Burning for morels

[SD51555]

I’ve done my first woodland brush burns this winter. I’ve burned other things before, but never in the bush. I had three brush piles I burned as part of my landscaping project around the yard.

I’m hoping to see some morels pop up from the ashes this spring. It’s been a long time since I burned in the woods, but when I did, morels popped up the next spring. If even one of these throw some off, I am going to start making brush piles just for the sake of burning to stimulate mushrooms.

I’ve got some standing dead elms that would be great spots to try and place them in an area that should have spores in the soil.


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[SD51555]

Gonna need some moisture though. The rate we’re going, this is gonna be lucky number 4 where we have practically no snow melt to saturate the ground in spring. We’ll be home dry before we hit mushroom temps.


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[Westwind]

SD I’ve also used a backpack blower to get rid of leaves in spots- kinda seemed like that works too.

You are right that the ground is dry. We have about 6’ of snow now but we need more than that.

When I burn in the timber it seems like its either too wet to get it to burn or so dry it makes me nervous to do it.

 

[SD51555]

SD I’ve also used a backpack blower to get rid of leaves in spots- kinda seemed like that works too.

You are right that the ground is dry. We have about 6’ of snow now but we need more than that.

When I burn in the timber it seems like its either too wet to get it to burn or so dry it makes me nervous to do it.

I’ve had enough close calls already, including a visit from the fire dept, I’ll only burn in winter.

It’s also a nice activity when there’s not much else to do. It’s a good break from chainsaw work when you gotta let the muscles have a half day.


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[hillrunner]

Gonna need some moisture though. The rate we’re going, this is gonna be lucky number 4 where we have practically no snow melt to saturate the ground in spring. We’ll be home dry before we hit mushroom temps.


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I really want to do some timber burns. I was told the other day that our tree bark moisture is under 20% right now. I'm not brave enough to burn in those conditions. I've seen fire get away too many times.

 

[Westwind]

It’s a good break from chainsaw work when you gotta let the muscles have a half day.

Side note on that- I’m actually most productive on a day after day basis when I limit myself to one tank of chain saw gas a day! My personality is “go go go” and when I do that I waste the next day because I can’t move lol

 

[SD51555]

Side note on that- I’m actually most productive on a day after day basis when I limit myself to one tank of chain saw gas a day! My personality is “go go go” and when I do that I waste the next day because I can’t move lol

I had a couple days like that this past season. After that, I was able to get the chainsaw muscles to go.

 

[ruskbucks]

I’ve done my first woodland brush burns this winter. I’ve burned other things before, but never in the bush. I had three brush piles I burned as part of my landscaping project around the yard.

I’m hoping to see some morels pop up from the ashes this spring. It’s been a long time since I burned in the woods, but when I did, morels popped up the next spring. If even one of these throw some off, I am going to start making brush piles just for the sake of burning to stimulate mushrooms.

I’ve got some standing dead elms that would be great spots to try and place them in an area that should have spores in the soil.


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I have a friend in Montana that finds bucket fulls of morels in burn sites. I've checked out some sites here in Wisconsin and have not had any uck in burn sites. There is a theory that when a tree is dying that it sends something to its roots that causes the morels to fruit. That is why you usually find them under dying trees and not so much under healthy or dead trees. I wonder if a burn triggers the same reaction from the trees and shrubs. I have one spot where a forestry mower came thru. It has been really good for me now. They are still under dying apple and elms but there seems to br be alot more since the mowing. I'm interested to hear what happens with your burns especially the one by the elm.

 

[SwampCat]

Just down the road from my house is a 600 acre natural area. They burned in their one winter and it was either that spring or the next, I know a guy who found over fifty lbs of morels. Couldnt find one there now if your life depended on it.

 

[weekender21]

I burned ~8 acres last year and just happened to find more morels than I ever have on burn day. Hoping that area will respond favorably.


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[SD51555]

I have a friend in Montana that finds bucket fulls of morels in burn sites. I've checked out some sites here in Wisconsin and have not had any uck in burn sites. There is a theory that when a tree is dying that it sends something to its roots that causes the morels to fruit. That is why you usually find them under dying trees and not so much under healthy or dead trees. I wonder if a burn triggers the same reaction from the trees and shrubs. I have one spot where a forestry mower came thru. It has been really good for me now. They are still under dying apple and elms but there seems to br be alot more since the mowing. I'm interested to hear what happens with your burns especially the one by the elm.

My understanding is the morels are always there and alive, just not always above ground. There is some sort of stimulus around fire and death that can set off the mother of all crops, that’s for sure. I think there are other pieces as well, and some of those spots just hit them all and abundance follows.


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[Catscratch]

Symbiotic relationship with trees. They live in the roots and help dissolve minerals for the tree that the tree can't do themselves. As long as the tree is healthy the fungus stays in the roots. If the fungus senses that the tree is unhealthy it's triggered to reproduce, and sends up fruiting bodies to release spores. Those fruiting bodies taste great fried!

I've hunted burns that were great. But I've also had burns that didn't produce anything even though we'd found them their before.

 

[swat1018]

Symbiotic relationship with trees. They live in the roots and help dissolve minerals for the tree that the tree can't do themselves. As long as the tree is healthy the fungus stays in the roots. If the fungus senses that the tree is unhealthy it's triggered to reproduce, and sends up fruiting bodies to release spores. Those fruiting bodies taste great fried!

I've hunted burns that were great. But I've also had burns that didn't produce anything even though we'd found them their before.

Same here.