Map of mushroom places in the Moscow region. Everything for mushroom pickers: when to collect porcini mushrooms

This herbal product? And most importantly, when, in what seasons and what specific types of mushrooms show their caps to the light? Let's try to answer all these pressing questions in our short article.

It’s no secret to any avid mushroom picker that the beginning of the mushroom season depends not on the mushroom “calendar,” but on the weather outside. Basically, mushrooms appear in several “waves”. When can you pick mushrooms? The first wave of mushrooms in Russia occurs mainly in early June. The second influx, somewhere in mid-July, and the third - at the end of August. And remember, the most best time A day for successful mushroom picking is early in the morning, and it will be even better if you wait for dawn right in the forest, with a basket of mushrooms at the ready. Do you know why? Because the morning forest simply breathes the moisture of the morning dew and the cleanest air in the world. It has been proven that this is the best time to collect large quantity hiding mushrooms.

Consider the mushroom appearance calendar:

mushrooms appear on the trees first, in January;

This is followed by the spring mushroom season. Spring mushrooms are no less useful than all the others. What mushrooms are collected in the spring? Early spring, when there is still snow in some places, but the air temperature is already around zero, mushroom pickers are already heading into the forest.

March is the time to collect tree mushrooms and talkers;
in April you can confidently go and collect stitches;
in May - and raincoats:

People say that if the winter had little snow and the autumn was not rainy, then mushrooms can be found in the spring as soon as the aspen and poplar trees shed their catkins.

The summer mushroom season is, of course, busier; it begins in June. The most interesting and delicious mushrooms in summer. In what month are mushrooms picked?

in June - boletus, honey mushrooms, and;
in July, among others, moss mushrooms appear;

Go to the forest for mushrooms as soon as the linden blossoms, during this period the forest is warm and humid, and later the heat will set in, which will quickly turn the mushrooms into worms.

Soon after the first chanterelles, porcini mushrooms and boletus mushrooms appear during brief rains.

Clouds of midges after heavy rains will tell you about the appearance of mushrooms in summer forest, and dense fogs in the mornings towards the end of summer will help to collect a rich harvest of porcini mushrooms, aspen and boletus mushrooms, a little later than saffron milk caps and milk mushrooms. Bright fly agarics and porcini mushrooms are good neighbors, so in mixed forests take a closer look at fly agarics, you will definitely find them nearby. Late in the summer, or rather already autumn mushrooms are experiences. They begin to be collected simultaneously with the harvesting of oats in the fields.

In autumn, in the forests, as a rule, mushrooms of the third wave, which appeared in August, are collected. However, there are also mushrooms that appear in the middle of this cold season. What mushrooms are collected in the fall?

in October, the best time to go for mushrooms such as: valui, and;

Polina Rumyantseva, Tatyana Sidorova
publication date: 08/07/2011, update date: 12/08/2017
Reprinting articles without an active link is prohibited!

Otto Schreibikus 22.05.2016 20:48
Folk sign: If countless mushroom pickers have appeared in the forests, if cars, buses, and motorcycles are parked near the forests, mushrooms have appeared in the forest. True, not for long)))

Autumn is a wonderful time for picking mushrooms. Therefore, all over the world, experienced and novice mushroom pickers go hunting for boletus, honey mushrooms, porcini, chanterelles and other mushrooms.

In today's Top 10 we will talk about the most mushroom countries on the planet and specific locations selected by Forbes Life experts.

National mushroom month in the country rising sun October is considered. The truffle's main competitor, the Matsutake mushroom, grows here. The cost of a kilogram of such mushrooms in Europe reaches $4,000.

9. China

It is best to pick Chinese mushrooms with a guide. The most mushroom region is considered to be Yunnan Province, where 500 varieties grow edible mushrooms. A surprising find for a Russian mushroom picker will be the so-called “mushroom cabbage,” which in our country is listed in the Red Book.

8. Spain

The peculiarities of the Spanish climate make it possible to collect mushrooms all year round. Moreover edible varieties About a hundred grow in the country. Of particular note are the boletus mushrooms, as well as the Caesar mushroom, which is practically never found in our forests.

7. Poland

November marks the end of the harvesting season for the so-called “Polish mushroom,” a relative of the familiar fly mushroom. You can collect mushrooms in Poland only in places specially designated by the administration. Tourists, as a rule, prefer to settle on eco-farms, around which there are designated areas for collection.

