Inoculating trees with fungi?

[Stanleythecat]

Has anyone tried inoculating trees with fungi? I was thinking we have a stand of birch which is due to me thinned anyway, I was wondering if it would be possible to inocluate the trees with true tinder or tinder fungus spores for future firelighting fun!

Would this be ethical or even possible? I doubt it would change the face of the birch population in the south west as this is an isolated stand amongst ancient woodland which in itself is an island amongst farmed land.

Any thoughts?

Leo

 

[treelore]

i`ve sprayed trees to kill of fungi and have thought about doing the same, it should possible to do and as for
the ethical side of it, it would depent on how many you do ?

 

[treelore]

when are they due for thinning ?

 

[Stanleythecat]

when are they due for thinning ?

Well we're thinning now actually, but to favour other species. This don't be done quickly, its all by hand, by a health and well-being project. The felled wood is being used to make charcoal in a 6 ft ring kiln for use on a forge at a later date. I don't see why we couldn't sacrifice a few to fungal attack! All in the name of education of course!

Getting hold of spores and creating the right conditions to inoculate is yet another question again!

Leo

 

[treelore]

cool, i have emailed a friend who is an expert all things fungi related....crazy if you ask me as he has a PHd in it lol

it would be well worth seeing if it works and educational

 

[Martyn]

You can buy sacks of pellets impregnated with fungi spores for this purpose. You just take along a battery powered drill fitted with the appropriate bit size and drill some holes in the deadfall. Pop in the pellets, seal the hole with wax and wait.

 

[Stanleythecat]

You can buy sacks of pellets impregnated with fungi spores for this purpose. You just take along a battery powered drill fitted with the appropriate bit size and drill some holes in the deadfall. Pop in the pellets, seal the hole with wax and wait.

Hi Martyn, I've heard of this for ****ake mushrooms but not tinder or true tinder fungus?

Leo

 

[Toddy]

I think you need to consider long term.
Birch fungi are not Birch specific. They will infest other species, such as beech, sycamore and recovering elm.

Once the spores are in the locality, it's very hard to eradicate the fungi.

To spread the fungi is easy, but sometimes I think we really do have to think a long way ahead before we do things like this, especially if you have a piece of Ancient Woodland.
These pockets are mini reserves of more than just a few trees, and their existance gives hopes for genetic diversity and vigour within species.

Not saying don't do it; just that maybe infecting a pile of cut logs somewhere else might not be a bad idea.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Martyn]

Yeah, that's a good point Toddy, I wasn't thinking really. The fungi plugs are supposed to be used for cut log cultivation and that is probably how they should be used.

 

[Stanleythecat]

I think you need to consider long term.
Birch fungi are not Birch specific. They will infest other species, such as beech, sycamore and recovering elm.

Once the spores are in the locality, it's very hard to eradicate the fungi.

To spread the fungi is easy, but sometimes I think we really do have to think a long way ahead before we do things like this, especially if you have a piece of Ancient Woodland.
These pockets are mini reserves of more than just a few trees, and their existance gives hopes for genetic diversity and vigour within species.

Not saying don't do it; just that maybe infecting a pile of cut logs somewhere else might not be a bad idea.

cheers,
Toddy

Thanks Toddy, that was the 'ethical' question I was alluding to. Certainly didn't want to interfere with the woodland ecology. I had read that there was the possibility our ancestors had propagated such fungi as a reliable source of tinder... gathered and then boiled in urine... nice! I didn't/don't know how aggressive these particular fungi are? If they are principle decay fungi then an isolated log pile sounds a... well... sound idea! Certainly wouldn't want any parasitic spp.

