A Study of the Growth Cycle
The Great Morel is pleased to present this 2008 study of the growth of the Maine morel. David Guillemette, who is a well renowned morel hunter located in Maine has so kindly agreed to share his personal study of the growth cycle with visitors of The Great Morel. What follows are documentation and images in which Dave is and has compiled. The scope of Dave's study is to take daily photographs, document daytime and nighttime temperatures of several known morel patches. The Great Morel has asked that recording of ground temperatures also be collected.
Dave's photos and the log of events that follow are being compiled based on data he is collecting from morel patches located near Manchester Maine. Dave also wants everyone to understand and realize, "...after this full experiment in the life of a Maine Morel I plan on experimenting on these specimens with 350 degrees of heat and a table spoon of 'Land O Lake' ".
David Guillemette's documentation log:
Site: base of a very old (75 years), and very still alive Apple Tree. This site has been producing a consistent lot of Morchella Esculenta for well over 22 years. Like most of my Patches Apple trees seem to be the choice spots for Morels. Age of trees are not a factor here. My Best patch is in a very young grove (20 year old trees) of Macintosh. All Morels are within the root system limits, and as close to the base of the trees.
The Fungi have followed 2 days of heavy Rain high temps in the 40's, followed by 3 days at 70+ degrees, Nights in the mid 50's.
| Dave's Maine Morel Patch Study | |||||
| Date | Day Temp (F) | Night Temp (F) | Ground Temp (F) * | Rain (inches) | Images |
| May 3, 2008 | 48 | 39 | 0.57 | none | |
| May 4, 2008 | 45 | 41 | 0.67 | none | |
| May 5, 2008 | 66 | 42 | 0 | none | |
| May 6, 2008 | 72 | 39 | 0 | none | |
| May 7, 2008 | 68 | 49 | 0 | none | |
| May 8, 2008 | 78 | 48 | 0.18 | Day 1 - Click Here | |
| May 9, 2008 | 64 | 46 | Day 2 - Click Here | ||
| May 10, 2008 | 56 | 45 | 0 | Day 3 - Click Here | |
| * looking for themometer which reads under 90 degrees | |||||
Journal of Dave's E-mail Notes