6. Italy

The most important mushroom for Italians is the Piedmontese truffle. If you are not lucky enough to find a wonderful, aromatic mushroom on your own, you can purchase it at the annual November truffle market, which takes place in the Piedmont region.

5. France

The main mushroom treasure of the country is the black truffle. Every year, gourmets from all over the world come to Provence to hunt truffles. Travel companies even organize special themed tours for those interested.

4. USA

Every year, the American Mushroom Institute publishes statistics on the number of mushroom pickers, picking competitions held, and record holders. For each mushroom picker in the States, a collection norm is established - no more than 13 kg per trip, of which there can be no more than ten in one year, otherwise a special license is required.

3. Canada

There are many special mushroom farms in Canada, where they are happy to give tourists excursions and organize master classes in mushroom cooking. To collect wild mushrooms We can recommend a two-hour excursion accompanied by an instructor followed by preparation of the harvested crop.

2. Finland

The mushroom season in Finland ends at the end of November. Every year over 10 thousand foreign mushroom pickers come to the country at this time. Finnish chanterelles, boletus and bitter mushrooms are especially popular.

1. Belarus

Mushrooms in Belarus, without exaggeration, are a national product. The harvest season here lasts until mid-November. Mushroom pickers enjoy using the special Internet resource Borovik.by, where you can download the most productive routes, as well as a structured mobile catalog of mushrooms.

Healthy and aromatic. It got its name thanks to its cap, which does not change color even after drying. The mushroom remains white, although other species gradually turn black.

Nutritional and taste qualities on top. From the article you will learn everything about porcini mushroom: when to collect them, where they grow, how to distinguish them from inedible ones.

Description of white mushroom

Almost every summer mushroom pickers rejoice at the harvest. How nice it is to look for mushrooms and enjoy fresh mushrooms at the same time clean air. The porcini mushroom is in great demand. Every person who specializes in this matter knows when to collect it. There is an opinion that the porcini mushroom is from the boletus genus.

The diameter of the cap is most often 25 cm. Sometimes it reaches 27 or even 30 cm. It all depends on the species. Once the cap begins to grow, it looks like a hemisphere. Gradually becomes flatter and drier. The color of the porcini mushroom is varied. Depending on the habitat. As mushroom pickers say, it depends on how much light hits the mushroom. It can be either white or dark brown. That is, the lighter the area, the darker the mushroom.

The length of the stem can be 15, 20 and even 25 cm. The thickness of the mushroom varies. At first its leg is thin, over time it becomes cylindrical in shape and reaches 10 cm.

The mushroom has a tube on which small pores are clearly visible. As it grows, its color changes. At first it is light white, then yellowish, and when ripe it turns green. At the very break of the stem, the color does not change from the cap. This is the white mushroom. You need to know when to collect it. After all, you can’t eat it green and overripe.

Benefits of porcini mushroom

This product contains carotene, vitamin B, C, D and riboflavin. It is these vitamins that help strengthen nails, hair, skin and the entire body. The high content of sulfur and polysaccharides helps with cancer.

The porcini mushroom contains a lot of lecithin, which helps treat atherosclerosis and increase hemoglobin. It contains a lot of protein, which gradually disappears when fried. That is why it is recommended to use dried mushrooms. They are better absorbed in the body.

The carbohydrates found in porcini mushrooms support and strengthen the immune system and protect against a variety of viruses. Therefore, it is recommended to use them as often as possible. However, mushrooms are difficult food for the stomach. Try to use them dried in soups. Read the article about where porcini mushrooms grow and when to collect them.

Harm of porcini mushrooms

People often use toxic substances, without even knowing it. Any mushrooms that grow near the highway or in polluted places are strong natural sorbents. They absorb all toxic substances. Therefore, to maintain your health, you need to look for porcini mushrooms in clean places. When to collect and where, we will tell you further.

Doctors prohibit giving mushrooms to children. If there is poisoning, it is almost impossible to save the child.

The child’s body cannot cope with the fungal chitinous shell, since it does not have enough necessary enzymes to digest food. Especially mushrooms.

Habitats

Many people do not know where porcini mushrooms grow. Wet and rainy conditions are best for them. Where there is horsetail, it is impossible to find porcini mushrooms in the forest.

Most often, this delicacy is found near fly agaric mushrooms. In which forests do porcini mushrooms grow? Experienced mushroom pickers can answer this question. They are often located near rivers or streams. Mushrooms love not only moisture, but also warmth. In hot weather, they hide under bushes and grass, and in the fall, on the contrary, they look for open places so that the sun can warm them.

