Climatic data from producing areas in Australia
From TruffleWiki
Climate is probably the primary issue in the longer term. Tree suppliers should already know of most of the climatic conditions in truffle growing regions, however it is suggested that you contact the Bureau of Meteorology and get the climate detail from a station of theirs close to you. You can also contact the State department responsible for soil conservation to get an idea of soil types. These two pieces of information would be a good start as Tree suppliers may need climatic and soil information for your specific area before they are prepared to comment. The Comparative Climate Table of Europe, Australia and New Zealand will give you an idea of the range of climatic conditions in truffle producing areas. The heat and cold zones, as shown on the maps produced by the Digger’s Club of Australia, (click on ‘View Enlarged Map’ for each zone), will provide an indication of the Australian growing areas. Truffles are being successfully grown in areas with Heat Zones in the 1 to 4 range and Cold Zones of 8 to 10. Including the 2008 truffle season, truffles have been harvested in Australia at Manjimup in Western Australia, in Northern Tasmania, in the Yarra Valley, the Otways and parts of Gippsland in Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and in the New South Wales Highlands from Bredbo to Canyonleigh and out to Oberon, Milthorpe and Orange.
As a general rule, a mean maximum temp of about 29 degrees in the summer and mean minimum of about 1 degree in June or July is desirable. Some say a rule of thumb is at least 7 frosts during the winter. Truffles originated in forests growing on limestone soils and were not irrigated, so your area rainfall could influence your decision of whether to irrigate or not. A minimum rainfall of at least 700 mm per year would be desirable and good rain in the summer months is required to set the truffles. You may need to drought proof your trees, particularly in the early stages, so you will need a good water supply, either surface or ground water, (but not saline). About 500,000 litres per hectare should be sufficient to ensure the viabilty of your truffle patch during difficult drought periods.
