Morel Spore Kit #1 Has Arrived!

October 11, 2007

Fungi Perfecti is a quick shipper. Granted, they’re located only 2 hours away from me, but I placed my order over the internet with them Saturday and the heavy box containing the morel spores arrived Wednesday afternoon. Big kudos for their expediency.

The Kit is in great shape, I’m very excited. The Latin name of the morel mushrooms that came in this kit is Morchella angusticeps. Fungi Perfecti included an 8-page instruction manual and “Get To Know Your Morels”-type booklet, very well written. It is recommended that the box of morel spores is allowed to sit in a cool room, preferably in the dark, for about a week - this time is to be used to properly prepare a good site outside for them to bed and grow. I’m told that this particular species/brand of kit may take as long as two years to produce its first crop.

It turns out, morels (at least this species of morels) grow well among the ruins of a bonfire or wood-fire remains from an indoor fireplace. I think that our outside fire ring will do a great prep job!

Also, wild critters are attracted to the smell of morels… this will pose a major challenge for me. Our backyard abuts a large greenbelt, populated with all manner of fauna. Raccoons, particularly, while cute to look at, can be some ravenous creatures, especially the family of four that seem to visit us frequently. I awoke toying with the idea of investing in some laser detector alarm. That would scare the buggers off. In the end, I think I’ll just fashion a sturdy fence and top screen.

Incidentally, I have a part time job at a Chinese restaurant. I’ve known them for almost two decades, and I can’t think of a better, more lucrative, easy job than what I have there. Anyway, a few of the chefs there saw my morel mushroom catalog that came with the shipment - they were quite demonstrative when they saw the catalog entry for Ling Chi mushrooms. They’re quite sought after for not only their delicacy but also for health benefits. My gerbils are spinning, contemplating my next spore purchase/investment.

Posted in Morel Bed Construction, The Sowing Phase