Mushroom pickers have an idea in which forests porcini mushrooms grow. After all, they can’t be found everywhere. Pine forests or birch groves are famous for porcini mushrooms. In these places they grow not alone, but in families. Therefore, if you find at least one mushroom, do not go far, there are probably more nearby.

All forests, coniferous, pine or deciduous, are famous for porcini mushrooms. However, only in old places. Young forests cannot boast of an abundance of this glorious delicacy.

Now you understand in which forests porcini mushrooms grow, and you can go looking for them without any problems.

Where to pick porcini mushrooms in the Moscow region

This wonderful delicacy does not grow in every forest. This territory is located in the direction from Moscow to the West. It is there that there are forests with high humidity and all conditions for the growth of porcini mushrooms.

This is in the Ruzsky or Shakhovsky districts. If you go north from Moscow, then you can turn to the suburb of Taldom.

Experienced ecologists believe that it is impossible to collect porcini mushrooms in the Khimki forest or Lyubertsy. These areas are considered polluted, and the conditions in them are unfavorable for porcini mushrooms. Even if they are edible, they can be poisonous only because they have absorbed all the harmful substances.

Now you know where to pick porcini mushrooms in the Moscow region, and it won’t be difficult for you to sort out clean and polluted areas. Most often, the harvest for this wonderful delicacy is large, the main thing is not to make a mistake in it and not to pick a poisonous one.

When to pick porcini mushrooms

In spring and winter, you don’t have to look for this delicacy. It will be impossible to find them anyway. No one can say for sure in what month porcini mushrooms are harvested. They usually appear in June and their season lasts until October. If summer began earlier, in April or May, and the air humidity is high, then the first porcini mushrooms can be found. However, if autumn is frosty and cold weather sets in early, then do not expect it in October.

They grow very quickly. From a small one, weighing 3 grams, in a week it becomes about 200-250 grams. Very often you can meet giants that reach 700 grams. As many years of practice have shown, the smaller the mushroom, the better it is absorbed by the body. That is, a very small one is not suitable, since it is not ripe. Ideal option for consumption from 100 gr. up to 300 gr. In too large mushrooms There is a lot of fiber, so it is difficult for the human body to absorb them.

A very useful white mushroom. When to collect it, decide for yourself. However, it is always worth remembering that summer is the optimal time for harvesting. Porcini mushrooms are very popular with worms and insects. Therefore, in the fall you need to try to find a good and undamaged product.

The difference between a false mushroom and a real one

Very often people collect the wrong product that they need. Everything happens out of ignorance. Therefore, they confuse the false white mushroom with the real one. They are found equally under deciduous or coniferous trees. They look almost identical.

The first misconception of people is that the inedible false porcini mushroom grows separately. It can be seen in a warm, illuminated clearing or forest edge. The false mushroom often overlaps with the real one.

The first difference is the terrible bitter taste. The false mushroom is not classified as poisonous, so more experienced people try a very small piece. A very bitter taste immediately appears.

If you are afraid to try the mushroom during collection, then heat treatment will help you. When fried or boiled, the bitter taste becomes unbearable.

Be careful because in the pulp false mushroom There are toxic substances that gradually poison the body. With constant use, the liver and its performance are destroyed, and even cirrhosis can develop.

Symptoms of poisoning

You already know what a porcini mushroom is, when to collect it and where. However, it is necessary to understand what symptoms occur during poisoning and what to do in this case. As practice has shown, the first signs appear no later than two hours after consumption.

In case of poisoning, nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhea occur. The temperature rises to almost 40 degrees, and the hands and feet become very cold and chills begin. In some cases, hallucinations are noticeable.

At the first signs of poisoning, you need to take activated charcoal and drink as much as possible cold water and strong chilled tea. In the meantime, you need to call a doctor or ambulance. Only with proper and timely treatment does a person have the opportunity to recover within three days.

It’s probably no secret to anyone that mushrooms, being a natural product and very free of charge, don’t grow anywhere. In terms of their demands on conditions, they are many times more capricious than plants, so give them special, mushroom places. I will try to tell you how to find the latter in this article. But first, I strongly recommend “smoking” the theory, which, despite its futility, is designed to help the mushroom picker analyze a specific landscape and determine its “mushroom potential” by eye.

