When do porcini mushrooms grow? Porcini mushrooms: where they grow and how to find them
Before moving on to the story of the places where porcini mushrooms grow, it would not be out of place to mention that the phrase “porcini mushroom” is a collective one and implies not one specific fungus, but several. Their number, as it turned out, is not limited to ten. In total, there are 18 subspecies, 4 of which are even trying to be defined as independent, separate species. Most of these mushrooms belong to the genus Borovik, but by a lucky chance one “sent Cossack” from the genus Obabok (white boletus) also found its way among the “noble ones” - because of the light color of its cap. For the average mushroom picker, this information may seem scientifically tedious, or even completely useless, but it significantly explains why porcini mushrooms grow in a variety of varieties. different forests- from coniferous to deciduous.
The diversity of forests in which porcini mushrooms grow is explained by the fact that their different subspecies “conclude” an alliance - and a very mutually beneficial one - with the most different trees. And they grow exactly where these trees are.
It would seem that to find places where boletus mushrooms should be found in fat herds, it is enough to write down the list of trees to which they gravitate and carry it with you on outings. But no - due to pickiness to conditions, the lion's share of all varieties porcini mushroom turned out to be noticeably more “choosy” than the same old boys and other boletuses. Give them not only “your” symbionts (and of a certain age), but also specific soil, as well as characteristic thermal and humidity conditions. That is why porcini mushrooms do not grow anywhere, but only in special forests. These are the ones we will now consider in detail.
Coniferous forests
Let’s start, of course, with conifers, because these forests are most dominant in the temperate zone of the planet’s northern hemisphere, especially in its extreme northern part. In addition, they are the most characteristic landscape where porcini mushrooms grow.
Pine forests
Photo 2. Mountain pine forest, rich in porcini mushrooms.
In such forests it is usually found white pine mushroom, entering into symbiosis, it is clear which tree, less often - with spruce and other (including deciduous) species. It differs from other boletus mushrooms in its sugary brown cap and stem, which sometimes also has a brownish tint. He likes sandy or loamy soil, but never waterlogged. That is, the mushroom definitely avoids swamps and damp lowlands, preferring dry forests to them. In mountainous areas he loves to “climb” higher - there, apparently, the conditions are best for him.
You can figure out the places where pine porcini mushrooms grow not only by digging into the forest soil with a shovel and finding grains of sand under the half-rotted litter. The main landmark is moss (sphagnum) or lichen “pillows”. Mushrooms usually appear here, especially if there are small openings in the trees that are more warmed by the sun than the rest of the surrounding area. They can also be found along the edges of clearings, clearings, and along the sides of forest roads.
Let me give you an example from my personal mushroom practice, when I managed to come across a whole “field” of porcini mushrooms, where they grew like cucumbers in a greenhouse and almost climbed on top of each other. It was a clearing bordering a forest and a river, and it was completely covered with moss and reindeer moss. From one square meter From this place, a bucket of mushrooms was instantly collected, and in total they managed to cut a dozen such buckets. How we then carried this wealth, and how we carried it home in general, is the topic of a separate story. I'll just say one thing - for the first time I felt everything fully negative traits own greed.
Spruce, fir or spruce-fir forests
Photo 4. Spruce-fir forest.
It grows here spruce porcini mushroom. Outwardly, it is almost indistinguishable from the pine boletus, except that the color of its cap is slightly less saturated. By the way, this mushroom is a type species, and therefore it is the “real porcini mushroom”.
Photo 5. Here he is - a handsome man, a typical representative of porcini mushrooms. Grew up on a bed of sphagnum moss.
The growing conditions of the spruce boletus actually correspond to its pine counterpart, with the exception that the former is more inclined towards spruce trees.
Just like the previous mushroom, the spruce boletus loves sandy or loamy, not waterlogged soils, and moss-lichen litter.
Deciduous forests
There are noticeably fewer of them than coniferous forests, however, this does not prevent them from occupying a very decent area. Deciduous forests are more developed in the southern areas; in the north they are, as a rule, an infrequent occurrence.
Birch forests
Photo 6. Birch forest. Place of growth of the birch variety of porcini mushroom.
It’s funny, but the true porcini mushroom has managed to form a subspecies here too - birch boletus, aka spikelet(this name is due to the fact that this mushroom appears exactly at the moment of heading the rye).
Unlike previous varieties, the spikelet has a lighter cap, is not so picky about the type of soil, and grows almost everywhere, except perhaps avoiding outright swamps and peat bogs. It is very common and numerous, for which we are especially adored by fans of “silent hunting”. In fact, it can end up in any birch forest, preferring edges and boundaries between overgrown and open areas.
There are three signs by which you can accurately determine whether porcini mushrooms grow in a birch forest. First of all, these are grass tussocks. Or popularly - white grass.
Photo 8. Where there are similar grass tussocks, porcini mushrooms will definitely grow.
The other two signs are neighboring mushrooms. Red fly agaric and chanterelle. As a rule, both of them accompany the porcini mushroom, and even begin to bear fruit with it at approximately the same time.
Dubravy
Photo 9. A small oak forest with a slight admixture of birch and dark coniferous species ( eastern border growth of pedunculate oak).
The area is not entirely typical for the Urals, however, and it is worth mentioning, because, after all, we have small oak groves in the southwest, and this is the territory where porcini mushrooms of the oak variety grow. However, this variety is controversial - some scientists distinguish it as an independent species - bronze boletus. It differs from the previous ones in the most dark color caps, sometimes it even has a black, mold-like coating. In France, this fungus is popularly called “negro’s head.”
