Sometimes nature hides its treasures where you least expect them. If we readily associate deep forests with the quest for rare and lucrative products – like this famous mushroom which can reach 200 euros per kilo – it happens that these precious finds nestle… at the bottom of your garden! So, how to put get your hands on this precious resource that is all the rage on the Internet? Follow the guide.
Growing truffles at home: a profitable idea… and feasible
Truffles, these black nuggets which adorn the greatest tables, are no longer the exclusive prerogative of vast oak forests. To the great surprise of some lucky people, these precious mushrooms are now appearing in our gardens. Last June, a resident of Enval, in Puy-de-Dôme, discovered a black truffle of 240 grams at the foot of an oak tree in his garden. This story, reported by the newspaper The Mountainis not an isolated case. And with a price of up to 1,500 euros per kilo for black truffles, these finds do not go unnoticed.
Traditionally harvested in Périgord, a region renowned for its truffle terroir, these exceptional mushrooms are starting to appear in unexpected places. With suitable soil and a little patience, even an amateur can try their luck. Moreover, the trufficulture amateur has experienced real growth in recent weeks. A trend not to be missed!
The basics of growing truffles in your garden
Before going any further, it is essential to understand that the truffle is a champignon mycorhizienthat is to say that it lives in symbiotic association with the roots of certain trees. Among the trees most suited to its cultivation, we find the holm oak and the hazeltwo species renowned for their compatibility with black truffles.
Truffles appreciate light, well-drained and calcareous soils. Before planting your trees, have your soil analyzed to verify that it meets these criteria. A pH located between 7.5 and 8.3 is ideal. If necessary, you can enrich the soil with lime to give it the alkaline structure that favors the development of truffles. A good mulching around your trees will help maintain stable humidityessential for the growth of mycorrhizae. We can only advise you to plant your trees in a well-exposed location, while protecting them from the prevailing winds.
Patience and maintenance: the keys to harvest success
Patience is essential in truffle farming. In fact, the first truffles only appear after 4 to 7 years after planting. During this period, careful maintenance is necessary: regular weeding around the tree to avoid competition from other plants, moderate wateringand root monitoring to avoid disease.
If all goes well, the first truffles will be ready to be harvested between November and Marchdepending on climate and variety. Just a careful look around the tree should be enough to spot them. Ripe truffles often reveal a lighter circle of vegetation, a clue that does not deceive connoisseurs.