All mushroom places are held on a kind of " three pillars", which are the three main conditions necessary for the full existence of mushrooms:

It would be possible to add soil composition to the above conditions, but for most forest mushrooms it is not particularly critical. And in general - in any forest land there is almost everything for them necessary substances. However, some mushrooms prefer soils that are particularly rich in organic matter, such as champignons and dung beetles. I will write more about mushroom soils below - in the section “Where mushrooms grow.”

So, these same “three mushroom whales” are very dependent on the type of landscape, topography and seasonal weather. These factors are also worth considering in more detail, and at the same time their influence on each other. Let's start with the first of them - landscape.

Mushroom landscapes

Over the entire history of the Earth's development, mushrooms have adapted quite well to various types terrain, which is why they can be found not only in the forest, but also in the tundra, and even in the steppe. They also grow in swamps and on the surface of lake rafts. First, let's look at the forest area, since the lion's share of mushrooms collected by humans grows there.

Mushroom forests

In terms of heat and humidity, all forests, regardless of the tree species growing in them, can be divided into three categories mushroom places:

small forest

Such forests arise in old clearings or in open spaces that have been withdrawn from agricultural use. The main condition is a forested area and mature trees located nearby, the seeds from which quickly sow the former field, and after a few years a low growth of young trees appears on it.

Artificial forest plantations can also be classified as small forests. You can distinguish them from self-seeding ones by the way the seedlings are located. In artificial plantings they stand less frequently, are almost the same height and are usually ordered, but in natural plantings, as a rule, all the trees stand close to each other and their height varies. Well, of course, there is no order in the arrangement of trees, but complete chaos reigns.

Typically, small forests are young self-sown pine forests, birch forests, aspen forests, or a mixture various breeds. Their age is no more than 10 years, the height of the trees has not yet reached its usual value for real forests, and the undergrowth as such has not yet developed. As a rule, such forests are well heated by the sun and evaporate moisture no less well. Therefore, on level ground there is plenty of heat here, but there is usually a minimum of moisture in the soil, which, however, does not prevent small forests from being normal mushroom places under favorable weather conditions.

Open Woods

Overgrown small forests, or forests where the density of trees is relatively low. The undergrowth can be sparse or dense. Examples of such forests are tall, fairly sunlit birch or aspen forests.

The warmth and humidity of the soil here are kept at approximately average levels. These forests are quite successful as mushroom places.

Taiga

Spruce or fir, or mixed. And in general any forest where the tree density is high. Only a minimal part sun rays reaches the surface of the earth here. Therefore, twilight and coolness reign in such forests, and soil moisture reaches maximum values for the forest. The taiga is quite a mushroom place, but special “taiga” species of mushrooms grow here.

Sometimes it happens that a swamp intersects with the taiga and Urman- another type of landscape characterized by high humidity, and another very good mushroom place. Such forests are less dependent on atmospheric precipitation, and therefore - more promising in terms of mushrooms in dry years.

Summarizing all of the above about different forests, we can say with confidence that the most promising mushroom places are forests of the second type. And indeed, it was here that the yields of mushrooms (especially white mushrooms) were always high.

Open spaces

This can include all those types of landscapes that do not have trees or have them in minute quantities. There is an abundance of solar heat here, but with moisture it can be different.

Moss swamps or lake rafts. The wettest and most mushroomy places among all open spaces. All that is required for mushrooms is just the sun's heat. In terms of symbiont plants, as a rule, there is no shortage, because swamp soil is usually penetrated by the roots of various tree-like shrubs, ranging from small heathers (cranberries, blueberries, crowberries, etc.) and ending with fully established trees, such as small birches, pine trees and others.
Tundra. There is a slight change in moisture here. However, this doesn't bother me at all this species landscape to be an excellent mushroom place. Including thanks to the symbiont trees that grow here in a dwarf form.
Dry open spaces, steppes. Mushroom places appear only in favorable seasons - when sufficient rainfall falls from the skies.

It is quite obvious that the first two areas are very tempting for mushroom pickers.

Relief and mushrooms

Height and slope earth's surface also influence whether a particular area can be classified as a mushroom area.

Terrain type	Moisture	Warm
Lowlands (including places near water bodies)	Many	Average
Heights	Few	Average
North side of the mountain	Many	Few
East and west sides of the mountain	Average	Average
South side of the mountain	Few	Many

That’s right - the most mushroom places are usually the lowlands. There are usually more mushrooms growing there than in mountainous areas. Near bodies of water, heavy dew falls in the morning - this has a beneficial effect on soil moisture.