Photo 10. Oak “ceps”, also known as bronze boletus, also known as “negro’s head”.
It grows in warm forests and tends to the southern regions. In mountainous areas it is rare or completely absent. According to rumors, it also happens here, but extremely rarely.
Elm forests
Vyazovniki, also known as elmovniki. There are also such. A specific breed of porcini mushrooms that prefers these particular forests has not yet been observed. However, pine and spruce species are occasionally found in these forests, and sometimes birch is also found.
Scientists from mycology unanimously claim that it is difficult for porcini mushrooms to form a symbiosis with elm due to certain specific nuances of the biology of this tree. That is why they are so rare there, and if they are found, it is in small quantities.
I want to add one thing: elm forests are those forests where porcini mushrooms do not grow. No matter how much I wandered in these places, I never saw boletus mushrooms, although some others edible mushrooms they still came across them there.
It’s another matter when elm grows mixed with linden and birch trees, or even fir and spruce. But this is already -
Mixed forests
Which I mentioned for a reason, because their share among our forests is very noticeable. So, it is in them that you most often come across large accumulations of porcini mushrooms. What this is connected with is unknown. I can only assume that the “hodgepodge” of symbiont trees somehow provides mushrooms best conditions for growth. And perhaps the original undergrowth mixed forests has some influence here.
Although... B mixed forests Often there is a tree such as birch, and therefore there is everything for the growth of the birch variety of porcini mushroom - the most numerous of all. Maybe it ensures the “productivity” of mixed forests?
Something about the minimum age of trees
It is noticed that what older forest The more pristine and primitive it is, the greater the chances of coming across large accumulations of porcini mushrooms. But in young forest plantations you will most likely be with the little ones, but not with the white ones. For the latter require a huge period of time (according to some sources - from 20 to 50 years) to form a well-developed mycelium capable of bearing fruit on a maximum scale. Although, small harvests of whites sometimes occur in relatively young forests, but that’s just the point: they are small.
Conclusions
Well, now is the time to sum up all of the above. So, where porcini mushrooms grow, there:
- There are birches, pines, spruces, fir and oaks. And also other trees, but the number of mushrooms here will be noticeably smaller.
- The age of the trees is “mature”, that is, at least 20 years, but older is better.
- In relatively dry, non-wetlands.
- Along the borders of forests and open areas, in places where trees are less common.
- In the mountains.
- On sandy, sandy loam and loamy soils.
- Where mosses (sphagnum, cuckoo flax) and lichens grow on the ground.
Knowing these seven rules, you can safely go into the forest and quite successfully discover places where porcini mushrooms grow. However, I strongly recommend being observant, recording any interesting moments and drawing your own conclusions regarding the places where mushrooms grow. And the more often you walk through the forest, the more more secrets and he will reveal secrets to you. And you will always come back with full baskets.
Yes, yes! Just don't forget to sharpen your knife well.
I think everyone knows that mushrooms appear in our forests not suddenly, but according to a very clear schedule, which depends primarily on how quickly the mycelium accumulates the resources necessary for the formation of the fruiting body, as well as on , under what external conditions she is “adapted.”
It is in connection with these circumstances that there are spring mushrooms, early summer mushrooms, just summer mushrooms and late summer mushrooms, as well as autumn and even winter mushrooms. And the “first wave” of each mushroom, as a rule, is confined to a certain period. In this article, I intend to talk about when mushrooms grow, while briefly describing each mushroom and indicating the timing of its appearance and “disappearance” in our forests. And at the very end of the review there will be a useful bonus - mushroom calendar .
Morels
Many gourmets consider morels to be second only to truffles in their taste. Nevertheless, in terms of the time of their appearance in the forests, they should be considered unconditionally the first. In good years, morel fruiting bodies appear as early as April, delighting the zealous mushroom picker. Who, despite the furious ticks at this time, had already “sharpened his skis” into the forest - as soon as the snow melted there and it became more or less warmer.
It turns out that there are several types of these wonderful mushrooms and they all differ slightly in the timing of their appearance in the forests. Let's take a closer look at each morel.
Of all the morels, it stands out for its largest size, as well as its abundance. In the baskets of spring mushroom collectors, mushrooms make up the lion's share of the entire harvest.
Edible morel grows on the rich nutrients calcareous soils, gravitating towards well-lit places, therefore it prefers light forests - birch forests, aspen forests, elm forests, oak forests, poplar groves and pine forests. He does not avoid mixed forests either. In terms of relief, it loves lowlands and floodplains, as well as southern mountain slopes. Usually, edible morels are found where in the forest there are clearings, clearings and gaps among trees, in cluttered places, in old burnt areas. Morels are also found in cities - there they grow in forested areas, as well as in front gardens. Some gardeners can tell you stories about how they found morels right in the garden (in places where fruit trees and shrubs grew), I will say this - there is some truth in these stories.
Appears in our forests approximately early May, peak growth - mid-end of this month, continues to throw out fruiting bodies until June, and then (about the middle of the month) disappears completely. In abnormally warm seasons - when autumn drags on and is dry and sunny - it may appear in October.
The earliest of the morels.
It's already starting to bear fruit mid-April, however, not as numerous as its previous brother. Disappears from forests approximately at the end of May, less often - early June.
It grows in coniferous and mixed forests, preferring moist grassy places, especially often found in swampy lowlands and floodplains. Also loves cluttered places. It was noticed that the fungus seemed to form mycorrhiza with ash. Unlike the edible morel, it prefers sandy soils.
