The mushroom hunter's calendar for July 6–12 will show you the best days for gathering mushrooms in the forest

UA NEWS 06 July 2026 07:00

Ukraine is entering the most anticipated and active phase of the summer mushroom-picking season, which promises to delight lovers of forest walks with bountiful harvests. The period from July 6 to 12 will mark the start of the first major wave of mushroom picking for many popular species in most regions of the country.

This process is greatly facilitated by the weather conditions that developed at the beginning of the month, as the prolonged summer heat has finally given way to a long-awaited drop in air temperature, and localized thunderstorms and heavy downpours have thoroughly saturated the forest soil with the moisture necessary for mushroom growth to begin.

A detailed analysis of the lunar phases and astrological factors shows that this week in July generally falls within a neutral and moderate period for mushroom foraging. The Moon is currently in its third-quarter phase and is gradually waning, which means that the biological processes of underground mushroom growth are not proceeding very rapidly. This means that to fill their baskets, mushroom hunters will have to exercise considerable patience, cover significant distances, and very carefully explore every promising section of the forest. However, the situation will change dramatically toward the end of the week, so the most favorable days for a trip to the forest will be the weekend of July 11 and 12, when the Moon enters fertile zodiac signs, stimulating the emergence of sturdy, large, and perfectly clean specimens.

The main and most sought-after finds in Ukrainian forests these days will be golden chanterelles, which are already appearing en masse in large, bright clusters in coniferous and mixed forests, and this species is practically never wormy, even in hot weather. At the same time, sturdy birch boletes and aspen boletes with brown and red caps are beginning to actively emerge in moist birch groves, aspen groves, and oak forests. In open, sunny glades, forest edges, and among young pine plantings after heavy rains, you can come across entire families of the first summer butter mushrooms, which need to be processed quickly, while in shady thickets and beneath ancient trees, the harvest of prized white mushrooms continues.

Where to Look for Mushrooms

Given the characteristic features of changeable summer weather and the uneven distribution of rainfall, experienced mushroom hunters advise looking for mushrooms exclusively in shaded and cool places. During your search, pay special attention to areas with tall, thick grass, a dense layer of forest moss, as well as depressions in low-lying areas, ravines, and gullies near forest streams or bodies of water, where life-sustaining moisture is best retained. Experts strongly remind everyone of the basic safety rules: put only well-known species in your basket, avoid old, overripe mushrooms that accumulate toxins, and to remember that the deadly pale toadstool is currently growing actively, which inexperienced foragers can easily mistake for the edible green russula.

UA.News reports on this.