Leo

 

[Peter_t]

when fungi fruiting bodies are sporalating (think that’s the correct word) the spors are constantly present in the air. they will usually only enter the tree through weaknesses in the tree such as wounds.
this does not guarantee the fungi's success, the tree has many ways to resist the fungi's spread. fungi has two stages, in its primary stage the fungus can only grow to a certain size and cannot produce fruiting bodies (brackets, toad stalls). it is only when the fungus contacts and then joins onto another fungi of the same species that it is in its second stage where it can develop and produce fruiting bodies.

fungi are specific to certain conditions such as a few families of trees or sometimes species alone such as birch polypore. some live only on living trees, some only on dead wood, some kill the tree and some such as flyagaric have what’s known as a symbiotic relationship where it trades nutrients with the tree in return for sugars.

i remember seeing a study on the fungus ganoderma where it had infected the tree but the first brackets appeared after 10 or 15 years on this tree. im sure all fungi are different but you may be in for a wait.


yes i did remember something from college!

pete

 

[Toddy]

The fomes and piptoporus that grow on the birches around here are certainly the cause of death of many of the trees.
Not that birch seems to be that long lived anyway, but they are also found (I don't look for them anywhere else but on birch because it's so common where I wander ) on several other trees too.
My husband brought some in a month back from an old beech tree that was literally falling apart.

I don't know what best to advise you, you're obviously giving it careful thought, but those tinder fungi will grow on cut down thinnings provided they're moist enough. Often all we find remaining is the tube of the birch bark, every other part of the wood has been used by something, be it fungi or insects.

If you want fresh spore setting fomes and betullina, I can send you some in late Spring if you mind me We do get the other fungi but not so reliably near at hand.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Stanleythecat]

Thanks Toddy a very kind offer which I would very much like to accept. I think I can arrange to remove some birch to a 'control' site where it won't effect/infect the surrounding area for late spring. As Pete suggests the rest is down to time and nature.

Leo

 

[Stanleythecat]

when fungi fruiting bodies are sporalating (think that’s the correct word) the spors are constantly present in the air. they will usually only enter the tree through weaknesses in the tree such as wounds.
this does not guarantee the fungi's success, the tree has many ways to resist the fungi's spread. fungi has two stages, in its primary stage the fungus can only grow to a certain size and cannot produce fruiting bodies (brackets, toad stalls). it is only when the fungus contacts and then joins onto another fungi of the same species that it is in its second stage where it can develop and produce fruiting bodies.



fungi are specific to certain conditions such as a few families of trees or sometimes species alone such as birch polypore. some live only on living trees, some only on dead wood, some kill the tree and some such as flyagaric have what’s known as a symbiotic relationship where it trades nutrients with the tree in return for sugars.

i remember seeing a study on the fungus ganoderma where it had infected the tree but the first brackets appeared after 10 or 15 years on this tree. im sure all fungi are different but you may be in for a wait.


yes i did remember something from college!

pete

Thanks for the info Pete. They really are fascinating organisms. I did a few years as a dangerous tree assessor for the National Trust but wasn't given the in depth training you have, I was always fascinated to learn a little more each time something new popped up. One tree surgeon was a real champion for trees and always took the time to explain the intricacies of the tree physiology or the dynamics of the specific fungus that we were looking at. I miss it!

Leo

 

[Geoff Dann]

Anyone seriously interested in this topic needs to read Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets.

 

[treelore]

stanley i would do it on both dead/fresh cutt and on some healthy trees. Toddy has a good point but from my fungi doctor mate he said there would be billions of spore about so by introducing it to healthly trees would'nt really matter. he his sending me an email soon and i`ll then pass it on to you mate.

 

[Stanleythecat]

stanley i would do it on both dead/fresh cutt and on some healthy trees. Toddy has a good point but from my fungi doctor mate he said there would be billions of spore about so by introducing it to healthly trees would'nt really matter. he his sending me an email soon and i`ll then pass it on to you mate.

Thanks mate.

 

[Stanleythecat]

Anyone seriously interested in this topic needs to read Mycelium Running by Paul Stamets.

Thanks for the info on the book Geoff, would love to get hold of a copy. Had a look on Amazon and it was a bit steep considering we just endured Christmas so have added it to my wish list for when I'm more solvent again.

Leo

 

[Geoff Dann]

There's another one by the same author that is even more appropriate, but also more expensive ("Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms").