[jdk32581]

What is everyone's thoughts about how this warm winter will affect the morel season? Heat wave is coming this week?

 

[ant]

I think its gona be a quick Morel season.I look to be finding blacks in a few days.Extended forecast looks like we are gona have rain so at least thats good.

 

[mbdola]

Ant, what part of Ohio do you expect to find blacks? We've had warm March temps like this in NCWV before but I still haven't found blacks til the first week of April at the earliest.

 

[jim33]

With the weather we have forecasted I am anticipating the morels to be here a couple weeks early this year, with that being said the greys are probably about 3 weeks out from starting in the early spots with the way things are looking now. I am in NW Ohio and don't have any experience with black morels, they just don't seem to be in the areas I hunt. The heat wave of 2012 started the greys in my area during the last few days of March. I agree with ant that it will probably be a short season. Hopefully the weather will cooperate when they start.

 

[jdk32581]

Jm
Greys pooped the last few days of march wow... I am in NE ohio and do not know what to expect only been hunting a few years. I have a couple black spots maybe I will check them this weekend .

Ant
Where are you located?

What happens if it goes back to freezing next week?

 

[mbdola]

I wouldn't get too antsy guys. They are just now finding babies down in Georgia, Texas, Alabama. It's going to take a lot of warm weather and a lot of time for anything to wake up in this area. Nothing here is blooming yet. Just relax and let Mother Nature give you the clues.

 

[jim33]

Sigh

 

[morel_scientist]

Yes you must rely on the plant growth. Black morels don't start until the spicebushes bloom and greys don't show until the hickories bloom.

 

[thunter]

10 day forcast - mid 60's or better, lows not dropping below 50
It would be different if we had the usual few days of that, then back to the cold reality. Thats a long enough stretch to get the blacks started. Id bet on having some pics by end of next week.
Hate to be negative, but its never been a good year for me when ive found em in march. We will likely get a good cold snap and it will take away from the season....then again it was a mild winter. Maybe theres a chance.

 

[scott c]

Agree Thunter, good to see you posting again this year, the tree blooming is based more on photocycle or length of day rather then the temps needed to fruit fungi. Although cold snaps will stall trees blooming or leafing out there is no direct relation to fruit body production of morchella. Ground temps, precip and air temps are what triggers morchella to fruit. May be an early season hoping no freezing for weeks after it starts then the blast furnace. My .02.

 

[morel_scientist]

The length of sunlight and amount of days of it does effect the trees and bushes and thats when it happens and when blooms are on the trees and bushes the morels are up. I've confirmed it.

 

[morel_scientist]

Your theory of ground temps precip and air temps falls through because how do you explain warm winters with a week of 70 degree weather and no morels?

 

[jdk32581]

I took a soil temperature reading in my backyard today around 4pm. Northeast ohio. It was a small hillside that receives sun a few hours a day in the late afternoon but is shaded all morning and early afternoon . It is mossy and covered in maple and cherry trees.

4 inches deep - 47 degrees
2 inches deep - 50.5 degrees

Scientist , I believe one warm week during the middle of winter is not enough to thaw frozen ground and raise soil tmeperatures high enough. However this year has been warm for a while now. The ground has been thawed for a long time now. With an extended period of warmth, two weeks or more, soil temperatures could raise enough. I believe this is what Scott is staying.

 

[thunter]

Im with ya scott.
Never been one to allow for this or that to bloom to indicate when its time to head for the woods, but i am waiting for those first shoots of asparagus to show themselves in my garden. Theyll start, similar to black morels....when ground temps get to 50+.
Hope its a good season, last years extended cold snap in mid april took a toll in my area.

 

[jdk32581]

Thunter, i agree. Let us know about that asparagus .

The blooming of trees/plants is a correlation to the start of morel season.That is very different from the causation of morels fruiting. The difference between causation and correlation is the most important distinction in the scientific approach to any theory, morels or otherwise.

 

[morel_scientist]

The blooming is the causation. There are plant hormones necessary to form new leaves and for forming the flowers, these are formed in the roots first. Those hormones are detected by the fungus and it knows that the right amount of light and temperature has been achieved and the season has officially changed. The morel fungus that is underground could care less about warm temperatures it just wants to know that it isn't for a temporary amount of time.

 

[nutsak]

I just made a new camo, Ohio SPRING Underbrush. I have a couple of spore friendly mesh bags made already but I have to get some photos uploaded soon!

 

[nutsak]

Well Here it is, the new sack.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/271436227/morel-spore-friendly-mesh-bag-hardwood?ref=shop_home_active_1

https://img0.etsystatic.com/103/0/9155088/il_570xN.936628964_8o2a.jpg
https://img0.etsystatic.com/102/0/9155088/il_570xN.936628962_dyyk.jpg
https://img1.etsystatic.com/104/0/9155088/il_570xN.936376567_saz4.jpg
https://img0.etsystatic.com/101/0/9155088/il_570xN.936628960_atrt.jpg
https://img0.etsystatic.com/124/0/9155088/il_570xN.936628926_l6qk.jpg

The size of the Bag listed is 10x13 Inches

 

[nutsak]

SPRING UNDERBRUSH CAMO Mesh - https://www.etsy.com/listing/271436227/morel-spore-friendly-mesh-bag-hardwood?ref=shop_home_active_1

 

[ant]

Im in SW ohio.And ground temps are in the 50s about a week of this and blacks will pop.And a early year has always been a bad year for me.By the way I have Forcythia blooming here.