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Foraging guides

Season, habitat and look-alikes for the wild foods people search for most. Every guide gives the short answer first and names the species it can be confused with.

March to May

Wild garlic foraging: season, habitat and the three lookalikes

When wild garlic grows, where it stands, and how to tell it from lily of the valley and autumn crocus. With the harvest window and the law.

June to October

Where do chanterelles grow? Habitat, season and the law

Chanterelles don’t grow at random: they need certain trees and soils. Where to look, when the season runs, and why the amount is limited.

Flowers May to June, berries August to September

Harvesting elderberry: flowers in June, berries in September

Black elder has two harvest windows a year. When they fall, how to recognise the shrub, and why the berries aren’t used raw.

April to November

Mushroom season: which mushroom grows when

A calendar for the main edible mushrooms, and why the weather of the past few weeks says more than the month.

March to October

Edible wild plants: the most common species and their season

An overview of the most common wild plants, their harvest windows, and the lookalikes worth knowing.

year round

Identifying wild plants: a method, not a hunch

How to identify a wild plant systematically: which features count, which deceive, and where every app hits its limits.

Tools and background

What’s ripe near you?

Forage shows you the species in your region and pings you when the season starts.

Safety note

This text is orientation on season and habitat, not an identification guide. It makes no claim about whether any specific plant or mushroom is edible. Many species have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you haven’t identified beyond doubt yourself, and when in doubt consult a field guide or a knowledgeable person. Mind conservation law and property rights.