Perennial flowers for the flower garden - which ones grow the longest. August, planting raspberries: how to choose a place and what fertilizers are needed

In the process of growing tulips, many beginners have the same questions, the answers to which experienced flower growers have long known and are happy to share in the article.

Why does the onion become smaller?

Indeed, after planting a full-fledged, well-developed bulb, after a couple of years, and sometimes even next year, its size becomes significantly smaller, it does not bloom, and after another couple of years it may completely disappear, as if it never existed. There is one main reason for this behavior of tulips - non-compliance with growing technology.

Any of the following reasons can affect the unwanted process of shrinking tulip bulbs:

1. Long-term cultivation of tulips in one place for more than three years.
2. Untimely digging of bulbs, when the foliage has not yet withered.
3. Planting bulbs too early, when the bulb not only does not have time to take root, but even begin to grow in the ground. Planting begins when the soil begins to cool to +5...8 °C. This period begins at the end of September - beginning of October.
4. Incorrect bulb storage conditions: high humidity or dryness, exposure to sunlight.
5. Negligent attitude towards preparing a place for a new planting of tulips and, as a result, unsuitable nutritional regime and light conditions.
6. Extreme growing conditions of the current year: drought in spring or autumn, or, conversely, souring from excessively heavy and frequent rains. Dry periods require compensation with regular watering.
7. Planting an unhealthy bulb - light, stained or damaged.
8. Allowing fruiting and seed ripening. This process takes a lot of energy from the bulb, so faded flowers are immediately plucked out.
9. Cutting tulips at the very base.

large tulip bulbs

small tulip bulbs

Can a tulip change variety and begin to bloom in a different color over the years?

As a rule, inexperienced gardeners formulate the question like this: “We planted different varieties of tulips, they bloomed so beautifully, and the next year they all bloomed red. Are they pollinated?"
The color of a flower depends only on the variety and condition of the bulb from which it appeared. Pollination of some varieties by others only leads to the formation of seeds, which, after sowing and maturing, can actually produce a new variety. But this in no way affects the color of the mother bulb that gave these seeds. This means that the reason here lies elsewhere. The reason for this is a virus that blocks the acquired characteristics during selection and leaves only the dominant ones that were still present in wild tulips. Considering that most varieties have their ancestor, it is not surprising that in case of illness they bloom with the yellow and red flowers that are classic for this group of tulips.

The color of a flower depends only on the variety and condition of the bulb from which it appeared.

But tulips can suddenly not only turn red, but also become mottled. The most common large red tulips in our gardens, if they sit in one place for a long time, bloom with more subtle, small flowers, striped with white, pink, crimson, red and yellow stripes. At the same time, the flowering dates are significantly shifted towards late-blooming tulips. So you might think that a new variety spontaneously appeared in the garden. This illusion disappears as soon as we transplant such bulbs to a new location. As a rule, in the first year after transplantation they bloom again with the bright red color characteristic of the variety. But the process is already irreversible; the tulip will still “speckle” again.

This miracle has long been known to the world; its name is the variegation virus. It is number one on the list of the most dangerous diseases of tulips. The virus infects the entire plant, slows down metabolic processes, which leads to the loss of all characteristics of the variety: it changes the color of the flower, shifts the flowering time, shortening its duration, lengthens and thins the stem of the peduncle.

The virus affects the entire plant, slows down metabolic processes, which leads to the loss of all characteristics of the variety.

When such tulips are found in the garden, they are immediately dug up and destroyed, since this virus remains incurable. It would also be useful to prevent the appearance of leaf-eating insects, because they are transmitted through the sap from one plant to another.

variegation of tulips

What to look for when choosing bulbs?

A high-quality healthy bulb is always hard and dry to the touch, its weight is noticeable, the covering scale is clean, without damage or stains, the bottom is devoid of roots, and the upper bud is without signs of growth.

How long can tulips grow in one place?

In collection gardens, tulips are replanted every year. Then the bulbs always remain healthy, large and productive. In gardens where they play a decorative role, as part of a mixborder, planted on a ridge or among shrubs, tulips can be grown for 3 to 4 years, but under the condition of a high agricultural background, which guarantees the formation of a large bulb. This is a sunny place, systematic feeding and sufficient planting depth - 20 - 25 cm.

What conditions must be met in order to admire the tulips in the flowerbed for as long as possible?

There are several such conditions:

1. Sunny, wind-protected location of the flower bed.
2. Nutritious, loose soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction and a fertilizing system:

The first fertilizing (30 g of nitrogen, 20 g of potassium and 30 g of phosphorus fertilizer per bucket of water) is carried out immediately after germination;
the second (20 g of nitrogen, 20 g of potassium and 30 g of phosphorus) before flowering and the third (20 g of potassium and 30 g of phosphorus) after flowering.

