Berhevkirina Kîvarkan: Dema ku hêja ye lê bigerin

If you want to collect certain mushrooms, it is helpful to know when it is worth looking in the forest and on the meadows. In the following article, we have therefore put together a small mushroom calendar for you.

When to pick which mushrooms – a small mushroom calendar

Most foragers head out in search of mushrooms in late summer or fall. However, you can find edible mushrooms in the forest at any time of the year.

• January to March: From the winter months until spring you will find the oyster mushroom in the forest. It does not grow on the ground but on deciduous trees.
• April to June: In April you can go in search of the tufted rascal. It not only grows in the forest but also likes to grow in parks or even in the garden.
• Porcini mushroom season starts in May. If you prefer parasols or chanterelles, the collection period begins in June.
• August to October: This is the high season for mushroom pickers. The puffball will start in August.
• You can also find different types of mushrooms at this time of year. The classic autumn mushrooms also include the autumn trumpet and the chestnut.
• The path into the forest is still worthwhile if you want to collect chanterelles and porcini mushrooms.

Don’t pick mushrooms on the spur of the moment

Please only collect mushrooms yourself if you are very familiar with the subject.

• Many edible mushrooms have a poisonous counterpart that looks confusingly similar to the edible one. For example, the delicious meadow mushroom can easily be confused with the highly poisonous death cap mushroom.
• Growing mushrooms yourself is better than collecting them.
• If you are not absolutely sure, it is better to leave the mushroom where it is. It also doesn’t hurt to have the specimens you collect checked out by a mushroom expert. Almost every forest association has such an expert.
• You should keep your mushroom knowledge up to date. The recommendation about the edibility of a mushroom can change. The green finch, for example, used to be a popular edible mushroom. It is now known that eating this fungus can cause muscle damage.
• Dangers lurk not only when collecting mushrooms. Wild mushrooms cannot be stored well, they are actually intended for direct consumption and spoil quickly.
• In addition, not every mushroom is edible in every state. For example, the mutabilis can only be eaten or cooked. The mushroom is poisonous when eaten raw. So you should also know how to cook the collected mushrooms.
• If you suspect mushroom poisoning, contact a doctor, poison control center, 911, or hospital immediately. If possible, you should take leftover mushrooms with you, this can help with treatment.