Mushroom weather

Summer can be different. Sometimes it’s normal - when there’s a lot sunny days and periodically there are heavy rainfalls (the most mushroom weather). And sometimes it’s cold and rainy. And it also happens that for the entire July-August - not a drop from the sky. But the heat is abnormal and naturally “dries out” everything, even the grass burns out. And once I observed a generally “unique” summer, when there didn’t seem to be much rain, but the weather was cloudy and cool all the way.

The yield of mushroom areas also greatly depends on what the season will be like. In this regard, four types of summer can be distinguished:

Summer	Warm	Moisture	Productivity of mushroom places
Cold dry	Few	Few	Extremely bad.
Cold wet (rainy)	Few	Many	Mushrooms appear, but with a delay. As a rule, in such summers there are many wormy mushrooms, their overall harvest leaves much to be desired. But it also happens that in the fall nature “takes revenge” autumn views, unpretentious to heat.
Warm dry (arid)	Many	Few	Everything in the forest is perfectly dry. There are no mushrooms during the summer. They appear only in the fall - when it starts to rain. But the productivity of the mushroom place at this moment reaches its possible peak, which cannot but rejoice.
Warm wet (normal)	Many	Many	Best mushroom weather. Usually in such summers there are tons of mushrooms everywhere.

Manifestation of weather in different mushroom places

Now comes the most interesting part. I didn’t just list it above different types mushroom places that differ in landscape and relief. As the practice of mushroom picking shows, in different seasonal weather they manifest themselves completely differently. And here we get a pretty funny sign:

	Summer
	Cold dry	Cold wet	Warm dry	Warm wet
Forests	No or few mushrooms	Closer to autumn, not particularly heat-loving species of mushrooms, such as saffron milk caps or milk mushrooms, appear. If the summer is not very cold, the area may please you with some boletus harvest.	No or few mushrooms	Usually in such years there are plenty of mushrooms in a given area.
Moss swamps, rafting grounds	The lack of heat only affects the timing of the appearance of heat-loving mushrooms. There is always enough moisture here, so there will be mushrooms even in a cold summer, but not in such quantities as in a warm one.		These types of terrain are independent of precipitation, therefore there will be a lot of mushrooms here in both cases of warm summer.
Places near bodies of water	There is moisture, but with heat things are worse. Nevertheless, you can count on some mushroom harvest		Heavy dew in the morning moisturizes the soil well. As a result, it is along the banks of reservoirs that picking mushrooms can be very successful in dry summers	There is plenty of moisture and heat - the mushroom harvest will be maximum
Southern slopes of forested mountains	No or few mushrooms	These places are well heated by the sun, as they are oriented to it at a steeper angle. During the cold but wet summer, the best mushroom harvest occurs here.	No or few mushrooms	In this weather there are usually plenty of mushrooms
Northern slopes of forested mountains	No or few mushrooms	You can count on a small harvest of mushrooms that are not very demanding of heat	There are no or few mushrooms, but in some cases it is on the northern side of the mountain that in dry summers you can count on some mushroom harvest	There is more shade here, and therefore noticeably colder. There are mushrooms, but there are slightly fewer of them than in warmer places
Open spaces	No or few mushrooms			The usual crop of mushrooms such as umbrellas and champignons appears

Another very funny moment here is connected with the time of year, or more precisely with autumn, or with how quickly mushrooms disappear with the first cold weather. As it turned out, nature has its own reservoirs of heat, which can somewhat “stretch” the mushroom season in time. These are swamps, as well as large bodies of water. It has been noticed that mushrooms can be picked near them even in October, and sometimes even from under the snow.

Where do mushrooms grow?

Forests are forests, fields are fields, weather is weather, but do not forget that the nature of the soil also affects whether a place is mushroom or not.

Rich organic substances forest floor- the best soil for mushrooms. However, litter differs from litter. It not only turns out to be diverse in itself, but can also retain moisture important for mushrooms in different ways. And well-rotating soil is also a source of heat, because as is known, the rotting of any organic residue releases it in sufficient quantities (remember the “smoking” piles of manure or sawdust in collective gardens).