3. High-quality preparation of the site before planting. In one to two weeks, the selected area is dug up with a complex of fertilizers. For one square meter add 5-6 kg of humus or compost, 50 g of nitrophoska and 30 g of potassium salt. If the site is prone to flooding with melt or groundwater, it is drained or a high ridge with deep row spacing is organized.
4. Maintaining optimal soil moisture with regular watering.
5. The exception is to grow tulips on a site with previous crops that have the same diseases - these are all bulbous and nightshade crops. Tulips can be returned to their original place no earlier than after 5 years.
6. Selection of tulip varieties from all four groups.

planting tulips in prepared soil

How to properly organize tulip transplantation?

Withered but not yet dried plant leaves are a signal that we can start digging up the bulbs. They are carefully removed from the ground with a shovel, cleaned of excess scales and the top part, separated if necessary or washed in water and soaked for half an hour in a solution of any fungicide. After this, the bulbs are laid out in one layer in a shady, ventilated place and dried for about 3 to 5 days. When sending bulbs for storage, do not forget that processes are actively occurring inside them that affect future flowering. Increased temperature during such a period accelerates these processes, while decreased temperature slows it down. The optimal temperatures for the first month of storage are 25–30 °C, for subsequent months, up to planting, 15–17 °C.

Withered but not yet dried plant leaves are a signal that we can start digging up the bulbs.

In the fall, at the end of September - beginning of October, to a new place. At the bottom of a trench 20–25 cm deep, the largest bulbs are first placed at intervals of 5–10 cm and lightly sprinkled with earth. Between them are medium-sized bulbs, which are also sprinkled with a layer of earth. All the smallest baby bulbs are completed, after which the entire ridge is filled up flush with the soil level and thoroughly mulched. An important point is that all the bulbs are placed bottom down or on their sides.

Tulip planting time - autumn

How to properly cut flowers into a vase so as not to harm future flowering?

To decorate your home with wonderful tulips, they are broken, leaving at least 2 lower leaves on the plant. The remaining leaves will take care of replenishment of strength and the growth of new bulbs. Never cut tulips at the root, otherwise you will be left without a flower bed next year! By the way, it is better not to cut tulips, but to break them. After all, viruses, and the first of them - variegation, are transmitted from one plant to another through the blades of knives or pruning shears. One infected plant is enough to destroy the entire plantation.

Never cut tulips at the root, otherwise you will be left without a flower bed next year!

Broken tulip flowers also have the remarkable property of growing in a vase. Therefore, do not wait until the tulips bloom, but cut them at the stage of a colored bud, even if the plants are still short with small buds. In the vases in our rooms, the stems of tulips can grow up to 20 cm, and the buds can increase many times over. And do not pour a lot of water into the vase, the stems can quickly rot from the heat. Let the water level be no more than 10 cm and add, or better yet, change the water every day. Then tulips will decorate your home for at least 7 - 14 days.

correct cutting of tulips

I hope that this article answered your question. Or perhaps some of them were left unattended? Leave it in the comments to the article, and I will definitely answer it.

No one will refuse raspberries in their summer cottage. Buying and planting raspberries is not difficult - but they will grow in one place for several years, so this place should be chosen and equipped carefully. What plants should you not plant raspberries next to? What fertilizers should be applied when planting? We share information for which now, in August, is the right time.

Planting raspberries

It is best to plant raspberries in late summer - from mid-August to mid-September. But you can transplant it from one place to another in the spring and even in mid-summer, if you need to plant young shoots. It is recommended to choose a sunny place for planting. The soil is improved by adding rotted compost (1-2 buckets per plant). Deoxidize with ash (a liter jar under a bush) or add a glass of lime.

As soon as you buy raspberries, the planting material must be shortened immediately, leaving the stems only 20-25 cm high. If you are planting young shoots from your plantation, then they should also be shortened to the same height before planting. Otherwise, the raspberry leaves, evaporating moisture, will dry out the stem, which is not supplied with moisture until the bush has taken root and sucking roots appear.

It is usually recommended to plant two plants at a time. Before planting, the roots must be immersed in water for at least two hours so that they are saturated with moisture; it is a good idea to add “Kornevin” or “Heteroauxin” to the water. But you should not keep the roots in water for a longer time, since they will lose all the potassium they contain, and this will lead to a weakening of the plant at an early stage of establishment.

Everything that was indicated above should be added to the planting holes or trenches, and the soil should be well soaked with water so that the plants are planted in the mud. Make mounds, spread the roots over them (broken or dry ones should be cut out first) and cover them with dry soil. In the trench, the bushes are planted on mounds located 80 cm from each other. Then the trench is completely covered with soil. After planting, the soil is not compacted, but only lightly pressed around the raspberry stems.

When planting raspberries, I immediately add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of AVA complex fertilizer and don’t feed the raspberries with anything else for three years, after which I add another 1 tbsp into the soil around each bush. spoon of this fertilizer for the next three years.

In order not to have to do weekly watering, I plant new bushes with Aquadon or hydrogel (2 cups of gel per bush). This gives me the opportunity to water raspberries every other week for two years in dry weather, provided that the plantings are mulched.

How to place raspberries on the plot

There are different ways to grow raspberries. They are often planted in a large clump, arranging the plants according to a 50x50 cm pattern evenly over the entire area, while the stems are buried 3-4 cm into the soil when planting. If raspberries are planted deeper, the stem may rot, and if higher, there is a danger of freezing landings in winter.

It all ends with planting, since there is no further care for raspberries. It grows on its own, like in a forest. No fertilizing is done, old stems are not cut out, leaves are not removed. Just water with a hose over the soil in dry weather. The underground part of the raspberry lives for about 12 years, so after this time the curtain will have to be moved to another place.

However, more often raspberries are grown along the boundaries of the plot in one or two rows, placing the bushes at a distance of 80 cm from each other, and the rows at a distance of 1 m. The width of the row for raspberries should be about 40 cm. All shoots that fall outside this limit should be cut, otherwise the raspberries will spread around the plantings over a fairly large distance. When planting in rows, it is more convenient to dig not separate holes for each bush, but a continuous trench into which to plant the plants.

Raspberries can be planted in single bushes throughout the site in sunny places. But then, before planting, a piece of water pipe approximately 2 m long is driven into the center of the future bush, burying it into the ground at least 40-50 cm. Having planted two plants at once on both sides of the pipe, you will tie them to this support as they grow. just lightly pulling all the stems into a bundle with a rope.

Several different varieties should be planted, since raspberries require cross-pollination. In addition, you need to have varieties of different ripening periods in your raspberry garden.

Raspberry seeds are mainly spread by birds. In bird stomachs, the seeds themselves are not processed, only the durable seed coat is slightly softened, which contributes to their rapid germination. When propagating raspberries by seeds, you should remember this and before sowing, scarify the seeds (break the seed coat by rolling the seeds on sandpaper) or soak for about half an hour in a weak solution of hydrochloric acid or in gastric juice (sold in a pharmacy).

Neighboring plants for raspberries: good and not so good

Raspberries go well with apple, pear, and plum trees, but they cannot tolerate cherries at all: even when planted 2-3 m from them, raspberries begin to wither, become stunted, and bear fruit poorly.

Raspberries should not be planted close to sea buckthorn and black currant, since all these plants have roots in the same layer of soil. The sea buckthorn will gradually drive the raspberries out of their place, and the raspberries will sprout in the middle of the blackcurrant bushes, suppressing the latter.

You can’t plant raspberries next to strawberries, and not only because their roots are located at the same depth, but also because they have common diseases and pests. It is not recommended to plant a raspberry plantation after tomatoes and potatoes.

How to tie raspberries

For raspberries that took root last summer, no more than 4 young shoots are left in the bush for the next season. If more than 4 young shoots are left, the bushes become very thick, which leads, on the one hand, to poor lighting and, consequently, to a drop in yield, and on the other, to the spread of fungal diseases.

If you grow raspberries in rows, then you definitely need to tie up the stems, otherwise they will begin to bend towards the soil under the weight of berries or wet leaves, and this can lead to breakage of the stem at the base. To hold the stems in a vertical position, stretch 2-3 horizontal trellises made of strong wire or cord, which are secured to stakes driven into the ground at a distance of 2-3 m from each other.

If you make 2 such fences at a distance of 40 cm from each other on both sides of the plantings, then the raspberries do not need to be tied to the trellises. If there is only one fence, then you will have to tie the stems to each of the horizontal trellises.

If you expand the fences to a width of about 50-60 cm, then last year’s shoots can be tied to one side, from which we will harvest, and there will be enough space left for the young shoots that appear. It will not be shaded by fruiting branches. As they grow, young shoots should be tied to the trellises of the second fence. This way you will separate last year's and young shoots. This makes caring for plants much easier.

To prevent raspberries from creeping out of the designated area, you must either dig slate to a depth of 30 cm and limit the plantings on both sides, or every spring and autumn cut boundary lines along the plantings using a spade bayonet. But you can do it differently - leave a turf about 40 cm wide on each side along the raspberry plantings, on which you constantly walk, trampling the grass. Raspberries do not like dense soil and will not spread their roots to a trampled area.

