer of substrate on top, still 4-5cm thick, flatten it, and then sow in the same way. After sowing, cover with loose humus soil at a thickness of 3-5cm, then cover with a layer of broadleaf tree leaves to preserve warmth and moisture. After covering, sprinkle some water appropriately. To prevent trampling by people or livestock and strong direct light, build some branches over the leaves.