Morel tall
Externally, this mushroom actually corresponds to the previous one, differing from it only in the darker color of the cap (and even then not always) and a little higher height. In terms of timing of appearance in the forests, it also fully corresponds to its counterpart.
Usually - mid-April - May, bears fruit less often until June.
The growing conditions are almost the same as for the previous morel. Except that the tall morel is periodically found in gardens and vegetable gardens. Well, he still comes across noticeably less often.
Before preparing morels, you should Boil in salted water for at least 15 minutes and then discard the broth.. This is necessary in order to neutralize the toxins present in fresh morels. And don’t even think about neglecting this rule - you’ll get so poisoned that you won’t think it’s enough!
Stitches
Now comes the most controversial of spring mushrooms. Their inconsistency lies in the fact that in Russia, from time immemorial, lines have been devoured by both cheeks, and in the West they are poisoned with them, including with fatal consequences.
The whole point here is the inconsistent concentration of a special toxin contained in the lines. Usually it is such that one or two boils are enough to neutralize the poison. However, sometimes the content of this poison goes off scale, and no amount of boiling helps. Rumor has it that six months of drying can completely get rid of the toxin, but scientists warn that everything here depends on how much poison has accumulated in the fruiting body of the mushroom.
That is, if there is enough of it in the mushroom, no amount of drying or boiling will save you from terrible poisoning.
On top of everything, different people The body tolerates stitch toxin differently. Some people don’t even give a damn about it - there are cases when particularly crazy mushroom pickers ate armfuls of lines in their raw form, and - “at least henna.” But another, more unpleasant statistic is also known - when even a fully processed mushroom with a minuscule concentration of toxin caused serious poisoning in the eater.
To collect or not to collect lines? This is a voluntary task for every mushroom picker, but - at his personal risk.
Nevertheless, we will still consider these spring mushrooms.
It has been noticed that this mushroom prefers coniferous forests to deciduous forests. Loves old burnt areas and clearings, as well as sandy soils.
Bears fruit late April - early May, and so - almost until June.
The largest of the lines. It differs from the previous one in the lighter color of the “hat”. Appears in birch forests and mixed (but always with birch) forests in late April-early May.
Bears fruit until the end of May, less often - until early June.
It grows in well-warmed places - edges, clearings, etc. Like all lines, it feeds on decaying wood dust.
And now we have reached summer mushrooms. First on the list are russulas - as the earliest mass-produced ones. It’s funny, but some mushroom pickers don’t collect them, considering this a frivolous activity. But in vain, because in terms of taste they are quite good (and some types are even considered a delicacy) and have beneficial properties. However, some of the russulas are quite pungent in taste. fresh(as a rule, these are distinguished by a provocative bright red color), and the bitterness can irritate the mucous membranes, which can easily cause symptoms of poisoning. But types edible russula There are quite a few of them (their distinctive feature is that the pulp is not bitter or pungent, but is often pleasant to the taste), and listing them all would definitely not be enough in one article.
Different types of bruises have different periods of appearance. Some of them are early summer, some are late summer, and some are autumn. There are also russulas that bear fruit throughout the warm season.
Therefore, we can safely say that these mushrooms appear in our forests approximately from mid-June, but only disappear in mid-October.
And where they grow - it all depends on the specific species. But in principle, in any forest you can find some edible russula.
Butter
Another numerous genus of mushrooms, combining about four dozen different species. A couple of them (dozens) definitely grow in our country.
Butterflies, along with russula, are one of the earliest summer mushrooms; moreover, they are known for the fact that they begin to appear together. Their only drawback is increased worminess (up to eight mushrooms per ten), but nothing can be done about that, because taste qualities Butter were always at their best.
They grow in different forests, but are more inclined towards conifers. There are especially many butterflies in young, well-warmed pine forests. It is better to collect these mushrooms with cloth gloves, otherwise your hands will be stained with mushroom “snot” and dirt adhering to them.
Butterflies begin to grow from mid-June, and continue to appear almost until October. Their peak fruiting period is August-September.
Obabki
Despite the fact that boletus mushrooms, that is, mushrooms with brown caps, are usually called obabki, in science they are whole family mushrooms, which includes not only brown boletus, but also all kinds of red-headed boletus. And what’s most interesting is that there are several types of both. However, the average mushroom picker has never bothered about their diversity, and distinguishes these mushrooms only by the color of their caps. Well, because some of them are found under birches, and some - under aspens.
boletus
Since from time immemorial these mushrooms have been called little girls, we will begin our review of this group with them.
Common boletus
Captured (in all its glory) in the photo above, which headlines the gag section. It is found, of course, in birch forests, or mixed ones, but always with an admixture of birch. It can also grow in the tundra - among dwarf birches, and often has a sprout that is taller than the latter, which is why it is jokingly called “overbirch birch” among tundra inhabitants.
Black boletus
It is very similar to the previous species, in fact, it is its complete double, differing only in a slightly darker color. But it is better not to use this as a distinctive feature, because both boletus mushrooms are prone to variations in the color of the caps in the dark or light direction. Usually mushroom pickers cannot distinguish between the two at all.
It does not bear fruit for as long as an ordinary boletus, usually with July to September. In October it can hardly be found.
And there is one. It has the lightest color of all boletuses, and sometimes it is completely snow-white. It differs from its previous brothers in that it is drawn to damp, wetlands.
White boletuses growing from July to end of September.
Boletus
They differ from boletus mushrooms in that they form mycorrhiza with aspen. Well, and a brighter color of the hat.