If, nevertheless, the growth appears in the wrong place, it should be removed by cutting it with a sharp shovel and tearing it out by the roots. It is useless to cut raspberry shoots with pruning shears, as they will grow even thicker.

How long can raspberries grow in one place?

With any planting method, raspberries should not be kept in one place for more than 8-10 years. It practically stops bearing fruit. And not only because the root system is outdated or a large number of diseases and pests have accumulated. There is another side of the matter that for some reason receives little attention.

The fact is that the roots of all plants secrete toxins in order to suppress the growth of the roots of other neighboring plants. But when the same plant is grown for a long time in one place, too many of these toxins accumulate, and they begin to inhibit the plant itself that produces them.

Each plant has its own period of time during which this process occurs. So, when growing lettuce in the same place, the influence of its own toxins begins to affect itself already in the third generation. For peonies the process lasts for 15 years, but for raspberries it occurs after about 8-9 years. Even when the bush is rejuvenated, the plants remain depressed, since not only the renewal of the plant itself is required, but also a change of soil.

Peony culture has certain difficulties, are not always obvious, and the literature on their cultivation often contains inaccurate and contradictory recommendations.

. Dear Nina Yakovlevna, please tell us how your work with peonies began?

My work with peonies started almost from scratch! The fact is that in our country there was no pure varietal material, peony, but only a mixture of varieties that were not defined by anyone.

The varieties were named simply- “pink”, “white”, “red”, they also added whether it was terry or not.

I am glad that there is now such a variety of varieties and hybrids on the flower market, and that the best examples of the achievements of world selection have become available to our amateur flower growers.

But also among domestic varieties there are real masterpieces, it is not for nothing that foreigners are very interested in our varieties - decorative, well-reproducing, resistant to adverse weather conditions.

. What advice do you give to a gardener who has decided to plant his first peony? How to plant a peony correctly and avoid mistakes.

First of all, for a successful landing you need to provide the plant with a good place.

Peony is a perennial plant. It can grow in one place without transplanting for decades, up to 60 or more, and bloom beautifully every year, but for this it is necessary that the foundation be “laid” correctly.

Collections of peonies of the Institute of Horticulture VSTISP (Biryulyovo) in the nursery

A place to plant a peony. Under no circumstances should this place be wet, with stagnant water even for a short time in spring and autumn. Peony is actually a very resilient plant - on its rhizome there are a lot of dormant buds, after the death of some others awaken to life, peony can tolerate both frost and drought. But the roots, flooded with water, rot and the plant dies.

When choosing a place to plant a peony One more condition must be remembered - peony does not tolerate shadows. With strong shading, even for just two or three hours a day, it will wither, grow somehow, but will not bloom at all.

Peonies do not like peat. It is not advisable to use it under peonies, even in the form of mulch, winter shelter, or adding it to the planting hole. Peat usually has an acidic reaction, but peony requires a neutral reaction pH of 6.5-7.0.

Necessarily It is necessary to check the acidity of the soil from time to time, because when we apply mineral fertilizers, we unwittingly acidify the soil. If the pH (acidity indicator) is below 6, liming is necessary.

Here we must remember that 350 g/m2 of calcium carbonate increases the pH level by only 1 standard scale unit.

The best soils for growing peonies- loamy, cultivated, well-drained.

Soil for planting need to be prepared two to three weeks in advance. The depth and width of the planting hole is at least 50-70 cm. Peony roots penetrate up to 70-80 cm, but only into loose soil. If the pre-planting treatment is shallow, then, having reached solid soil, they begin to grow to the sides, located in the top layer of soil, which means that in the future the plants will suffer from a lack of nutrients and moisture.

. Is it possible to get a flowering peony bush already in the year of planting?
How to choose the right planting material?

I regularly encounter, at least twice a year (spring and fall) with numerous peonies buyers, I never cease to be amazed that the vast majority want to have the plant bloom immediately this year (especially when buying peonies in the spring).

Experienced gardeners know that a good peony can only be grown from a young plant. The large old peony bushes that impatient or illiterate gardeners strive to plant in their gardens will be of no use. Maybe they will bloom next year, but I am afraid that it will be the last in their life.

In a year or two the bush will be completely old, will begin to rot and stop blooming.

. What is the best material for planting a peony.

The best planting material for planting a peony for many years - this is a one- or two-year-old plant, grown in a nursery or obtained from a small “cut” with 1-2 buds and a piece of rhizome, with completely renewed young light roots and large buds.

