It used to be that truffles were only available in Europe. However when the rest of the world discovered how lucrative they were, we figured out how to grow them in our neck of the woods. I have always wanted to grow truffles, just a few trees initially to test the waters. I have gathered that these trees require a lot of time and effort when starting up, therefore I believe it is smarter to start small.

One disadvantage of growing these truffles is that it is a numbers game. Basically you need more than one tree to increase your chances of getting any truffles. Not all of the trees you plant will produce annually. The trees and the fungus that forms truffles, have to rely on each other in order to boost production. The fungus provides much needed nutrients and the roots of the tree aide its growth. The best type of trees for truffle production are Beech, Birch, Hazel, Hornbeam, Oak, Pine and Poplar.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• truffle tree
• lime

Before you plant your trees, make sure that your soil is calcareous, well drained and nutrient deficient. The ideal pH is 8, to achieve this regular application of lime is required especially if you are an area with acidic soil. No fertilizer is applied at planting, just lime in needed. Also make sure your trees have access to daily sunlight and water with at least 1 inch of water every week.

After you plant your trees, it will take about 4 to 5 years before they start producing truffles. Truffles are available for harvest during the winter months, just about the time the tree starts to go into the dormancy. If you have a lot of trees, training your dogs to smell the truffles would save you a lot of time.

You can follow step by step instructions on the Morning Chores blog, here…

How To Grow Truffles

You can watch the video below on how to grow truffles…

You can watch the video below on truffle farmers beginning the harvest…

You can watch the video below on how to grow truffle trees from seed…

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