A common question we are asked when helping people establish truffle orchards is whether truffle trees can survive periods of heavy rain and episodes of flooding, with the main concern being, that alongside damage to the tree roots, prolonged exposure to water will inhibit or even destroy the truffle mycorrhiza. Indeed, when we are assessing the suitability of sites to grow truffles in the UK, soil drainage is one of the most important considerations for whether the location is a suitable site for a truffle plantation. Our advice is to avoid areas prone to becoming waterlogged and to always plant in areas that are free draining. Soil drainage is linked to many important variables, such as soil texture, how different tree species grow, development of truffle mycorrhiza and truffle production quantity and quality. However, we have been undertaking research into how water immersion specifically affects tree ectomycorrhiza for several years and now some of Professor Paul Thomas’s (Our MD and Scientific Manager) preliminary findings have been published.