. We bought a young healthy peony, how to plant it correctly.
How to grow a powerful, abundantly flowering peony bush.

Primarily for landing plants need to prepare the soil and planting hole. When filling a planting hole, the entire nutrient mixture is placed in the lower 2/3 of the hole, and the plant is planted in its upper third, in ordinary soil without fertilizers.

I'm talking about this so that refute a common misconception, as if peonies do not need to be fed during the first two years of planting, since they have enough nutrients added during planting.

Peonies definitely need to be fed. from the first year of life after planting, precisely because the cut roots have very few nutrient reserves, and the new ones are still growing and cannot reach the nutrients in the pit. The best time to fertilize young plants is from the beginning of the emergence of seedlings until the end of June.

. What is the best way to feed a peony bush?

It is better to feed it with mullein solution, and apply the fertilizer in circular holes around the bush. These feedings will contribute to the rapid development of the root system (including storage roots) and good formation of stems, leaves and renewal buds.

If it is not possible To feed with mullein, you need to fertilize with a complete mineral fertilizer, having previously dissolved it in water.

. What is the correct peony planting depth, plant care.

The correct peony planting depth is very important. The distance from the topmost bud on the rhizome to the surface of the ground should be from 3 to 7 cm, depending on the type of soil. On heavier ones - 3-4cm, on lighter ones - 5-7cm. This distance must always be monitored, from year to year.

And I'm talking about this because peony rhizome(as, indeed, many perennials) tends to grow upward; in addition, during weeding and loosening, the soil can be raked away from the buds and literally in a year or two they can appear on the surface.

In this case It is necessary to hill up to the desired height, especially in the fall. The buds that come to the surface will suffer from both frost and heat. The plant will weaken and bloom poorly. And, conversely, plants planted too deeply will produce normal vegetative mass, but will never bloom.

Plant care- this means weeding, loosening, mandatory watering during drought (to the entire depth of the roots) and twice - watering with phosphorus and potassium after flowering to strengthen the tissues.

. Finally our peony bloomed! I wish I could take a fragrant bouquet with me when leaving the dacha. But peony flowers are located on leafy shoots - will removing them harm the plant?

It is necessary to take great care of the vegetative mass of the plant.- its stems and leaves, remembering that at the base of each stem several renewal buds are laid - the key to powerful development and abundant flowering of the plant in subsequent years.

Cut peonies for a bouquet no more than one-third of the bush is allowed, making sure to keep one or two lower leaves on the stem.

. What pests and diseases specific to peonies should you be wary of first?

There are pests and diseases that are specific to peonies.

To successfully fight them, you must do not allow the petals to fall on the leaves, as this will immediately cause spots of gray rot, a very dangerous disease of peonies, to form on the leaves (in wet weather or from dew). If the flowers have lost their decorative appearance - they have faded - cut the heads down to the first green leaf and remove them from the area to avoid rot.

We must carry out preventive spraying of peonies. Against gray rot- twice before flowering: during the period of massive shoot growth and during budding. 1/1 twice after flowering - against spotting. It is better to spray with copper oxychloride (4g/meter or 40g/10 liters of water).

If you will be In this way, take care of your peony - your plant will be decorative not only during flowering, but also before and after it. Peony has amazingly beautiful leaves that change color three times a season.

. When to cut leaves on peonies. After all, sooner or later the leaves of peonies will lose their decorative effect.

For the winter, the entire above-ground part of the plant is cut off. to ground level, but this should be done only after the peony stems have fallen after the first frost. Until this moment, a lot of nutrients flow from the leaves and stems to the storage roots, and pruning too early causes great harm to the plants.

Some flower growers early cutting of the stem is explained by the fact that the leaves have dried out and still do not work. The leaves dry out only on diseased plants; on healthy ones they remain fresh and very beautiful (yellow, pink, red, bronze or green - depending on the variety) until the most severe frosts.

A very important period The lifespan of peonies is a month and a half after flowering. At this time, the laying and development of renewal buds is underway - those that will bloom next year and two years later.

From your care What the plant does at this time depends on what it will be like in subsequent years.

The conversation was conducted by M. Barinova

People very often come across mushrooms in everyday life, without even suspecting that they are dealing with them. We are accustomed to thinking that mushrooms are gifts of nature growing in the forest. However, mushrooms also include yeast, which every housewife uses to prepare dough. Fresh yeast has good lifting force, the dough rises quickly and well, the baked goods are fluffy, finely porous, and appetizing. Bad, “weak” yeast produces products of poorer quality. Or, for example, the bread in your bread bin became moldy and, in general, you began to notice that the bread in this bread bin was quickly becoming moldy. An experienced housewife knows what's going on here. You need to thoroughly rinse, wipe and dry the bread bin - the molding of the bread will stop. Here we also encounter mushrooms. Mold, that is, the proliferation of fungi, depends on a number of factors: temperature, relative humidity, and the presence of oxygen.