Boletus yellow-brown
Probably the most common boletus (and the most beautiful). Despite its name, it comes across not only under aspen trees, but also under birch trees, and sometimes in other deciduous forests.
Bears fruit from early June to September, in warm autumn it happens that in October.
But this fungus is absolutely indifferent to what tree it grows under. The only “requirement” is that this tree be deciduous. But most often it is found precisely in those forests where aspen grows.
Bears fruit from June to October. Appears en masse in three “waves”: at the end of June, mid July, and also in the second half of August - first half of September.
White boletus
It turns out that among the redheads there is also a light (up to complete whiteness) variety, which, interestingly, is sometimes considered one of the most real porcini mushrooms (unlike the one discussed recently white boletus). Perhaps this is due to the excellent taste characteristics of white boletus.
It’s funny, but this mushroom avoids deciduous forests, preferring to grow among pines and spruces. I have never come across it, although they say that this mushroom is periodically encountered in the Urals.
Collection time - from June to September.
They are very similar to boletus, but differ from the latter in having a dry, velvety cap. The taste of the mushrooms is quite good, but for some reason some mushroom pickers do not collect them, considering them mediocre.
Fruiting from mid-June to September.
Umbrellas
Very interesting group mushrooms, among which there are both edible ones - with very high taste qualities, and frankly poisonous species. Unfortunately, due to the strong external similarity, only seasoned mushroom pickers can distinguish good umbrellas from bad ones. I strongly do not recommend that novice mushroom pickers get involved with umbrellas until they have the proper knowledge and experience.
The most recognizable of edible umbrellas — variegated umbrella(depicted in the photo above) Grows in open places - meadows, pastures, forest edges. It is distinguished by a darkish cap, covered with variegated scales, and also by the fact that its flesh does not change color when pressed or cut.
begin to grow from mid-June, appearing in whole groups, and continue to appear until the first half of October.
Chanterelles
One of the few mushrooms that has a very pleasant quality - the complete absence of worms. But in terms of its taste, it is not for everyone, although it is very useful for the body, especially as a good natural anthelmintic.
It grows mainly in birch forests (no matter what anyone says, I have never seen it in other places); according to some information, it can form mycorrhiza with other trees.
For villagers, this mushroom is a good hack. They like to collect it in whole bodies, and then sell it to city residents at a very inflated price. They don’t eat it themselves, they say it’s tasteless.
Chanterelles bear fruit approximately from the end of June to September, however, there is a massive release of them in the first half of July.
Bitters
I admit, I have seen a lot of these mushrooms in my time, but I have never collected them and, moreover, I have never cooked them. This is how it happened in the Urals - alas, bitter mushrooms are considered the most toadstools. In general, even among its admirers this mushroom is considered second-rate. That is, if they take it, it is only when there is nothing else to collect.
Western fellow mushroom pickers agree with us in this regard, and consider bitter mushrooms in general inedible form. However, according to experts, it is quite possible to eat them - salted or pickled. But first you should soak it.
Bitterweeds grow in coniferous and deciduous forests, and I’ll tell you this - there are a lot of them there (since no one collects them).
These mushrooms bear fruit from late June to October.
I almost forgot! One unpleasant feature has been discovered behind bitters - they accumulate radionuclides very well. So if you live in protective zone Chernobyl, or somewhere near Chelyabinsk - it is better to refrain from collecting these mushrooms.
Mushrooms known to many (most from shopping). They love fertile soil, rich organic substances(manure, rotted plant residues, etc.). There are several types of these mushrooms, a couple of which are inedible, and a couple more are poisonous.
They are usually collected in meadows, as well as in gardens and parks. Some species are grown industrially and are sold on an equally industrial scale.
Edible champignons growing from late June to September.
White
Briefly, we can say the following about them. Porcini mushrooms grow in different forests, both coniferous and deciduous, but the most prolific in this regard are dry, well-warmed birch forests, preferably with sandy soil.
They begin to bear fruit at the very end of June, but the most widespread appearance of fruiting bodies is observed in July- closer to August. September- the latest time when you can pick porcini mushrooms; they disappear in October.
Volnushki
They are pink waves. They are found in birch and mixed (with an admixture of birch) forests, preferring places with old trees. They are especially revered by mushroom pickers for their amazing (salted and pickled) taste, despite their conditional edibility (according to some reports, mushrooms are even mildly toxic) and noticeable causticity when fresh. To get rid of it, the mushrooms are especially thoroughly soaked and boiled.
The first waves are still appearing at the end of June, but the most massive fruiting of these mushrooms is observed twice during the summer - closer to August And early September.
Gobies
Bull mushroom, aka valui. In fact, this is the most ordinary russula, albeit with its own “original” taste and smell characteristics, which do not allow it to be consumed fresh. Usually these mushrooms are collected when they are still young, with the cap not fully opened, and they are salted after preliminary soaking or boiling (otherwise it will be impossible to eat). However, a properly prepared valui will outshine the others salted mushrooms- this is what gourmets who know a lot about it say. But abroad this mushroom is considered inedible. Well, in vain.
The goby grows everywhere in our forests, preferring both coniferous and deciduous trees. It has been noticed that most of these mushrooms are found in birch forests or mixed forests with an admixture of birch.
Bears fruit from the beginning of July to the end of September.
Milk mushrooms
Quite a large group of mushrooms, which include not only real milk mushrooms from the genus Mlechnik (that is, those that produce milky juice when cut), but also a couple of representatives of the genus Russula (for example, dry milk mushrooms, which, by the way, is shown in the photo higher).
