IT IS now possible to grow commercial hazelnuts and have them inoculated to also produce the famous black truffle.
Establishing a truffiere (truffle orchard) is an expensive venture and requires a lot of patience.
Producing commercial hazelnuts provides some relief on cash flow by assisting with earlier
returns.
The trees are hardy and easy to grow with few inputs required.
Truffles are the fruiting body of a specialised fungus known as a mycorrhiza.
They need to be inoculated onto the roots of hazelnuts or oaks where they develop a symbiotic relationship with the tree.
The French black truffle is highly prized by leading chefs.
Generally a hazelnut seedling is used to inoculate the truffle mycorrhiza, but a hazelnut seedling is unreliable to produce quality hazelnuts.
This led Trufficulture . a grower of truffle-inoculated seedlings to join with Hazelnut Nursery
Propagators (HNP) to use commercial varieties in the inoculation process and develop an exciting orchard program in Gembrook, Victoria.
Truffles require calcareous soil (lime rich) and this is explained in the orchard program.
HNP has a range of varieties with compatible pollinisers to ensure excellent yields, a spokesman said.
It also provided cultural advice and a planting pattern design for the orchard, he said
Bare-root stock in the form of whips is available for planting from July to September.
Trufficulture and another company, Truffle Harvest conduct grower seminars and workshops in NSW and Victoria.
The seminars cover growing hazelnuts as a viable horticultural enterprise and growing truffles.
Guest speakers will include Colin and Nathan Carter, Trufficulture, and Noel Fitzpatrick, a specialist truffle grower and marketer.
Participants can also walk through a farm hazelnut grove or inspect a truffiere where truffle hunting with a dog will be demonstrated.
A fee is charged to attend the seminars, truffle hunt and a light lunch.
*Visit: www.truffleharvest.com.au
