First Morels of the Season!

[upstatenybowyer]

BJ, you're in MI if I remember correctly? I've read that all those states in the middle of the county from MN, WI and MI down to AR, MS, and AL have a lot of limestone in the soil which Morels love. Whenever I read the Morel message boards it's guys from those states who go home with pick-up trucks full of them.

[willie]

spring is almost here where I  am. and we have had a lot of forest fires the past few years so finding a few is gonna happen this year.........

I am told that "after a rain"  is when. it is generally very dry in the spring here, so that doesn't happen often.

how soon after a rain??? is best?

[upstatenybowyer]

I'd go looking the next day. If you find any yellows that look kinda small leave them a few days and go back. I usually pick them when they're 3" tall or more.

[willie]

we got some rain and I went to the burn.  grass and these just starting to pop up. leaves on trees the size of quarters.
am I too early?

what signs of spring seem to be concurrent with the morels showing up?

[upstatenybowyer]

Willie, there are things folks say to look for like... when the oak leaves are as big as squirrel's ears, and when the redbuds bloom. I usually start looking when understory plants are 5-6 inches tall. It has a lot to do with the ground thawing out.