ARTICLES :: Mushrooms Sept 2009

Mushrooms

By:  Melinda Sperl

Customers often ask me what is wrong with their yard when they have mushrooms.   Some look like the typical dinner type to something that looks like scrambled eggs.   The number one thing to know is not to eat them!  Many of them are poisonous so tell your children that these are not the same mushrooms that you had at dinner last night.

Mushrooms can be found in your yard, flowerbeds and even on the sides of trees.  Wherever they are though, they are not necessarily a bad thing but the result of decaying organic matter which is the basis for soil nutrients.  Imagine last years mulch, leaves, dead insects, etc. in your yard.  These items gradually break down into your soil and in turn provide nutrients to your plants. 

Excess water also contributes to mushroom growth and if we haven’t had rain it is worth looking at your sprinkler system for excess watering. 

If  you absolutely can’t stand them and have corrected any watering problems you can mix a solution of 1 Tbls baking soda to a gallon of water then spray it on the area where mushrooms grow.  Otherwise, just enjoy them and think of them as another volunteer plant.

Happy Gardening!