Thus, mushrooms in the first and second cases are living beings capable of living and reproducing.
What do yeast and mold have in common with wild mushrooms, which we collect and store for future use? They are united by common structural features. If we examine a piece of mold under a microscope, we will see mycelium, or mycelium, which in appearance resembles spider web felt. This is actually the mushroom itself, its body. Webs are thin threads called hyphae that grow only at their tips.
A fungal cell differs from other plant cells not only in shape and content. Its shell consists of a special substance - fungin, which gives the cell special strength and is destroyed only by prolonged exposure to high temperature. This explains the need for longer heat treatment of mushrooms when preparing dishes. For the same reason, it is not recommended to consume mushrooms for people suffering from gastrointestinal diseases.
A special feature of mushrooms is that instead of the starch inherent in plants, they contain glycogen - starch, which is present only in animal organisms. It is no coincidence that the ancients classified mushrooms as objects of animal origin.
Mushrooms do not contain chlorophyll and are not able to synthesize organic substances, although, like all living organisms, they need them. Therefore, mushrooms settle in any environment where the necessary nutrients are available.
Reproduction can occur by spores and pieces of mycelium if placed in favorable conditions.
How does a mushroom work? The fruiting body of the fungus, like the mycelium, consists of fungal threads - hyphae - which, depending on their belonging to one or another part of the fungus, perform strictly defined functions. For example, the integumentary hyphae covering the cap produce coloring substances from the outside, giving it a certain color. Other hyphae act as transporters - through them water and various nutrients enter the fruiting body from the soil.

These hyphae are arranged vertically and fit tightly to each other, forming the mushroom stalk. The stalk carries nutrients to the cap, on which spores mature as they grow.
The lower part of the cap of various mushrooms can be tubular (boletus, aspen boletus, boletus, boletus), consisting of many tubes fused together. The spores of these fungi are formed inside the tubes. Mushrooms such as saffron milk mushrooms, mushrooms, and champignons form plates on the lower part of the cap, which is why they are called lamellar. Spores of agaric fungi are found on both sides of the plates. Eats groups of marsupial mushrooms (morels, strings, truffles), in which spores are formed in the recesses of the winding cap; in puffballs, spores form inside the fruiting body.
As the mushroom grows, the spores mature and fall out of the caps. The ripe spores of the raincoat are especially clearly visible; during this period they are called “puffers”. If you step on such a raincoat, it seems to explode, forming a column of dark dust. This dust is the spores of the puffball.
The top of the mushroom cap is covered with a thin skin, which plays a protective role, protecting the fruiting body from adverse effects and moisture evaporation.
It is not difficult to see the mycelium if you dig up the mushroom and carefully wash the lower part of the stem from the soil. You will see a delicate white cobweb - this will be part of the mycelium. In general, under favorable conditions, the mycelium grows very strongly, as if penetrating the ground with a web. A well-developed mycelium absorbs more nutrients from the soil necessary for the development and growth of the fungus. However, the mycelium not only consumes, but also helps create and absorb nutrients. Fungal mycelium secretes so-called enzymes that decompose the soil substrate and assimilate the products of its decomposition. Thus, the fungus lives and develops at the expense of the mycelium.
The mycelium of all forest mushrooms is perennial, not at all picky about changes in external conditions, and tolerates frost and drought well. Therefore, mushroom pickers know “their” places where milk mushrooms, porcini mushrooms or boletus mushrooms grow. It seems that there are no signs of the appearance of mushrooms, but a favorable time comes, and the mycelium comes to life, bringing large harvests. Indispensable conditions, in addition to temperature, are relative air humidity and the presence of moisture in the soil. Fogs are especially favorable for mushroom growth. If fogs begin in the summer, it means mushroom time is coming.
Mushroom pickers should know about another important condition for good harvests. As we have already said, the same mushrooms can grow in one place for several years and the number of mushrooms depends on its intactness. Some mushroom pickers do not comply with this condition and pull out the mushrooms “by the roots,” thereby causing great damage to the future harvest. Those who know always go for mushrooms with a knife, cutting off the stem carefully so as not to damage the mycelium. Next year they will definitely find a lot of mushrooms in the old places. This explains the “secret” of mushroom places.

