Morels, 2015

[pikestabber]

By the look of the progression map, and with the warm weather upon us, I'd say we're in for an early season (if we get any rain up here). Anyone know how soon we jump from southern IA to southern MN? When will you metro pickers start the search?

[Stick in Mud]

I try to avoid walking on my spots too early in the year...those little guys are hard to see, and I figure I'm just as likely to step on them as I am to actually find any.

I joined a MN mushroom group on Facebook...and the first people to find morels in MN are sure to post brag photos. As soon as those photos appear, I know to head out to the woods. Let other people do the work.

[leech~~]

A few days into May has been about when my spots pop.

[JP Z]

Leech, where are your spots? City not gps coordinates......unless you want to give them that is.

[JP Z]

Also read this morel progression moves north at a rate of very roughly 100 miles each week

[leech~~]

Leech, where are your spots? City not gps coordinates......unless you want to give them that is.

Would you like a Walleye spot instead? I have a lot on Mille Lacs!

[JP Z]

Can you say what city at least? Is it up by me or cities?

Also, I KNOW those aren't from recent.....I can hope though.

[leech~~]

Keep an eye on the Lilac's blooming boys. I'm thinking about 10 days from now.

[Stick in Mud]

The morels are out in Stearns County. They ain't big, but they do exist.

[leech~~]

You maybe seeing the grays? I always see the little grays first then the yellows about a week after.

[Bureaucrat]

The morels are out in Stearns County. They ain't big, but they do exist.

If there's not a picture, it didn't happen. Seems awful cold to be declaring that. I pray you're right and I'm wrong. That'd mean i'm in for a good weekend.

[TigerBlood]

Good reports. Thanks to all who have been sharing info. Question for experts: More recently I've read/seen/heard that "greys" and "yellows" are the same. In other words, the smaller, greys will become bigger yellows if allowed to grow with more time. Is that what you have observed? I know in the past they always seemed to be referred to as two different shrooms.

[leech~~]

Good reports. Thanks to all who have been sharing info. Question for experts: More recently I've read/seen/heard that "greys" and "yellows" are the same. In other words, the smaller, greys will become bigger yellows if allowed to grow with more time. Is that what you have observed? I know in the past they always seemed to be referred to as two different shrooms.

Gray's and Yellows are not the same. Gray are smaller-gray and come up first. Yellows are larger and the ones I get come up just as the small grays are going away. Over the years I have tested that by leaving a few of each unpicked for a long time and they only get so big and then die off.

[TigerBlood]

Gray's and Yellows are not the same. Gray are smaller-gray and come up first. Yellows are larger and the ones I get come up just as the small grays are going away. Over the years I have tested that by leaving a few of each unpicked for a long time and they only get so big and then die off.

I've had similar experience. But here is what I took from the MN Mushroom Facebook page and I've seen it other places as well:

"What this should mean to you is that all of the speculation on the existence of mythical “grey” morels is bunk! The standard yellow morels we find are naturally dark when young and become the yellow color we all know so well only as they mature. This is something I have felt strongly about for a long time since I am lucky enough to spend enough time in the woods to see the complete lifespan of morels and could plainly observe this transformation. Trying to convince lifelong morel maniacs of this was not always so successful however! If you are one of those people, may I simply say, HA!"

From Gentleman Forager on April 23rd: https://www.facebook.com/MikeologyStore

[leech~~]

Oh Ok. So they go from gray to black to yellow? "morel maniacs" huum. Thanks for the insight.

[TigerBlood]

Oh Ok. So they go from gray to black to yellow? "morel maniacs" huum. Thanks for the insight.

I believe the black morel is different. This is specific to the grey/yellow that people talk about. I'm far from an expert and am certainly not trying to come off as one. I'm just repeating what I've been reading about more lately. Think about this...most people say "the greys are smaller and come out first. Then the Yellows come and they are bigger". Isn't is possible that's because invariably some greys do not get found until they mature into bigger yellows? Has anyone ever found a young, small yellow morel? Why not?