They all grow in different forests, but they prefer those that have birch (it seems like the most delicious milk mushrooms are found there).
Real milk mushroom
He's a raw milk mushroom. "King of Mushrooms", hero of the Russians folk tales, since ancient times we have been revered and respected by the people. To this day it is considered the best mushroom for pickling. And perhaps no epithets are enough to describe the taste of salted milk mushrooms.
Found in birch forests or forests mixed with birch. As a rule, it comes across in large groups. Very recognizable by the slightly pubescent edge of the cap (somewhat reminiscent of a giant white cap).
Growing from July to September, most massively - in August.
He is also a white loader. Being the most authentic russula, it does not have any caustic milky juice, and therefore it can be cooked without preliminary soaking or boiling. For this quality we are no less revered by mushroom pickers than true milk mushrooms. Dry milk mushrooms are also good for pickling, although it can also be stewed in sour cream, boiled with mycelium, or fried.
It forms mycorrhiza not only with birch, but also with other trees (including conifers), so it is found in a variety of forests. Loves clearings and forest edges.
Growing from July to October, massively - in September.
Yellow milk mushroom
It has a slightly yellowish color on the upper part of the cap - with slight variations in light or dark side. It can be considered a variety of real milk mushroom, because in terms of taste it is actually not inferior to it. We are also revered in our country and in Eastern Europe. But Western Europe I clearly underestimated its merits; there the yellow milk mushroom is considered inedible and almost poisonous.
Unlike real milk mushrooms, it gravitates more toward conifers than to deciduous trees. Often found under spruce trees, less often in pine forests. It can be found even more rarely in a birch forest.
Growing from July to October, massively - late summer-early autumn.
Black milk mushroom
He's a pig. The mushroom is very good in terms of taste, but for some reason some mushroom pickers neglect it. Suitable not only for pickling, but also for stewing or frying - with the obligatory preliminary soaking or boiling.
Just like most milk mushrooms, it breathes unevenly towards birch, so it is found in light birch forests and forests mixed with birch, preferring edges, clearings and other places well warmed by the sun.
Bears fruit from July to October, but most intensely - in August-September.
He is also a blue milk mushroom. It is named so because it quickly changes color when cut - from light yellow to purple. Outwardly, it looks like a yellow milk mushroom, but its color is more intense.
In terms of taste, it is almost at the same level as the real milk mushroom, and by some gourmets it is considered the best mushroom. Used purely for pickles.
Already from the name it is clear that this mushroom is found mainly in spruce forests, although it is often collected in mixed forms.
Starts to grow from the end of August. Fruits all over September- until the first days of October.
Belyanki
With white mushrooms, we will begin to look at those mushrooms that appear closer to autumn.
Whiteworts (also known as white moths) grow in birch forests and mixed coniferous-birch forests, and are often found in large groups. They like to hide in the grass and under leaves.
They are good for pickling, although they are not as tasty as true volushki. The acrid taste is eliminated by prolonged soaking and cooking.
They don’t bear fruit for as long as other mushrooms - about from mid-August to mid-September, however, they appear quite en masse.
Ryzhiki are rightfully considered the best autumn mushrooms. Firstly, for its popularity, and secondly, for its excellent taste (even in Latin, saffron milk cap is called “delicious milkweed”). These mushrooms are especially good when salted.
There are three varieties - the well-known real camelina (in the photo), red camelina and spruce camelina. They are all very similar to each other and differ slightly in appearance. They prefer to grow in coniferous (pine or spruce) forests, especially young forest plantations.
The saffron milk caps begin to appear approximately from mid-August and continue until the very end of September. However, from time to time they can delight the mushroom picker with a short-term wave early July.
Honey mushrooms usually grow from the end of August to the end of October- three layers, but can give a wave and early July- under favorable conditions.
There is one type of honey fungus (though it has nothing to do with real honey mushrooms) that can grow at low temperatures. This is the so-called winter honey fungus. You can meet it on trees from autumn to spring. In warm, mild winters it bears fruit all season, but usually appears during thaws. Only experienced mushroom pickers collect it, because this honey mushroom has false poisonous “doubles” that are very similar to it. Abroad, it is cultivated as oyster mushrooms and champignons, where it is known under the Japanese name " enokitake". The cultivated form of the winter honey fungus is very different from the natural one - it has a white color, as well as thin, elongated legs and small caps.
greenfinch
The latest mushrooms on our list. Grow in coniferous forests, or mixed, especially preferring dry pine forests with sandy or sandy loam soil. They are distinguished by their good taste and do not require any processing before cooking, except for thorough washing, since almost all collected greenfinches are always in the ground and sand.
Some gourmets consider these mushrooms especially tasty, but there is a small ambush here: all greenfinches, without exception, contain a small amount of toxins. If you eat them in small and moderate quantities with good breaks, the body (healthy) will cope with these toxins with a bang. However, if you get too carried away with greenfinches, you can get seriously poisoned.
Appear early September and bear fruit until the first frost (in the south - to November, to the north - until the end of October). They often grow from under the first snow, which is why they are sometimes called “winter mushrooms.”
Mushroom calendar
And here is the mushroom calendar promised at the very beginning of this article. Let us summarize all of the above in the table below.
