Bigfoot's Friend

If you you’ve heard of the mysterious morel mushrooms, you probably already know that they seem to need exact conditions in order to grow, with one key factor being the soil type and terrain.

Knowing which soil conditions they commonly grow in (and the ones they don’t grow in) is a huge clue into helping you find these elusive fungi this spring.

So let’s talk about dirt!

Dirt & Soil To Avoid

First, it helps to know the types of soils where morel mushrooms tend NOT to grow. Knowing the areas that aren’t worth inspecting will greatly narrow down your search.

Avoid areas where the ground is in the following conditions:

• Waterlogged Land – Morel mushrooms need room for water to drain through the soil so the mycelium doesn’t rot underground. Areas that stay over saturated in water for prolonged periods generally don’t sustain morels.
• Compact Dirt – Dirt that is more tightly packed like established trails make it difficult for the mushrooms to push themselves up through the surface.
• Bare Land – Morel mushrooms need the roots of other plants (usually dead trees) to draw nutrients from in order to grow, which means areas without trees or plants won’t be helpful.

Dirt & Soil To Look For

Knowing the right types of terrain to look for is a key factor in finding these mushrooms. Morel mushrooms like growing in loose, disturbed, or sandy soils with plenty of moisture and drainage for breathing room.

• Sandy Soil – Areas with sandy soils are great for mushroom growth. The loose, nonporous ground provides plenty of drainage and is easy for the mushrooms to grow through.
• Loose/Disturbed Dirt – Loose and disturbed dirt is perfect for morel mushrooms to grow in. Not only is it easier for the delicate mushrooms to push through, but disturbed ground has a better chance of catching spores to start growing mycelium in the first place.
• Burned Land – Burn morels (also known as black morels) are a specific few species of morels that only grow on previously burned ground. The carbon in the dirt helps the mushrooms to thrive in areas where you wouldn’t expect.
• Moist Dirt – Mushrooms grow best with the right levels of humidity, which means plenty of heat and moisture. Try looking near water sources, and keep an eye out for mossy areas!

The more you know about the way morel mushrooms grow, the easier it will be to find them! Take this newfound information into the forest with you on your next foraging adventure. Pay attention to the dirt, the rocks, the plants, and the moisture in the ground, and you’ll be having mushrooms for dinner!

Now that you know more about where to find morel mushrooms, check out this next read on when to start looking for them! Predicting Morel Mushroom Growth By The Weather

You can also find out more about identifying morel mushrooms in Northwestern Morel Mushroom (Morchella) Identification

Good luck out there, and thanks for reading!

-Jessica C.