Another indispensable condition is the proximity of mushrooms to certain types of trees. Only on a certain tree is a mushroom capable of forming a fruiting body: porcini mushrooms can be found in the vicinity of pine, spruce, oak, and birch; boletus - with aspen, boletus - with birch; saffron milk - with pine or spruce. This is where the names of many mushrooms come from. This kind of cohabitation was first noticed and explained by Russian scientists at the end of the 19th century. The fact is that mushroom hyphae and thin tree roots bring mutual benefit to each other. Trees supply mushrooms with carbohydrates, which mushrooms themselves cannot synthesize due to the lack of chlorophyll. But the mushroom does not remain in debt. Thanks to the highly branched mycelium, it supplies the tree with water, nitrogen and other nutrients, which it takes from plant residues decomposing in the soil. It has long been noted that young trees grow better if there are myceliums nearby that can bear fruit.
The beginning, duration and end of mushroom growth depend on their type, as well as on weather conditions, not only of the current year, but also of previous years.
Mushrooms usually grow in layers. It is believed that the first layer appears in mid-May, the second in the third decade of July, and the third, the longest, lasts from mid-August to October-November.
Since the timing of fruiting is influenced by many factors, the harvest calendar can only be approximate.
In recent years, mushroom yields have decreased significantly. The main reason is our mismanagement of forest products. Many do not know basic cultural gathering skills. On Saturdays and Sundays, you can see dozens of cars and motorcycles on the edges of the forest; some “virtuosos” manage to drive their vehicles into the thicket, disfiguring bushes and vegetation, and causing damage to the forest. Others search for mushrooms and turn over the litter, but this is the place where the fruiting body is born.
There are different recommendations for collecting mushrooms. Some argue that mushrooms should be cut with a knife, others recommend carefully unscrewing the stem from the mycelium. Both methods can be considered correct. The main thing is not to damage the mycelium. It doesn’t occur to anyone to pick berries along with branches, but few people think that if you disturb, trample the mycelium, there will be no harvest.
Mushrooms are a food product in the creation of which only nature takes part. There is evidence that before the First World War, the amount earned by peasants for wild mushrooms exceeded the cost of all the wood then exported abroad. Economists have calculated that collecting an average of 35 kg of mushrooms from 1 hectare of forest mushroom-bearing area gives a greater economic effect than growing wood on this hellish area.
In the book by D. A. Telishevsky “Integrated use of non-timber forest products,” intended for forestry engineers and technicians, the factors influencing the collection and fruiting of mushrooms are systematized. It turns out that the yield of mushrooms depends on the age and completeness of the plantings. If the forest is old and dense, it is useless to look for mushrooms there. Young forests are most productive. They still have a thin layer of forest litter, which does not prevent the soil from warming up quickly, so here mushrooms appear much earlier and the harvest is greater. In the dark, dense forests, over decades, a thick forest floor has formed, which prevents the warm rays of the sun from warming the ground. In old forests, mushrooms can grow only at the edge. Over time, cleared areas become mushroom grounds. Already in the second or third year after cutting down coniferous and deciduous plantations, you can go looking for honey mushrooms.
Thinning the forest is necessary for its improvement, as the access to light, heat and moisture increases, which also contributes to better growth of mushrooms. When mature forests are cut down at one time, after 2 years, morels and late honey mushrooms appear in the cleared area in early spring.
Much later, after 5...6 years, when young shoots form and a young forest begins to form, nature gives boletus, boletus and boletus. Experienced mushroom pickers know that the largest families grow in thickets of young growth, as well as in places where forest residues are burned - fire pits.
During the evolution of forests, groups of mushrooms are also replaced. After 8...12 years, when the tree crowns grow, boletus, boletus, russula, milk mushrooms and porcini mushrooms begin to appear in the forest.
It is well known that with a warm spring and abundant rainfall, you can expect an abundance of mushrooms. However, each mycelium bears fruit only once per season. Why, then, in the same places during the summer, with periodic warm, heavy rains, do mushrooms appear again and again, as if in layers? It turns out that mycelium can be located at different depths. Under favorable conditions, the upper myceliums bear fruit first, then the myceliums located below, and so on. Thus, warm rains, especially in July-August, are of main importance for mushroom yields. Cool September rains do not cause mushroom growth. There are times when there is little warm rain, but the mushroom harvest is large. This can be explained by the fact that previous years were poor harvests.
Each type of mushroom is favored by certain weather conditions. This explains the different fruiting times. It has been established, for example, that the white mushroom grows abundantly at an average monthly air temperature of 18°C ​​and with sufficient rainfall. It is recommended to take this fact into account when artificially growing porcini mushrooms.
The yield of mushrooms is affected not only by the weather of the current summer, but also of the previous autumn. A warm autumn with heavy rains is the key to a good harvest next year.
People often say: “it grows like a mushroom.” Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a plant that would grow so quickly. However, the growth rate depends on many factors. Worminess greatly retards the growth of fungi. Dry weather also inhibits growth. Mushrooms grow evenly, regardless of the time of day. The greatest growth occurs after heavy rain. Tubular mushrooms grow and age faster than lamellar mushrooms. In late autumn, with the onset of morning frosts, mushrooms can grow for more than a month and age for the same amount of time. Therefore, in fruitful years, you can go for honey mushrooms until the first snow. They will always remain fresh, elastic, healthy.
The entire fruiting period is divided into 3 stages or layers. The first layer occurs in the second half of May - early June, when haymaking begins, which is why the mushrooms are called hay-mows. The first boletus, boletus, boletus, and porcini mushrooms appear. But there are very few of them; as a rule, you need to look for them in well-lit places, abandoned forest roads, that is, where moisture has remained since spring and the soil has warmed up sufficiently. The first layer of mushrooms is short-lived - 7...10 days, so there is no need to hope for a rich harvest. In addition, the mushrooms of the first layer are often wormy.