Fallen needles

Its top layer is blown quite well, so most often it is dry. In terms of nutrients - so-so. Deeper down there are rotted needles - that’s where moisture and useful substances things are noticeably better. This is where the bacteria have worked hard, and this is where the fungal mycelium is usually located. The most common mushrooms found on fallen pine needles are russula and other milk mushrooms, but there are also porcini mushrooms, moss mushrooms, etc.

fallen leaves

It retains moisture better than the previous point, and - apparently - richer in nutrients. There are noticeably more mushrooms here; moreover, their “assortment” is clearly more diverse.

Well, of course, such litter does not arise on its own, but accompanies deciduous trees, all of which are symbionts for mycorrhizal fungi. Such as whites, obabki, milk mushrooms and others.

Moss areas

It has been noticed that where moss (sphagnum or something else) has grown on the ground, mushrooms appear many times more readily than on ordinary soil. This can be clearly observed when collecting saffron milk caps, especially in small forests. This is explained quite simply: moss, being a lower plant, and therefore moisture-loving, itself tries to take care of preserving water in the place where it grows. His jackets are organized like dense pillows, well permeable to water from above, but, alas, not particularly permeable to water back. In addition, moss is a good heat insulator - it’s not for nothing that in the old days they put it between logs in log houses, or even covered the roof with it.

From this we can also conclude that moss is one of the external signs mushroom places.

Grass

This means “a natural version of the lawn.” Mushrooms also grow in such well-developed grass, but they don’t particularly like it. Perhaps - because of the dense turf, through which throwing out the fruiting bodies is a complete hassle. Or maybe the grass somehow competes with the mushrooms, “taking away” moisture, nutrients or space from them? But this is not so important. The main thing is that when picking mushrooms you always notice that they are rarely found in dense grass, with the possible exception of umbrellas and champignons. But if the grass is sparse, mushrooms are often found in it.

However, if the grass does not grow haphazardly, but in occasional clumps, you should know that this is a clear sign mushroom place, and to top it all off - one of the signs for porcini mushrooms.

Dense forbs, weeds

As a rule, this vegetation occurs in old wastelands or in low-lying meadows that are well-fed by water. Sometimes there are such thickets that even walking through them can be difficult. But they retain moisture very well - even the dew at the very roots does not evaporate throughout the day. For mushrooms, this is the promised land. Only here there are either toadstools growing here, or those species that are not usually collected in our area (all sorts of umbrellas, meadow mushrooms, etc.). It turns out that this type of landscape is not included in mushroom areas.

Where to pick mushrooms

Photo 2. The outskirts of small forests consisting of self-seeding young pine trees. In a warm, rain-rich season, such a forest produces a good harvest of buttermilk in the summer and an equally good harvest of saffron milk caps in the fall.

Now is the time to talk about tactics for finding mushroom places. This tactic most often has to be used in forests, because this is the most “difficult” landscape in terms of gathering. In other places where mushrooms grow, the search is greatly simplified.

The first thing a forest collector should pay attention to is the local (shallow) topography, as well as the density of trees. On small hills such as hillocks, hillocks and “ridges”, average temperature It is always a little higher than in the lowlands. Clearings, “windows,” or places where trees grow less densely or are filled with young growth are more open to the sun, and therefore also warm up better than the rest of the forest. It is here, on the hills and shallow clearings, that you most often come across “witch circles” and other mushroom accumulations.

Photo 3. A typical mushroom place: a loose birch forest with a well-developed rowan undergrowth, with moss areas and thin grass cover consisting of meadow grasses and stones, as well as with small differences in relief (hills, hollows) and clearings. A river flows a few meters from this place. Types of mushrooms growing in such a forest: chanterelle, milk mushroom, honey fungus, boletus, porcini mushroom.

If there are large clearings in the forest overgrown with grass, then the mushrooms are concentrated along their edges, especially along the northern edges. The same is observed in clearings. If the latter are oriented from south to north, then the mushrooms simply form plantations along the border of the forest and the cleared area. If the clearing is overgrown with undergrowth, there will be mushrooms throughout the entire area of the thicket, since this is where they have “both home and table” (these places not only warm up well, but also contain symbiont trees, and also retain moisture better). In clearings oriented by latitude (from east to west), as a rule, mushrooms adore the northern edge, since it is better warmed by the sun. In addition to clearings, mushrooms can be concentrated in decent quantities in narrow forest belts among vast fields, as well as along the boundaries between fields and forests.

Photo 4. Dense mixed forest(birch, spruce and fir), or rather, its outskirts, bordering a huge meadow. Good mushroom place. Growing mushrooms: saffron milk cap, milk mushroom, porcini mushroom, honey fungus, honey fungus.