Note: The numbers under the abbreviated names of the months indicate their decades. Orange stripes indicate the fruiting time of the mushroom, and yellow- when it happens en masse.
| Mushrooms | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Morels | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Stitches | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Butter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| boletus | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Boletus | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Umbrellas | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chanterelles | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Bitters | |||||||||||||||||||||
| White | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Volnushki | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Gobies | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Milk mushrooms | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Dry milk mushrooms | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Black milk mushrooms | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Yellow milk mushrooms | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Yelnichnye | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Belyanki | |||||||||||||||||||||
| greenfinch | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 for the most popular 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 non edible 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. |
May your quiet hunt be successful, and may dinner in good company at home or at a recreation center be a good reminder of our northern nature.
Is it possible to collect spring mushrooms or should you wait for the autumn mushroom season? How to properly collect mushrooms in the forest? You can always pick mushrooms in the forest, the main thing is to understand mushrooms and know which mushroom appears at what time, so as not to confuse it with a poisonous one. Those who don’t know when to pick mushrooms should learn a simple rule: mushrooms can be picked from May to late autumn. And also remember which mushrooms grow in the forest at a certain period of time. The spring and summer months are a great time to go to the forest to pick mushrooms.
When to pick mushrooms in spring
The beginning of the mushroom pore begins early spring when the very first spring mushrooms appear in the forest. They are eagerly awaited by those hungry for quiet hunt mushroom pickers What mushrooms appear in the forest in spring and when to collect them?
- When to pick morel mushrooms
Morels are harvested in late April or early May. Morels grow mainly in deciduous forests, because they love fertile soil. Mushrooms are category 3, so before stewing, frying or freezing, morels must be soaked in three times the volume of water for at least 20 minutes and then rinsed thoroughly under running water.
- When to pick mushrooms Raincoats
After morels comes the time for raincoats. You can find raincoats in clearings, meadows and even on roads. Raincoats appear immediately after rain. Fried young puffballs are very tasty. They must be used on the day of collection. In Italy they are considered the best mushrooms. In our country they are little known and are undeservedly classified in the fourth category.
- When to pick champignon mushrooms
Champignons begin to appear in May and their mushroom season lasts until autumn. So the question of when to pick champignon mushrooms is rhetorical. For your information, champignons are good both fried and in soup, because they have a pronounced mushroom aroma. Champignons also contain special substances that destroy cholesterol plaques.
When to pick mushrooms in summer
The most valuable are considered summer mushrooms. When the summer is rainy, even in hot weather The variety of mushrooms turns out to be so rich that they simply cannot be listed. All types of mushrooms that can be found in the forest in summer form their fruiting bodies until autumn. Many of them grow until autumn, but mushroom pickers like to collect them in the summer.
What mushrooms to pick in June
In June, it is most likely to find boletus and boletus in the forest. In addition, June is rich in russula and summer honey mushrooms. In the shady forests at the end of June there are a lot of chanterelles and boletuses. In the clearings and forest edges you can find a lot of champignons. At this time, you can also see pigweed and bitterweed in the forest. And after wandering around you can meet the king of mushrooms - the porcini mushroom.
- When to pick boletus mushrooms
In June, you can collect boletus mushrooms in the forest, which grow mainly in birch groves. All boletus mushrooms are edible mushrooms and differ slightly in nutritional quality. Boletus mushrooms are good in every way in soup, in gravy, fried, in pies. They are also tasty in marinade. It appears in the first half of summer in June, but most boletus mushrooms are collected from the second half of August until late autumn. The boletus is the closest relative of the porcini mushroom.
- When to pick boletus mushrooms
Boletus among tubular mushrooms after white it ranks second, in terms of nutritional quality it belongs to the 2nd category, it is eaten boiled, fried, dried and pickled. It is also the fastest growing mushroom. It is one of the most common and famous edible mushrooms. This elegant mushroom cannot be confused with others; it also has no resemblance to any poisonous mushroom. Therefore, to the question of what mushrooms to pick in June, the answer is obvious - boletuses.
- When to pick boletus mushrooms
Butterflies are collected in coniferous forests. It got its name because of the oily cap that is slippery to the touch. It is used in soups, fried, salted, pickled, in sauces and side dishes; it is rarely used for drying, but is also suitable. Butterflies are relatively early mushrooms, and they can be collected in cleared pine forests from the first days of June. This period lasts no more than two weeks. Then the boletus disappears and appears again somewhere in the second half of July, and grows en masse from mid-August and the first half of September.
- When to pick mushrooms White mushroom
Beginning at the end of June, the porcini mushroom appears. The white mushroom grows in both deciduous and coniferous forests; it prefers to be friends with spruce, pine, oak and birch. It is fried and boiled fresh in soups, stewed in roasts; dried, and then prepared soups, borscht, baked pies, made mushroom caviar. Porcini mushrooms are pickled and made into various snacks. The porcini mushroom is considered the most delicious and healthy mushroom. The porcini mushroom is collected from mid-June to the end of September, the most widespread collection is in the second half of August.
What mushrooms to pick in July
In July, as a rule, do you collect mushrooms for pickling and pickling? July is the month of the milk mushroom harvest. Milk mushrooms are an excellent option for pickling, especially yellow ones. Volzhanka and whitefish appear in July, which are only slightly inferior to milk mushrooms. You can please yourself with the taste of saffron milk caps, of which you can collect a lot in July. Saffron milk caps are excellent in cooking.- When to pick mushrooms
Milk mushrooms are found in families. Real milk mushrooms grow mostly on sandy soil, in oak, birch, pine and birch forests. They are most productive in July-August. Yellow milk mushrooms are collected in spruce forests until October. Milk mushrooms are mushrooms of the first category. Only salted ones are used. Before salting, they are soaked for at least three days in cold water, which is changed at least twice.