[leech~~]

Check this site under Varieties.

http://www.thegreatmorel.com/picsvarities.html

[TigerBlood]

Check this site under Varieties.

http://www.thegreatmorel.com/picsvarities.html

Yep. That was the old school. Here is another source of what I'm reading more of though:

•"Gray morels," in the sense of eastern North American collectors, were not supported as separate species; they are merely immature forms of yellow morels like Morchella esculentoides ("gray morels" in the sense of commercial collectors in western North America corespond to Morchella tomentosa).

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchellaceae.html

I'm not trying to convince anyone. Just offering up a different view that seems to be gaining traction from what many (including me) believed for a long time.

[schr0563]

I buy into the greys being immature yellows theory. In the past I have left greys grow, for the most part these do not change size, shape, or color drastically, unless an abundance of moisture is introduced. A group of three greys I left grow a few years ago, one doubled in size and turned "yellow" while the other two dried up and died. At the same time, new ones (or small greys I hadn't noticed) popped up that were also giant yellows. It's possible these were different species growing together, but an immature "yellow" does look nearly identical to a "grey".

[TigerBlood]

I buy into the greys being immature yellows theory. In the past I have left greys grow, for the most part these do not change size, shape, or color drastically, unless an abundance of moisture is introduced. A group of three greys I left grow a few years ago, one doubled in size and turned "yellow" while the other two dried up and died. At the same time, new ones (or small greys I hadn't noticed) popped up that were also giant yellows. It's possible these were different species growing together, but an immature "yellow" does look nearly identical to a "grey".

That's sort of what I've observed as well. It's rare that anyone leaves a morel they find. But I had some growing in my mulch last year. They were small (what I assume everyone calls "greys"). They did get bigger with time, but didn't turn into big yellows before dying off unfortunately. However, I don't know if that was due to soil temp or other conditions i.e. moisture etc. Those were the 1st ones of the year. Perhaps we find "yellows" later because it's warmer and they simply grow bigger/faster? It's hard to argue with DNA testing which was claimed to be done in the 2nd source link I provided. But at the end of the day...if I find a morel, I'm still picking it since people, animals, insects etc. can get to it before you come back again.

[leech~~]

Went out for a check this morning. Nothing yet, but I'm thinking by mid to end of this next week-pop-pop!

[TigerBlood]

I think you are right on the money. I saw a few dandelions blooming this week - so the soil temps are getting right. Lilacs have to be getting pretty close to blooming by end of next week too. Rain in the forecast next week. All signs point to next weekend as the kick off to the season.

[jentz]

The first ones we find each year grow in our yard,Open to sun all day.bout a week later they start in the wooded areas.I never seen a small gray mature into a yellow,I have passed them up came back next day day after etc only to see them deteorate to mush.

2 weeks out is my guess for this season.

[Powerstroke]

the "greys" will never mature into a yellow.

The argument is that they are not a seperate species of morel. Genetically, there is no difference between the grey and the yellow variety whereas the black morel is notably different from the grey/yellow. Grey/yellow morels grow in the exact same spot albeit at slightly different temp ranges.

There was lots of research done and much of it was documented and share 2 years ago or so regarding the classification that greys and yellows are the same side of a coin just different stages of development. Consider the argument that the mushroom is actually only the fruit of the mycillium body. The fruit can have different appearances and size even if it comes from the same fungal source. That was the crux of the argument. There are many anicdotal arguments made, but in the end the are one in the same. Early bearing ones appear grey and later bearing fruit (mushrooms) appear yellow and grow larger with the increased temps.

[leech~~]

This all maybe true.

Here is my experience. I have two main Morel areas which are miles apart. In one area I find a small patch or Gray's each year always in the same spot and they come up first. The ones that I have left never turn yellow or larger. No yellows ever grow in this same small area during the whole growing season. In the larger surrounding area Yellows will start popping up about 5 days to a week after the small grays do. About the time the larger yellows start popping up the small grays stop and never come up again.

In the other area which is miles from the other. I have never-ever found any small Grays growing only yellows. I start checking both spots on the same days and time of year. This same growing scenario of the grays and yellows in these two areas have played out the same year after year for the last 4-5 years that I have harvested them in these spots. They sure seem to be a little different to me?