Cramp ball fungi - when does it grow

[jackcbr]

Went for a wander in the woods this morning and found the mother load of cramp ball fungi. Took about a third of what was there so that I would have some to come back to, having first spotted them there back in the summer.

My question is, when's the best time to harvest them and when's their growing season.

 

[hiho]

so far i have only ever managed to find a lone one so left it alone...

 

[georann]

Thats the trick- finding a good spot. They prefer certain trees (birch) and certain areas. Good thing is, where one is youll have more. I found a motherload today covering 3 trees and nearly all the downed logs I could see. Just took two big ones for now but I intend to get more. They will grow back quite quickly if allowed to spread but the longer they grow, the better they are and will begin to dry on the tree. If not, put them in your pocket to dry and put them on a hot radiator for a bit (hot not warm, or theyll just grow). When theyre fully dry, theyll be jet black and ember for ages! As far as time of year, don't know but I think its more the conditions so season will have quite an effect. Collect them now and store them for later, as long as you leave enough to continue to spread (and let others have some )

ATB
Dan

 

[British Red]

They are very rarely found on birch in my experience Dan - Ash most frequently and occasionally beech. The fruiting bodies appear in the summer through to the autumn, but then remain in situ for more than a year, so they can be discovered in any season.

Red

 

[SOAR]

Only ever seen them on Elder, Ash and Oak myself. like Red says they will be there all year, look for them on struggling Ash trees you should find plenty.

 

[lannyman8]

make sure when you find them you only take the DARK brown/black ones, these are dead and ready to use, the red brown ones are still alive and growing, you can dry them on the radiator but they dont perform as well as the black natural dead/dry type.....imo..........

again ash are one of the best trees to find them on, they also like wet areas and dead rotting wood......

hope this helps...

chris.............................

 

[jackcbr]

Certainly did find loads, just didn't want to wipe them out, so wanted to get an idea when they would be growing again and could plan the next harvest.

Thanks for all the tips guys, gotta say, I've had more success with these than pretty much anything else. Got to make some more charcloth as well and keep practicing the fire lighting.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Just go easy when drying them out on a radiator,

They can leave a stubborn purple mark of spores that is very difficult to get off.....

... don't ask me how I know!

Ogri the trog

 

[georann]

Sorry, I just found the ones today on birch, that's all I meant.

 

[chris_irwin]

funny you should say that, I found the same thing today. It was in a really damp almost marshy area, growing on on all the dead trees around, mostly Birch

 

[addo]

Ash is the tree to look for normally. The Cramp Ball fungus is an indicator of dysfunctional wood, ie diseased and dying back normally due because of another problem, and it lives mainly along dead areas of the main stem and branches.
The biggest killer of Ash is Ash heart rot - Inonotus hispidus which hollows out parts of the tree and causes crown die-back (lots of punk wood too!), and the two fungi grow together in many cases. So look out for the dodgy looking parts, of failed sections on the ground for ya balls

Edit, I belive it stays on the tree for a few years putting on a new layer like that of an onion (Daldinia concentrica) , and that the main part of the fungus is within the tree and fresh spores will be all around the area too to re-infect. So Take plenty, leave a few to grow on, but you wont be able to wipe it out by collecting all the fruiting bodies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daldinia_concentrica

 

[jackcbr]

I've got my little hoard drying out in the sun room, but might have to bring them in as it's a bit damp and cold out there at the moment.

Thanks Addo, as ever a wealth of information.

As an aside, I remember the tube you had for blowing air into a fire and how it fitted together. I've come up with a kind of ready made variation, it's a car aerial. Took the top section out and hey presto, a telescopic blow pipe.

Thanks again for all the great ideas.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

found a load today,...cant be sure of the tree , but i took about a quarter of what was there.

i took the ones in plain sight and left the ones hidden to grow,..

 

[addo]

As an aside, I remember the tube you had for blowing air into a fire and how it fitted together. I've come up with a kind of ready made variation, it's a car aerial. Took the top section out and hey presto, a telescopic blow pipe.

Good one dude, I forgot a blow pipe the other day when out for a trip, the hobo is pants without it with all this damp wood and conditions.
Trangia saved the day though

Good haul Raikey, Svord Peasant's looking sweet, I ended up making one similar after a mate bought one.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

Good haul Raikey, Svord Peasant's looking sweet, I ended up making one similar after a mate bought one.

cheers,..

yeah the plan is to use the svord as a basis to build one from stuff i have in the garage,...

the cakes are now lovely and dry too!!!

Stu

 

[Miyagi]

John Fenna sent me some of those cramp balls (Alfred's cakes?), do we get these in Scotland or is it usually the warmer parts of England?

There's a lovely big Ash not 100 yards from where I'm sitting now - will have a look in daylight.

Liam

 

[hiho]

just found some old black ones on a piece of dead birch, will add a photo when i get em off the camera

 

[Gailainne]

John Fenna sent me some of those cramp balls (Alfred's cakes?), do we get these in Scotland or is it usually the warmer parts of England?

There's a lovely big Ash not 100 yards from where I'm sitting now - will have a look in daylight.

Liam

I was talking to PatrickM about not finding any up here and he said he has found them growing in Glencoe, I guess like Paul says if the conditions are right they'll grow.

I'm still looking.

 

[Galemys]

just found some old black ones on a piece of dead birch, will add a photo when i get em off the camera

That´s the first time I see them on a birch tree!

Here in Holland I usually find them on decaying logs on the ground, probably from ash and alder trees. they are not a common find though over here.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[hiho]

that one was dead standing, just managed to just cut the break off on the pic.