- When to collect saffron milk mushrooms
- When to pick chanterelle mushrooms
What mushrooms to pick in August
The end of August is the richest season for mushrooms. In August, you certainly won’t have to think about when to pick mushrooms. You can do this throughout August and early September. What mushrooms are there in August? All of the above mushrooms remain relevant for collecting in August, but do not collect overgrown ones. Young mushrooms that are fresh and not bitten by insects are suitable for food. If the mushroom is wormy, safely throw it away.- When to collect autumn mushrooms
- When to pick Volnushka mushrooms
- When to pick Russula mushrooms
Safety rules when picking mushrooms
Rules for collecting mushrooms and preserving the reproduction of mycelium when collecting mushrooms:- If you want to see a rich harvest of mushrooms the next time you come to a famous place, follow the rules for collecting mushrooms. Now that you know when to pick mushrooms, respect the gifts of nature. When collecting mushrooms, spare the mycelium: carefully cut the mushroom with a knife at the base and under no circumstances pull it out of the ground.
- If you don’t identify a mushroom, it’s better not to cut it - treat mushrooms with caution, because a mushroom is a very insidious product. You should only collect mushrooms that you know - those that you are confident in.
- If the summer turns out to be rainy, then the mushrooms become saturated with water and become unsuitable for consumption. You should not dry such mushrooms, they still lose their taste and begin to release toxins.
- Upon returning home, you should sort out the mushrooms, and immediately, without delay. After sorting the mushrooms, put them in a salted cool water for an hour, this will drive out the extra guests.
- Mushrooms must be carefully processed and subjected to reliable heat treatment!
How to pick mushrooms correctly
- Mushrooms are collected early in the morning before the sun heats them. In this case, they can be stored for a longer time.
- Do not collect old, overgrown mushrooms. They accumulate products harmful to humans and absorb from environment foreign substances.
- Collected mushrooms are immediately cleaned of soil, leaves, pine needles, grass and other debris adhering to them. It is better to put mushrooms in the basket with their caps down - this way they are better preserved.
Mushroom picker equipment
So, when should we open the mushroom season and what equipment will we need? When you go mushroom picking, you'll definitely need a good sharp knife, because it is better for them to cut mushrooms without disturbing the mycelium itself, as well as a convenient long stick (indispensable when searching for mushrooms) to lift or rake leaves, as well as a basket or basketExperienced mushroom pickers know what you need to take with you into the forest:
- mushroom basket;
- mushroom knife;
- a stick for searching for mushrooms;
- first aid kit with bandages and disinfectants;
- water and sandwiches;
- electronic GPS navigator;
- telephone with a charged battery (Rescue Service telephone 112)
Now we know when to pick mushrooms, we figured out how to pick mushrooms correctly, we learned the safety rules when picking mushrooms, we know what mushrooms to pick in the summer, we stocked up on mushroom picking equipment. We looked at the mushroom picker's calendar and are ready to go into the forest to pick mushrooms. It remains to refresh the information on how to distinguish mushrooms. It is no secret that many poisonous mushrooms are disguised as edible ones. So, let's figure out how to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible ones.
How to distinguish edible mushrooms
- How to collect porcini mushrooms
Danger: discoloration at the break, bitter taste. Do not confuse the white mushroom with the poisonous yellow one - its flesh turns pink when cut.
- How to collect boletus mushroom
Danger: the mushroom does not grow under its own tree.
- How to collect boletus mushrooms
Danger: the mushroom does not grow under its own tree.
- How to collect boletus mushrooms
Danger: discoloration at the break, reddish spongy layer, bitter taste.
- How to collect Moss mushrooms
Danger: lack of velvety, reddish color of the spongy layer, bitter taste.
- How to collect chanterelle mushrooms
Danger: red-orange color, empty stem.
- How to collect saffron milk mushrooms
Danger: white, bitter, acrid milky juice.
- How to collect honey mushrooms
Danger: grows on the ground, yellow or reddish cap, without scales, black, green or brown plates, no film or ring on the stem, earthy smell.
- How to collect mushrooms
Danger: sparse blades, sharp blueness and stone hardness at the fracture, lack of birch trees nearby.
- How to collect Volnushka mushrooms
Danger: the “wrong” hat - not pink, unfurled, without hairiness.
- How to collect Russula mushrooms
Danger: red or brown-black cap, pink leg, reddened or darkened soft film on the leg, coarse and tough flesh, unpleasant and bitter taste.