Rocky outcrops in the middle of the forest form partially open, well-heated spaces. In addition, the stone under the forest soil acts as a kind of “bowl” for rainwater, retaining it for some time. Fungi can concentrate in such places, but not always. The main indicator of mushroom spots is moss. If the base of the stone is covered with it, then everything is fine with the mushrooms.

Photo 5. Young pine forest near a rocky outcrop. Moss and ferns grow on the stones, which indicates good humidity, so this is quite a mushroom place.

Cleared areas can turn out to be very promising mushroom areas. Especially if the timber was demolished and the undergrowth was left alone. The clearings warm up very well and contain a long-established mushroom biocenosis in their soil, but in turn, they require more moisture. This should be taken into account in seasons when precipitation is below normal. The situation is almost the same with the places where the fallen man walked through the forest. But in fresh burnt areas, it is most often useless to look for mushrooms, since the upper horizon of the soil, in which the mycelium lives, usually burns out.

Another tendency has been noticed - in more or less open places (for example, in small forests), small depressions can become places where mushrooms are concentrated. So, once, when collecting butter in one similar place, a small (half a meter deep) ravine lined with stones and moss turned out to be very promising. This ravine was the bed of an annually drying forest stream, but apparently it contained a little more moisture than the flat area bordering it.

In dry but hot seasons, areas near springs, forest rivers and streams, lowlands with swamps that have not yet dried up, coastal forests of lakes and reservoirs remain mushroom places. In short - all those places where there are sources of moisture. They “work” especially well on cool nights - when dew falls. When looking for such places, pay attention to the moss growing on the ground, stumps and at the roots of trees. It is the primary indicator of moisture.

Now there are no words about places where there are no mushrooms, or if they are found, they are in scanty quantities, unworthy of the mushroom picker’s attention.

Firstly, there is no point in looking for mushrooms in places frequently visited by people, because everything there has been trampled and cut off long before you and me. Distinguishing such places from normal ones is easier than a steamed turnip: the small forest vegetation here is broken and crushed, it is clear that a “herd of elephants” ran by the day before. Also noticeable are “stumps” of mushrooms, or cut worm caps lying on the ground. Garbage like cigarette butts, crumpled cigarette packs, and some other rubbish also indicate frequent visits to these places. This is mainly observed in forests bordering settlements or busy roads.

Photo 6. Typical forest, often visited by people (located near big city). The grass cover is trampled, the undergrowth is stunted, paths and places where trees have been cut are visible. There is all sorts of rubbish lying around in the middle of the forest. Now it is useless to look for mushrooms here, but in the past this forest was probably a good place for mushrooms.

The next competitors of the collector are wild boars. In forests densely populated by these animals, picking mushrooms can be not only futile (because these beasts find and eat mushrooms many times faster than humans!), but even dangerous. I know a case when one of my mushroom picker acquaintances came across a whole flock of wild boars with cubs in the forest. Out of harm's way, he left the forest with lightning speed.

Photo. 7. Boars are serious competitors for mushroom pickers. They love to raid mushroom places. Mushroom eaters in action.

Typically, wild boars give out their presence by characteristic marks on the ground (it can be seen that they have trampled and rummaged), heaps of droppings, as well as worn, mud-stained trees. Well, of course - grunting and cracking of branches. However, unlike people, they never litter. Despite the fact that they are the most real pigs.

Important: where you can’t pick mushrooms

I definitely do not recommend going mushroom hunting within a radius of 30 kilometers from large industrial enterprises that pollute environment with their emissions. Because the entire periodic table accumulates in mushrooms in these territories (an example of this is the legendary mushroom “”). I can also say about places along roads, especially busy ones, and about forests near large landfills.

Photo 8. Beautiful, coniferous forest, which is a good mushroom place. But it is located in the pollution zone of a large metallurgical enterprise.

Collecting mushrooms in such ecologically unfavorable areas can only be done according to the “cut it and throw it away” principle, or for scientific purposes - for a herbarium there, etc. Well, even for collecting spore powder - although it contains all sorts of chemical rubbish, but being “sown” in an ecologically clean place will produce normal, safe mushrooms.

But eating mushrooms from contaminated areas is extremely dangerous. It happens that harmful substances accumulate in the fruiting body in such quantities that the mushroom, although according to its passport it is edible and harmless, becomes naturally poisonous, and after eating it immediately causes symptoms of normal such poisoning. Keep this in mind when picking mushrooms, so as not to accidentally end up in the hospital or to avoid health problems in the future.

