In autumn, the most active season of mushroom picking traditionally begins in the northwestern part of Russia. Many lovers of "quiet hunting" know that mushrooms in the Vyborg district appear in abundance from the ground just at the very end of summer and autumn.
Mushrooms in the Vyborg district
This is facilitated by climatic conditions: it is still warm, the time of real cold weather will not come soon, and the air and soil are rather damp. In September, mushroom pickers collect baskets full of the most valuable mushrooms, suitable for frying, drying, and salting.
Mushroom places
You can get to Vyborgsky District by highway by your own car or by bus, but the most convenient way from St. Petersburg is to get there by train from Finland Station.
The Vyborg region, as you know, is located on the Karelian Isthmus, and the latter has long been famous for the abundance of good mushrooms. The soils are podzolic. On such soils, conifers grow well, with the roots of which myceliums of many edible fungi form mycorrhiza (symbiosis). Mycorrhiza exists, if it is not artificially destroyed, as long as the tree lives. That is, as long as there are forests, there will be mushrooms.
In addition, these areas are characterized by excessive moisture, which also favors fungal growth.
In the vicinity of Vyborg from August to October inclusive, coniferous forests abound in boletus and boletus, there are also many porcini mushrooms and, of course, chanterelles.
The area near Lake Zerkalnoye is a rich mushroom spot.
Other well-known mushroom places of the Vyborg region include the vicinity of the villages of Ryabovo, Roshchino, Pervomayskoye, Veshchevo and the Yappilya railway station.
Mushroom picker equipment
Going on a "quiet hunt", you need to take with you, first of all, a basket (wicker basket) and a strong stick of sufficient length and with a slingshot at the end.
The basket is ideal for collecting forest gifts. This container does not change shape and, unlike bags, sacks, backpacks, its contents never break. The basket is environmentally friendly, which compares favorably with pots and buckets. There are gaps ̶ ventilation holes between the bindings of the rods.
It is convenient to use a stick, without bending over, to rake fallen leaves and needles, to move the grass apart, to lift the overhanging branches.
Safety rules dictate to mushroom pickers the need for bright, memorable oncoming and far-visible clothing in red or orange. Of course, it should be warm enough, waterproof. The best footwear for mushroom hunting is still rubber boots.
There must be a headdress that protects both from the vagaries of changeable weather, and from arthropods attacking visitors to the forest.
In order not to get lost on the road, especially if the mushroom places are new, it is necessary to take a compass or navigator with you. From time to time, it is advisable to break away from the exciting searches and determine the direction of movement, navigate the terrain.
Do not forget about the supply of water (tea, coffee) and food, medicines.
The first aid kit should contain:
- medicines taken constantly, and it is obligatory with a reserve of at least a day;
- heart remedies (nitroglycerin ̶ required);
- pain relievers;
- antiallergic (for example, suprastin);
- brilliant green;
- bandage;
- patch.
Also, a charged cell phone (with a positive balance) is an indispensable companion for a modern mushroom picker.
Collection rules
Collect only mushrooms you know
- Large, old mushrooms do not need to be touched. Take a picture of them and leave them alone. The older the mushroom, the more toxins (including its own, from tissue decay) and harmful substances absorbed from the soil and deposited on its surface from the air are accumulated in its body.
- You cannot pick mushrooms that are unknown to you.
- It is forbidden to taste raw mushrooms: this can cause severe poisoning.
- Take care of mycelium. It is best to cut or twist the mushrooms to preserve the integrity of the mycelium. In no case should you pull them out, pull their lands.
- Cut with a stem: The whole specimen is better identifiable for edibility.
- Do not pick up near highways as they will easily absorb lead and other hazardous compounds from exhaust gases into their bodies. Also exclude from the list of mushroom places areas where landfills and industrial enterprises are located nearby.
- If in doubt about the quality of your forest finds, be sure to consult with experienced people. Ask them to sort through the contents of the basket. Use reference books with clear descriptions and clear images of edible and poisonous.
- Remember that mushrooms brought from the forest must be processed immediately. Leave time and effort for this procedure.
- The best collection time is from 5-6 am to lunchtime.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Also, when collecting mushrooms, you must be guided by the following points:
- If you are taking children with you, never wear earthy or brown clothes on them - only bright ones. Don't let children taste raw mushrooms.
- Before putting the mushroom in the basket, carefully examine it: there should be no wormholes on its surface, the leg should be intact, and the plates should be light, but not white.
- Do not pick edible mushrooms that grow near poisonous ones - spores on their surface make them poisonous.
- Do not pick mushrooms that have a white pouch at the base of the stem - these are poisonous specimens.
Consider these unwritten rules when picking mushrooms and you will return home with baskets full of mushrooms.
What mushrooms to collect
Having gathered for a "quiet hunt" in the Vyborg district, the mushroom picker expects to collect aspen mushrooms, boletus, white, chanterelles in a basket. But in nature, each mushroom has its own poisonous, if not a double, then almost a double.
White mushroom belongs to the genus Borovik. His hat has an adherent skin. Its surface is initially convex and light, flattens and darkens with age, becoming reddish-brown. The tubular layer is at first white, and with age it turns yellow and even turns green.
The inedible gall mushroom is very similar to white. The difference is that with age, the tubular layer of the bile fungus does not turn green, but turns pink. In addition, there is a well-visible gray or brown mesh on the surface of the leg.
Boletus and aspen mushrooms belong to the genus Obabok, and there are quite a few species of each. All of them are also easily confused with gall fungus.
To distinguish between edible and false chanterelles, you need to carefully look at where the body of the mushroom grows from. The edible chanterelle, or the real one, grows from the soil among the grass, between moss, fallen leaves and needles. The false chanterelle never grows from soil, but only from rotting wood or forest litter, where it finds the most favorable conditions for itself.
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About safety rules
It is better not to go for mushrooms alone: if you need urgent help, it is good if a loved one or friend is nearby.
In order not to get lost, be guided not only by the compass or navigator, but do not neglect the most tried and tested techniques:
- listen to the noise that usually comes from the highway;
- on a clear day, determine the direction of the sun;
- echo your companions;
- try not to lose sight of the people of your group;
- Make markings on the ground, such as tying small pieces of bandage or brightly colored thread to branches.
Advise someone ahead of time about your trip, giving you the exact direction and time you want to return home.
Successful and abundant collection of wonderful gifts of autumn nature!