Mushroom picker calendar
The mushroom picker's phenological calendar will come to the aid of beginning mushroom pickers. The mushroom picker's calendar marks the most popular mushrooms and the period when to collect these mushrooms in the forest. Of course, everything depends on the region and the weather in each season, but the mushroom picker’s calendar fully provides some of the useful knowledge of when to pick mushrooms. You will also find it useful| What mushrooms to collect |
When to pick mushrooms |
||||||
| April | May | June | July | August | September | October | |
| Morels | + | + | + | - | - | - | - |
| Stitches | + | + | + | - | - | - | - |
| May mushroom | - | + | + | - | - | - | - |
| Oyster mushroom | - | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Meadow honey fungus | - | - | + | + | + | + | - |
| boletus | - | - | + | + | + | + | - |
| Oiler grainy | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| Summer honey fungus | - | - | + | + | + | + | + |
| The fox is real | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| White mushroom | - | - | + | + | + | + | + |
| Boletus | - | - | + | + | + | + | + |
| Pluteus deer | - | - | + | + | + | + | + |
| Spiky raincoat | - | + | + | + | + | + | + |
| Common champignon | - | - | + | + | + | + | - |
| Field champignon | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Valuy | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| Funnel talker | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| White umbrella mushroom | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| Variegated umbrella mushroom | - | - | - | + | + | + | + |
| Real milk mushroom | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Poddubovik | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| Ivyshen | - | - | - | - | + | + | + |
| Loader white | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Loader black | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Fat pig | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Russula yellow, food, etc. |
- | + | + | + | + | + | - |
| Green moss | - | - | + | + | + | + | + |
| Yellow hedgehog | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Ringed cap | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| Larch oiler | - | - | - | + | + | + | - |
| Volnushka pink | - | - | - | - | + | + | + |
| Black breast | - | - | - | + | + | + | + |
| Spruce green camelina | - | - | - | - | + | + | + |
| Pine mushroom | - | - | - | - | + | + | + |
| Gray talker | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Late oiler | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Winter mushroom | - | - | - | - | - | + | + |
| Loader black and white | - | - | - | - | - | + | + |
| Polish mushroom | - | - | - | - | + | - | - |
| Autumn oyster mushroom | - | - | - | - | - | + | - |
| Gray row | - | - | - | - | - | + | - |
| Autumn stitch | - | - | - | - | - | + | + |
| Autumn honey fungus | - | - | - | - | - | + | + |
| Row purple | - | - | - | - | + | + | - |
| Greenfinch | - | - | - | - | + | + | + |
| Hygrophor brown | - | - | - | - | - | + | + |
Now you know when to pick mushrooms. Well, don't hesitate. The end of June is a great time to collect young mushrooms suitable for delicious dishes. While you can still treat yourself to delicious mushroom food, let’s wait for the other two summer months feel free to pick mushrooms for pickles and pickling! Happy quiet hunting!
Acquaintance with porcini mushrooms begins in... childhood. After all, it is the porcini mushroom that is most often depicted in children’s books, and in fairy tales the “old boletus” helps lost travelers in the forest. Boletus - one of the names of the porcini mushroom - just speaks of its place of growth.
The porcini mushroom is the king among other mushrooms. Because it is the most delicious, the healthiest, the most...
The very fact that the porcini mushroom does not change its color even when dried, remains white even in the form of mushroom powder, puts it at the highest level among other mushrooms.
And it’s not without reason that mushroom pickers, both experienced and beginners, dream of returning with mushroom hunting with a full bag of porcini mushrooms.
But the white mushroom is cunning! Despite the fact that it is found everywhere - from the Volga to Far East, goes to the North, wedged almost into the Arctic latitudes, not everyone manages to find it.
Where to look for porcini mushroom
Its very name - boletus, birch, oak - indicates that the porcini mushroom grows in forests: pine, birch, oak, spruce. But not in every one, but only in those where there are old-time trees no younger than fifty years old. So it will be problematic to find a mushroom in a young spruce forest or birch grove.
Porcini mushrooms do not grow densely. But if you come across a mushroom, you need to look for its friends and comrades.
White mushroom loves sunny places, so it can be found at the edge of the forest, clearings, among mighty trees, but with open crowns so that it gets as much light as possible.
The porcini mushroom grows on various soils - clayey, sandy, poor in humus, but these mushrooms do not grow on peat soil.
The porcini mushroom loves to grow among grass, lichens, ferns, and moss, but the porcini mushroom does not grow in dense forests or tall grass. But it is often found where the grass cover is interrupted by paths or where cattle are often driven. But on trampled soil without vegetation, this fungus is found in isolated cases.
White mushroom loves wet soils, but not swampy. Loves warmth, but cannot stand heat. Therefore, during frequent rains, it moves to drier elevations, and on hot, dry days it huddles closer to the trees, in the shade. The porcini mushroom grows well during periods when the temperature is between 10-18°C, but during frosts the mushrooms disappear completely, although the mycelium itself remains viable in both intense heat and bitter frost.
Experienced mushroom pickers also pay attention to secondary signs by which they can determine whether there is a boletus mushroom in the immediate environment or not. A phenological indicator of the presence of porcini mushrooms are... fly agaric mushrooms. And also valui and nigella. If here and there these mushrooms peek out from the grass, then it means that a porcini mushroom is somewhere nearby.
When does the porcini mushroom grow?
The porcini mushroom, however, like the others, grows in “waves”, or as they call it in mycology – layers.
The first layer of mushrooms appears when the rye begins to ear. Approximately in June. Such mushrooms are called “spikelets”.
Early July a second layer of porcini mushrooms appears, which are called “stubbers”. It falls during the grain harvest.
The third layer of porcini mushrooms is for autumn - at the time of leaf fall. It is called “deciduous”.
All three periods of the appearance of porcini mushrooms are active in lowland forests. In high-mountain forests, the richest harvest of porcini mushrooms is in August.
In the northern forests, the white mushroom grows small, with a cap up to 5 cm in diameter.
IN middle lane Porcini mushroom caps range from 3 to 20 cm in diameter. But there are truly giant mushrooms, whose weight reaches 3 kg. Once, near Vladimir, they found a white mushroom weighing 6 kg, and the cap of which was 46 cm in diameter!
But such huge mushrooms, of course, are wormy and cannot be collected.
What novice mushroom pickers should know
In the forests there are inedible and even poisonous mushrooms that are very similar to porcini mushrooms. Therefore, you need to know the obvious signs of distinguishing porcini mushrooms from inedible ones.
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