Conclusions

Photo 9. Mushroom spot found.

It turns out that the most mushroom places can only be wet, well-warmed areas by the sun, with an abundance of symbiont trees and soil rich in organic matter. Moreover, these places should be as little dependent on weather conditions as possible.

Finding them is a difficult task, but seasoned mushroom pickers develop a “smell” for these places, but in fact this phenomenon is of a purely subconscious nature. The human brain, being a masterly analyzer of situations, over years of experience identifies patterns and develops a specific algorithm for detecting mushroom places based on external, seemingly uninformative signs, and ultimately gives its unsuspecting owner ready-made forecasts. He, perceiving this as a kind of “sixth sense”, unmistakably finds huge accumulations of mushrooms. In my time, I have not only heard stories about such people, but also known them personally. And in all cases, they were not just avid mushroom pickers, they had been picking mushrooms since childhood. Some of them were born in the taiga villages of our region - their sense of searching for mushrooms was so developed that it simply aroused genuine admiration.

Hence the main conclusion - if you want to always be with mushrooms, look for them. And the more often you do this, the faster you will understand where the most mushroom places are. And even if you don’t understand, your subconscious will do it for you.

The mushroom season in the forests near St. Petersburg is considered to be from August to November, but edible mushrooms can be found Leningrad region almost all year round.

And so - you gathered your courage, stocked up on tools, got acquainted with and even learned! Let's figure out whether you got ready for the forest on time. We look at the mushroom picker's calendar according to the most popular ones edible mushrooms known in the forests of the Leningrad region.

Mushroom picker calendar
Collection month	Types of mushrooms	Features of collection
January	Oyster mushroom	For mushroom pickers, this is the emptiest month; there is practically nothing to look for in the forest. But if the winter is warm, you can find fresh oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms usually grow on trees, the cap of such a mushroom is one-sided or rounded, the plates run down to the stem, as if growing to it. Distinguish oyster mushroom from inedible mushrooms It’s not difficult - it has a cap that is not leathery to the touch at all.
February	Oyster mushroom, tree mushrooms	If there is no thaw, there is practically nothing to look for in the forest
March	Oyster mushroom, tree mushrooms, talker	There are practically no mushrooms, but at the end of the month the first snowdrops may appear.
April	Oyster mushroom, tree mushrooms, govorushka, morel, stitch	Snowdrop mushrooms – morels and stitches – are quite common
May	Morel, stitch, oiler, oyster mushroom, raincoat	Most mushrooms can be found not under trees, but in clearings, in thick grass.
June	Oiler, boletus, boletus, oyster mushroom, morel, honey fungus, chanterelle, porcini mushroom, puffball	In June, mushrooms of the highest category begin to appear.
July	Oiler, boletus, boletus, oyster mushroom, morel, puffball, honey fungus, chanterelle, porcini mushroom, moss mushroom	There are already quite a lot of mushrooms - both in the clearings and under the trees. In addition to mushrooms, strawberries and
August	Oiler, boletus, boletus, oyster mushroom, morel, honey fungus, chanterelle, porcini mushroom, moss mushroom	At this time, mushrooms can be found almost everywhere: in the grass, under trees, near stumps, in ditches and on trees, and even in city squares and on the sides of roads. In addition to mushrooms, it is already ripe, and appears in swamps.
September	Oiler, boletus, boletus, oyster mushroom, morel, honey fungus, chanterelle, porcini mushroom, moss mushroom, oyster mushroom	September is the most productive month for mushrooms. But you need to be careful: autumn is coming to the forests, and in the bright foliage it is difficult to see the colorful mushroom caps.
October	Valuy, oyster mushroom, camelina, honey fungus, champignon, boletus, porcini mushroom, milk mushroom, moss mushroom, russula	The number of mushrooms in open areas - clearings - begins to decrease. In October, you need to look for mushrooms in closed places - near stumps and under trees.
November	Butterfly, greenfinch, oyster mushroom, tree mushrooms.	The weather is getting worse, there may be frosts in full swing, and there is a high probability of finding frozen mushrooms.
December	Oyster mushroom, tree mushrooms	There are almost no mushrooms, but if it is fantastic warm autumn, and even if you’re lucky, you can find leftovers from the autumn mushroom harvest.

Let yours silent hunt everything will turn out well, and dinner in good company at home or at a recreation center will be a good reminder of our northern nature.