Already in April: biologist from NNGU on the start of the mushroom season in Nizhny Novgorod forests

      A snowy winter in the Nizhny Novgorod region will give mushroom pickers an early start to the season. The first morels and false morels may appear in the forests as early as April — the main thing is that the weather holds up. A correspondent from "Living in Nizhny" interviewed the head of the Department of Botany and Zoology at NNSU, Ekaterina Vodeneyeva, about where to look for spring mushrooms, how to avoid poisoning, and why a dry summer is scarier than any cold winter.

      Snowy winter – many mushrooms?

      The yield of mushrooms depends on a large number of natural factors. Ekaterina Vodeneyeva notes that only cautious forecasts can be made regarding this.

       "These are the current weather conditions, as well as those from a year or two ago. Temperature and humidity during different seasons play a special role in the normal fruiting of mushrooms. They will determine the timing of fruiting, its duration, and the abundance of the harvest," says the biologist. However, according to the expert, a snowy winter increases the likelihood of spring mushrooms appearing. "A thick snow cover protects the mycelium in the soil and helps retain moisture. Therefore, during the snowmelt, a water reserve forms in the soil, creating favorable conditions for the growth of spring mushrooms such as morels and false morels," Ekaterina Vodeneyeva explained. At the same time, a snowy winter does not guarantee a successful mushroom season throughout the year — a dry summer is more dangerous for the mycelium than any winter. "The yield of summer and autumn species will depend on the temperature and amount of precipitation in the current season, at the end of May – beginning of June. It is during these months that the foundation for the future harvest is formed. If there is no prolonged drought during this period, and if moderate temperatures in the range of 18-22 degrees are maintained, then one can expect a successful hunt in the autumn," said the head of the Department of Botany and Zoology at NNSU.

      When to expect the first mushrooms?

      The first spring mushrooms usually appear in late April – early May. However, after a snowy winter, considering the warm weather from mid-March, the first mushrooms can be expected as early as April. "Usually, if spring is warm and the snow melts quickly, mushrooms appear early, but the season can be short. If the snow melts gradually, the soil is evenly saturated with moisture — mushrooms can be collected for a longer time," the biologist explained. The first to appear in the Nizhny Novgorod region are false morels and morels, which belong to the ascomycete fungi. The common false morel is the most recognizable, with a pronounced stem and a brain-like reddish-brown cap.

      Photo: GLJIVARSKO DRUSTVO NIS from Serbia. GYROMITRA ESCULENTA (Krombh.) Cooke, CC BY 2.0/wikimedia.org

      Morels (true, tall, conical) and morel caps usually appear a little later than false morels.

      Photo: I, Jörg Hempel, CC BY-SA 2.0 de/wikimedia.org

      "False morels and morels fall into the category of conditionally edible or edible mushrooms. The common false morel is particularly treacherous, as its fruiting bodies contain the toxin gyromitrin. This toxin does not break down during thermal processing and leaches into the broth. Because of this, false morels should be boiled in a large amount of water, and then this broth must be drained, and the mushrooms rinsed," warned Ekaterina Vodeneyeva.

      Where to look for the first mushrooms in the Nizhny Novgorod region?

      The first spring mushrooms usually appear in well-warmed areas – on forest edges, clearings, in sparse deciduous and coniferous forests, along forest roads, and in old clearings.

      "For example, the common false morel settles in coniferous forests or in forests with the presence of pine, while the giant false morel prefers deciduous forests, loves birch forests, and is often found near fallen birches," the expert explained. Morels prefer light deciduous forests and mixed forests, growing under elms, oaks, ashes, and aspens. Morel caps can be found in young aspen groves, on hills. The distribution of these mushrooms across the region may be uneven and depend on local factors.

      More news about the event:

      Biologist explained when mushrooms will appear in the Nizhny Novgorod region

      The first morels and false morels are expected as early as April thanks to the warm spring. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, the mushroom season may begin as early as April. 17:14 12.04.2026 Newsroom24.Ru - Nizhny Novgorod

      Mushrooms will start appearing in the forests of the Nizhny Novgorod region as early as April

      The first spring mushrooms may appear in the forests of the Nizhny Novgorod region as early as April – early May, reported "Living in Nizhny" head of the Department of Botany and Zoology at NNSU Ekaterina Vodeneyeva. 12:55 12.04.2026 NIA Nizhny Novgorod - Nizhny Novgorod

      Already in April: NNSU biologist on the start of the mushroom season in Nizhny forests

      A snowy winter in the Nizhny Novgorod region will give mushroom pickers an early start to the season. 12:24 12.04.2026 Online publication Living in Nizhny - Nizhny Novgorod

      Biologist Ekaterina Vodeneyeva: mushrooms will appear in the Nizhny Novgorod forests as early as April

      Photo: freepik.com

      The first spring mushrooms will appear in the forests of the Nizhny Novgorod region in April – early May. 12:24 12.04.2026 Online publication Living in Nizhny - Nizhny Novgorod

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      The first mushroom trophies: the season of "quiet hunting" has opened in the Saraktash district

      Residents of the Saraktash district share joyful photos on social media: the first spring mushrooms — morels — have begun to be found in the forests and on the edges of Orenburg. 14:49 12.04.2026 Ria56.Ru - Orenburg

      A Tver mushroom picker explained how to eat spring mushrooms and not die

      Every spring, mushroom pickers discuss and argue on social media about which mushrooms are edible and how to prepare them correctly. 11:11 12.04.2026 TIA - Tver

      Scarlet sarcoscypha, morels are coming: a guide to the best mushroom spots in the Moscow region in April

      The season for spring mushrooms has started in the forests of the Moscow region, and the first finds are already being actively discussed on social media. 16:11 10.04.2026 MosRegToday.Ru - Moscow region

      Vladimir residents have already started gathering the first mushrooms in the forests

      The first spring mushrooms have appeared in the Vladimir forests — giant false morels and sarcoscypha are growing in sun-warmed clearings, according to a photo from Irina Mityushina's VK page. Despite the fact that the weather has worsened in recent days, 15:34 10.04.2026 Zebra-TV.Ru - Vladimir

      Consultation – warning about the intensity of meteorological phenomena from 12:00 on April 10 to 18:00 on April 11, 2026.

      In the afternoon and evening of April 10, at night and in the morning of April 11, in the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan, heavy snow, wet snow, and brief formation of snow cover are expected in some places; 12:42 10.04.2026 Zelenodolsky district - Zelenodolsk

      The mushroom gathering season has opened in the Kaliningrad region

      It's still far from white mushrooms, but morels have started to appear.

      Photo: community Mushrooms and mushroom pickers of the Kaliningrad region. 09:53 10.04.2026 Komsomolskaya Pravda - Kaliningrad