Lithuania: Mushroom season delayed by drought, experts advise patience

The lush forests of Lithuania's Dzūkija region, usually a haven for mushroom enthusiasts, are currently too dry for foraging, according to local expert Romas Sadauskas-Kvietkevičius. He advises mushroom pickers to hold off on their excursions until the region receives more substantial rainfall.

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Those chanterelles that grow in the densest green moss are still alive, while others that have emerged are dried out, almost baked. It was 30 degrees for a few days, and everything dried up.

Sadauskas-Kvietkevičius explains that the lack of moisture is impacting the growth of popular mushrooms. While some chanterelles might still be found in the densest, mossiest areas, many others have dried out and are considered "almost baked" after recent temperatures reaching up to 30 degrees Celsius. The season for summer porcini mushrooms, known for their thick stems, has also concluded.

"I had a spot in an oak grove, not even a typical Dzūkija forest, where I would go every three days to harvest the yield – like picking ripe tomatoes from a garden," Sadauskas-Kvietkevičius recalled. "There were summer porcini with thick stems. I picked the last one, and they won't grow back there anymore. That's it. Now we will wait for autumn porcini and saffron milk caps."

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I had a spot in an oak grove, not even a typical Dzūkija forest, where I would go every three days to harvest the yield – like picking ripe tomatoes from a garden. There were summer porcini with thick stems. I picked the last one, and they won't grow back there anymore. That's it. Now we will wait for autumn porcini and saffron milk caps.

Recent thunderstorms brought some rain, but it was insufficient to adequately rehydrate the forest floor and soil. Sadauskas-Kvietkevičius noted similar dryness in his own yard, where grass only grew in shaded areas. He suggests that the region needs a gentle, prolonged rain, often called "mushroom rain" by locals, or overnight showers that allow moisture to slowly absorb into the ground. This pattern often coincides with the transition from summer to autumn.

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The forest needs a calm, light, but all-day rain, called mushroom rain by the locals. It's even better when it rains at night and by morning the moisture has time to slowly absorb into the forest floor and soil.