Growing conditions of porcini mushrooms: time, place and temperature
The conditions for the growth of ceps have their own specific nuances. Therefore, going to the forest, every mushroom picker should know what weather these fruit bodies love and what temperature they prefer most.
Note that the fungus mycelium grows from early spring to late autumn. The growth of ceps depends on a constant influx of air, humidity and a certain temperature. The mycelium penetrates the topsoil to a depth of 15 cm. If drought or excessive moisture lasts for a long time in the places where the cep mushroom grows, as well as soil compaction or early frosts, the fruiting bodies develop very poorly and the mycelium dehydrates. Therefore, for good mushroom growth, air humidity and heat are needed, especially in the surface layers.
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Humidity and air temperature for the growth of porcini mushrooms after rain
The growth rate of the cep will be good only with a relative humidity of up to 60%. If drought sets in abruptly after the rainy season, the fungus stops growing, even if there is enough moisture in the soil. The fruiting body of the cep is not protected from evaporation; therefore, it dries out at low humidity. Mushroom pickers with extensive experience know that you need to look for a white mushroom under the moss or in the forest floor.
The second important factor affecting the growth of the cep is the temperature regime, which will also affect the growth of mycelium and the growth of spores. It should be noted that spores can grow at low temperatures, for example, at + 8 ° C.
The optimum air temperature for the growth of ceps is from +18 to + 28 ° C. Particularly quickly, fruiting bodies grow in rainy, warm weather; their growth can last a whole month. The average weight of the fungus in this period is up to 250 g. Already on the fourth or fifth day, the average weight of the young fungus can reach up to 150-180 g. And after rains, the growth of porcini mushrooms only increases: sometimes mushroom pickers find mushrooms up to 10-12 cm long with large hats with a diameter of up to 15-18 cm.
Mushrooms (so-called porcini mushrooms) live up to 12-14 days. First, the leg stops growing, after 2-3 days, and the hat. As soon as spores begin to form, the fruiting bodies of the porcini mushroom quickly age.
Plants of growth of ceps are an important condition for good yields. These fruiting bodies can grow for several years in a row in one place. However, this condition will depend on how you relate to the mycelium itself. Therefore, novice fans of the “quiet hunt” should learn - the legs of porcini mushrooms must be carefully cut with a knife, leaving the lower part in the ground so as not to damage the future crop. Next year, when picking mushrooms, you will definitely find mushrooms in old places.
The growth time of porcini mushrooms depends on climatic conditions and latitudes in which forests are located.
Favorite places for the growth of porcini mushrooms
These forests are considered the most characteristic landscape for the growth of ceps. Such fruiting bodies have a brown hat and a leg, prefer sandy or loamy soil.In spruce-fir forests on moss-lichen litter, boletus grow, which mushroom pickers call "a real porcini mushroom."
Deciduous forests. Such forests in Russia are much smaller than pine forests. However, you can also find ceps in them. Birch forests or birch groves are considered a favorite place for the growth of ceps. The fruiting bodies in these places have a light shade of the hat and legs, as well as a more pleasant taste of the pulp. It prefers borders between overgrown and open areas, as well as edges and well-clarified glades.
Mixed forests. In these forests, congestions of porcini mushrooms are often found. Perhaps this is affected by the original undergrowth of mixed forests. In addition, birch often grows in them, which can provide a high yield of boletus.
Porcini mushroom growth sites are common in forest areas around the world except Antarctica and Australia. As we saw, they grow in deciduous, pine and mixed forests. These fruiting bodies conquered almost all of Europe, North and South Africa, Central America, Turkey, China, Japan, Siberia and the Far East. In forest-steppe zones, the abundance of growth of ceps noticeably decreases, however, boletus completely disappears upon transition to the steppe zone.
Knowing the favorite places for the growth of the cep mushroom and the time of its bearing, you can safely go to the forest and look for these amazingly tasty and aromatic fruiting bodies. Having found such places, carefully cut the legs with a knife so as not to damage the mycelium. In subsequent years, you will definitely collect more than one basket here.
Do not mislead beginners. Absolutely no need to cut the leg, just unscrew the mushroom. The mushroom picker will be nothing!
Does your squirrel also take off mushrooms with a knife?
Yurok is absolutely right; unscrewing the mushroom, the mycelium cannot be damaged (the growing mushroom is fed by the so-called hyphae - filamentous outgrowths of the mycelium intended for feeding fruit bodies). If no one has found the mushroom, it slowly decays completely, along with the leg, to the base ...