1. General
These instructions are applicable to plants infected with either Tuber melanosporum (the Périgord black truffle) native to France, Italy, Spain, Croatia and other parts of Europe, and Tuber uncinatum (the summer or Burgundy truffle) indigenous to the UK and found all over Europe.

2.Choice of site
The ideal site is a free-draining, well-aerated alkaline soil, overlying limestone or chalk with a well-defined structure, on a southeast or south-facing slope. There should be an absence of other trees nearby (minimum of 75m on level ground) that may harbour competing fungi on their roots. If this distance is not possible to achieve, then a trench should be dug (0.5m in depth) between established tree(s) and the prepared ground and lined with black polythene sheeting.


3. Ground Preparation
Once the site is chosen it should be treated as follows:

• Stock should be used to eat off any palatable standing vegetation.
  
  
• Cultivate to remove weed growth. It is preferable not to use weed-killer containing ‘glysophate’.
  
  
• Power harrowed down to a depth of no more than 20 cm.
  
  
• A stock-proof fence (where agreed) should be erected.
  
  
• An electric fence installed to keep out badgers and wild boar (if appropriate).
  
  
• Sufficient agricultural lime should be applied to raise the pH to 7.9. The amount that will have to be applied will depend on the natural pH of your soil. A rough guide is 2 tons of lime per hectare per 0.1 pH unit that the pH needs to be raised. It is important not to apply excess lime otherwise the concentrations of some trace elements, such as iron, can fall to critically low levels. We recommend that several smaller applications of lime be applied to gradually increase the pH.
  
  
• If you are planting on an exposed site we recommend that you protect your plants from the wind. You can use artificial windbreaks or a hedge containing any of the plants listed on the attached sheet
  

5.Plant Density
The optimum planting densities are:

Tuber melanosporum* - 400 or fewer plants per hectare.
Tuber uncinatum**- 1100 plants per hectare of which 800 plants per hectare need to be infected with T. uncinatum with the balance (300) being made up from either ash, sycamore, field maple and/or yew.

a. Stand them up and water them (ideally rain water).
b. If you do not have time to plant immediately, place them somewhere away from plants that might have ectomycorrhizal fungi on their roots ie: oak, beech, hazel, hornbeam amongst others. For a full list please contact us. It is best to place them on clean plastic sheeting and ensure that the bags do not dry out. You must plant within 2 weeks in order to limit the chance of competing fungi establishing on the roots.
c. As you dig the holes, place one fully cupped-hand of limestone chip (5mm) in the bottom of each one.
d. Each tree should be protected by a poly tube (minimum of 90 cm in height and 12 cm wide) and staked and caned.
e. When you plant-out, make three shallow vertical slits with a sharp knife through the paper Melfert bag and place in the hole you have prepared. Do not pull the roots or potting-mix out of the bag - just cover over with soil, as you would do normally and firm down gently without compacting.

7. Consultancy Service.
Truffle UK Ltd is happy to provide a consultancy service on any of the aspects covered above if required.

Notes:
*tuber melanosporum - known as the Black or Périgord truffle. Native to France, Italy, Spain, Croatia and other parts of Europe.This stocking density does not qualify under The Fam Woodland Premium Scheme(FWPS) or Woodland Grant Scheme(WGS)

**Tuber uncinatum -known as the Summer or Burgundy truffle. Indigenous to the UK and found all over Europe. This planting density will qualify under the FWPS or WGS.

Please Note. The information and advice given above is based on the most up-to-date information available to Truffle UK Ltd at the time it was drawn up and all due care was exercised in its preparation. Any subsequent action in reliance on the accuracy of this information is the sole commercial decision of the user of the information and is taken at his or her own risk. Accordingly, Truffle UK Ltd disclaims any liability whatsoever in respect of any losses or damages arising out of the use of this information or in respect of any actions taken in reliance upon the validity of the information.