The multiplication of mushrooms

Content

• The multiplication of mushrooms
• The spread of spores
• The mycelium in the underground
• The Hallimasch as a mushroom with underground propagation
• When collecting, think about the proliferation of mushrooms
• Tips

The multiplication of mushrooms

Mushrooms count neither to the plants, nor to the animals. Scientifically, they represent their own order "Funga". However, their multiplication is not fundamentally different from the propagation of various plant species as they allow their spores to spread through the air like tiny seeds.

Early article Mushrooms in the forest and garden - an overview of toxic and edible varieties Next article Harvest mushrooms properly and use

The spread of spores

Basically, the proliferation of fungi works like a plant with tiny seeds. If you want to grow mushrooms, you must therefore spores of the desired fungus species in a suitable place. Sometimes this also works with unwashed mushroom remnants that still cling to spores. The result is better, however, with professionally made Sporenstäbchen from the specialized trade.

The mycelium in the underground

The edible mushrooms we collect for consumption do not actually represent the whole mushroom. Rather, they are only the fruiting bodies of a plant, which, as a mycelium, runs like a widely distributed root system through the soil. Thus, even without the direct propagation of spores more fungi may appear on the surface if there is still an intact fungus mycelium in the soil. When harvesting mushrooms should therefore never be torn with the mycelium from the ground. With a bit of luck, a new mushroom can grow in the same place in the same season.

The Hallimasch as a mushroom with underground propagation

An impressive example of the proliferation of fungi by the underground mycelium is the Hallimasch. This fungus, also used as edible mushroom, is very common in some areas of the USA. In the US state of Orgeon is a giant-Hallimasch as the largest living things on earth with dimensions of about 1200 football fields. The underground network of this giant absorbs nutrients and water from coniferous trees and forms on the surface honey-yellow fruiting bodies.

When collecting, think about the proliferation of mushrooms

Mushroom pickers should always think about the future. That's why you should always leave enough mushrooms in the forest even in mushroom-poor years, so that they can provide with their spores for a propagation of their kind. In any case, larger mushroom specimens are usually no longer tasty or already rotten on the inside of their stalk.

Tips

If fungi are introduced into the grass cover of the native garden through woody earth or turf, often only a change of the soil conditions helps against their multiplication:

If these fungi remain unkempt, the characteristic hexene rings in the soil often form rapidly as a result of spore propagation.