The second layer begins in mid-July and lasts 2-3 weeks. The yield of the second layer is also small. Mushrooms are also found in well-lit clearings and on the edges of forests. Since the second layer of mushrooms coincides with the harvesting of winter grains, they are popularly called winter mushrooms. These mushrooms, like the First Layer mushrooms, are often damaged by worms.
The third layer of mushrooms is the most productive and lasting. It starts in mid-August and lasts until October 0. During this period, the rains are usually even and cool, so the soil retains moisture at the same level.
This is the most favorable time for mushroom growth, so experienced mushroom pickers go to the forest during this period. The third layer of mushrooms appears not only in clearings; they can be found in young forests and plantings. Mushrooms of the third layer are clean, dense, they are used for drying, salting, and pickling.
There are phenomena that signal the appearance of mushrooms. In science they are referred to as phenosignalizers. The beginning of each layer is associated with the seasonal development of trees and shrubs. The first layer of mushrooms begins with the flowering of rowan; the second - with the flowering of fireweed; the third - with the first yellowing of birch leaves. Here are some signals of the appearance of individual species. The aspen blossomed and the male catkins began to fall off the tree - which means that the first morels appeared in the forest. The same aspen, when fluff flies from it, can serve as a signal for the appearance of the first aspen boletuses. Winter rye has ripened - the first porcini mushrooms appear. The mountain ash has bloomed - after 5...6 days you can look for boletus mushrooms. The pine tree began to bloom - granular boletus appeared in the young pine forests. Severely yellowed birch trees indicate the beginning of honey mushroom growth.
Mushrooms of different types themselves can be signaling agents: the abundant growth of fly agaric mushrooms coincides with the growth of porcini mushrooms; the waves have appeared, which means that saffron milk caps will appear in a few days.
It is impossible not to mention the relationship between the fruiting period of mushrooms and their worminess. It’s a shame when there are a lot of mushrooms, the appearance is quite benign, but if you cut them in half, they are all riddled with tubules from worms. Many people have seen mushrooms cut in half and thrown away in the forest. What does this mean? The period of fruiting of the first or second layer of mushrooms is ending. In this place, it is almost useless to look for healthy, strong mushrooms. You may still find mushrooms, but most of them are old or wormy. The most benign mushrooms appear at the beginning of fruiting. The layer of mushrooms ages over time and becomes infected with insect larvae, so even young mushrooms at the end of fruiting are immediately damaged by worms. There are few mushrooms that are completely undamaged by worms, therefore, in industrial harvesting, specimens that are less than half damaged by worms are classified as benign mushrooms.
It should be remembered that old wormy mushrooms can cause poisoning. And fresh mushrooms, even in the refrigerator, can be stored for a very short time (within a day), because they quickly deteriorate and are contaminated with microorganisms that cause poisoning.
The literature provides data on the average worminess of mushrooms in the total mass during harvesting. Thus, chanterelles are not affected by worms at all; 5% of the harvested crop is affected
honey mushrooms, at 18.5 - porcini mushrooms, at 25.6 - aspen mushrooms, at 31.5 - boletus mushrooms, at 38.2 - buttercups. However, when collecting mushrooms for personal purposes, wormy mushrooms should not be collected. It is necessary to adhere to the rule “less is more.”
The resources of some types of mushrooms are being depleted. Unfortunately, in our country almost no work is being done to rationally exploit mushroom resources and increase their productivity. Experts believe that it is possible to preserve and increase the supply of valuable mushrooms by creating numerous micro-reserves in which mushroom picking will be prohibited.