Morels suddenly appeared in my garden. I am delighted, to say the least! I would like to know how to encourage them to spread, and how to harvest them such that they regrow. Is there a reliable place to purchase spores, or starters?
I did have other mushrooms show up, as well, and will send photos in another message for ID
msmouser
how to harvest morels in the garden
The secret to growing morels on purpose compares to the Secrets of the Universe and The Meaning of Life. People have been trying to work it out for decades--maybe centuries. There are all sorts of theories where to look for them, certain sides of hills under certain trees, over rotting roots of certain trees, ...the list could go on and on. The fact no one's worked it out is why they're worth so much--well, I heard a few years ago some japanese fellow worked out a system involving plugs in rotting oak trunks, but I have yet to see morels appear next to the button mushrooms in my local grocery store, so I guess it wasn't all *that* successful.
I have seen with my own eyes that they do favor the rotting remains of old apple trees: old roots dying in the ground or where an apple was recently cut down in a yard often yields morels. One or two, usually, perhaps returning every year. Did you recently cut down a tree near where yours appeared?
The old rule applies: 'smoke 'em if you got 'em' or in this case, pick'em and eat 'em if you've got 'em. Enjoy them, and don't worry about messing up your bounty. You probably couldn't stop them if you tried. About the only thing you could do wrong is squander them by waiting too long to pick them--they get buggy fast.
Just don't tell your friends and neighbors what you've got, or you may be troubled by disembodied flashlights floating around your yard after midnight next spring when 'shroom season returns.
Enjoy!
Melis
Thanks for your witty comments!!!! Very helpful!!!
msmouser