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Honey mushrooms are a healthy and tasty product. They grow in many regions of Russia. In the Samara region, they are collected on forest edges, next to fallen trees, on sandy and chernozem soil. The ripening dates change every year. There are places in the region where many mushrooms appear every year.
Types of edible honey mushrooms in Samara and the region
Honey mushrooms are agaric mushrooms that grow in forests, meadows and pastures. They are small in size and often appear in large groups. Their caps are up to 8 cm in size, hemispherical or flat. The legs are thin, tall, reaching 2–10 cm.
In the Samara region, the following types of honey mushrooms are collected:
- Spring. It is distinguished by a small cap measuring from 1 to 7 cm.Its convex shape becomes flat with age. The reddish-brown color gradually fades to orange or yellow.
- Summer. These are medium-sized representatives of the group with cap sizes from 3 to 6 cm. Their shape is convex, their color is brown or yellowish. The pulp is thin, beige in color. The taste is soft and pleasant.
- Lugovoy. The variety is distinguished by a smooth spherical or convex cap. The leg of representatives of the species is thin, high, and cylindrical. The pulp is whitish and has a slightly sweetish taste. The smell is reminiscent of cloves.
- Autumn. Mushrooms with a convex cap measuring from 3 to 15 cm are brown to greenish in color. Their leg is long, solid, slightly widened at the base. The pulp is dense, whitish, has a pleasant taste and smell.
- Winter. This species appears in late autumn. Its cap is large, up to 10 cm in size. The leg is long and dense. The pulp is thin, with a pleasant taste.
Where honey mushrooms grow in the Samara region
Honey mushrooms prefer damp places and light partial shade. It is not necessary to follow them into the thicket of the forest. The mycelium appears on the outskirts of villages, next to forest roads and paths, along the banks of rivers and streams. In the Samara region, different areas meet these requirements.
Forest areas where honey mushrooms grow in Samara and the Samara region
For “silent hunting” they go to mixed and deciduous forests. The mycelium develops on fallen trees and stumps. Rotting wood becomes a source of food for it. Typically, a large accumulation of mushrooms is observed next to birch, oak, beech, and aspen.
Today you can collect honey mushrooms in the Samara region in forest areas.One of the most popular places is the Spiridonovsky forest, not far from the village of Malaya Malyshevka. Morels and oyster mushrooms are also found in the area. Due to the high humidity, there are many mosquitoes in the area, so be sure to take protective equipment with you. You can get to Spiridonovsky Forest by bus, which goes to the village of Bogatoye.
It is more convenient to get to forest areas by private car, train or bus. Experienced mushroom pickers are familiar with the forests where honey mushrooms grow:
- birch plantings in the village of Shiryaevo;
- clearings and clearings near the village of Piskali;
- pine forest in Borsky district;
- Buzuluksky forest, where different types of mushrooms are found.
Mushroom places where you can pick honey mushrooms in the Samara region
There are many mushroom places in the Samara region. These are small areas near populated areas where abundant fruiting of honey mushrooms is observed. They are located next to forests, sanatoriums, streams and rivers. Many places are well known to mushroom pickers.
In the Samara region, honey mushrooms are collected in the following places:
- Mekhzavod village. One of the simplest and most accessible places. You can get to it by city buses or train.
- Sanatorium Volzhsky Utes. It is located in the Shigonsky district, where you can get there by taxi or private car. Entry to the territory of the institution is allowed only to those who have vouchers. You can leave your car nearby and go for honey mushrooms.
- Village Managerial. In the Samara region, autumn honey mushrooms and other mushrooms grow very nearby in a small grove.
- The village of Kurumoch. They get to the village by train.
- Koshkinsky district. A bus runs to this area on the route Samara - Nurlat. It is recommended to get off at the stop in the village of Novaya Zhizn.
- The village of Starai Binaradka. It is more convenient to get to mushroom places by bus.
- The village of Zaborovka. Located in the Syzran region.
When can honey mushrooms be collected in the Samara region in 2024?
Traditionally, the harvest season begins at the end of May. Fruiting bodies appear in groups, every few weeks. The season continues until November and the first frost.
When can you collect spring honey mushrooms in the Samara region?
The first spring mushrooms are harvested at the end of May. They grow in small groups on rotting tree debris and litter. Peak fruiting occurs in June and July.
When will summer mushrooms begin in Samara and the region?
In Samara, summer honey mushrooms appeared already in June. However, their collection season lasts until October. The largest harvests are observed in July and August.
When can you collect autumn honey mushrooms in the Samara region in 2024?
Autumn varieties are harvested from the second half of summer. The season lasts until the end of autumn. It is better to collect honey mushrooms in Samara at the end of August, when most of them ripen. The rest of the time, fruiting is not so abundant.
Winter mushroom collection season in Samara and the region in 2024
Winter varieties can be seen in late autumn. Reports that honey mushrooms have started appearing in the Samara region appear at the end of October and November. Fruiting bodies can be collected before the first snow. In warm winters, fruiting continues throughout the winter.
Collection rules
To collect honey mushrooms you will need a basket. It is not recommended to use plastic bags: in them, the mushroom mass quickly heats up and wrinkles. The legs are carefully cut off at the root with a knife. It is not recommended to tear them, since the mycelium is easily damaged. After collection, the product is not stored for a long time, but is processed within 12 hours.
How to find out if honey mushrooms have started in the Samara region
Active growth of mushrooms occurs in warmth and high humidity. If the spring and summer are dry, then the likelihood of their occurrence is low.
For honey mushrooms to grow, certain conditions are necessary:
- temperature in summer +23 °C, in spring and autumn - +12 °C;
- humidity - from 50 to 65%;
- good soil aeration;
- absence of frost, drought, strong temperature fluctuations.
The fact that autumn honey mushrooms have appeared in the Samara region can be judged from the precipitation map. After rain, fruiting bodies grow by 1 - 2 cm within 24 hours. Therefore, it is best to go for them after warm rains. During drought, places near ponds and rivers are checked. In such areas, moisture remains in the soil longer, which is favorable for fungal growth.
Conclusion
The mushroom picking season begins in the second half of summer and continues until autumn. First, check the mushroom spots. Special attention is paid to edges, clearings, and forest clearings. The mushroom season opens in warm weather, after rain.
