Have you noticed mushroom growth in your yard lately? Do you want to get rid of them and make sure your lawn stays mushroom free?
In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to get rid of mushrooms, what causes them to grow, and more. By the end of this post, you should be able to go outside and start getting rid of those unsightly lawn mushrooms growing on your beautiful green grass.
What Causes Mushroom Growth?
Mushroom growth is caused by moist conditions combined with high levels of nitrogen from decaying organic material like leaves or grass clippings in your soil. Poor drainage can also lead to this as it increases the amount of moisture available for fungi to thrive on.
Now that we have defined what mushrooms are and the conditions necessary for their growth, let’s take a look at how to get rid of mushrooms in 13 different ways.
How To Get Rid Of Mushrooms Growing In Your Yard In 13 Ways
1. Improve Your Yard Drainage
Improving your yard drainage is one of the simplest and most effective ways to get rid of mushrooms. By eliminating standing water and improving the aeration of soil in your yard, you can get rid of mushrooms quickly.
Start by making sure that surface water from rain or melted snow flows away from your home’s foundation. Consider investing in a good draining system with pipes that carry excess moisture away from where it could pool up–for instance, toward flower beds or shrubbery. Simple changes like these can help keep mushroom growth at bay.
2. Reduce Shade In Your Yard
Reducing shade can often help get rid of mushrooms since increased sunlight can help reduce the amount of moisture in your yard. If the shade is due to tree and shrub overgrowth, then you can take some action. Trim away any dead branches, as these can provide dampness necessary for fungi growth and thin out denser crowns of trees and shrubs so they don’t block sunlight.
3. Remove Decaying Organic Material
Mushrooms thrive in and near decaying organic material. Removing decaying organic material means taking away any dead leaves, tree branches, animal waste, bark, and grass clippings. This will help prevent mushrooms by reducing the food source for the fungi that make them.
4. Clear Out Thatch
Thatch is a matted layer of dead organic matter, such as grass clippings and leaves. Thatch tends to contain a lot of fungus spores that can quickly lead to the growth of mushrooms in certain areas, hurting your healthy lawn.
To clear out the thatch, try using a thatch rake or other specialized tool. If done correctly, clearing out thatch will discourage mushroom growth by reducing the areas where mushrooms can grow. It’ll also make your yard more aesthetically pleasing.
5. Aerate Your Yard
This simple solution punches tiny holes into the ground throughout, allowing air and water to circulate better. Aeration helps create healthy soil by improving drainage and helping the soil mix more effectively with other essential ingredients. This makes it inhospitable for fungi like mushrooms. It can easily be done by using a manual core aerator tool.
6. Use A Fungicide
When it comes to preventing mushrooms, a fungicide is often the most effective solution. For best results, select a fungicide specifically formulated to control mushroom growth. Apply it on a dry surface after watering the lawn deeply. Then, diligently follow all directions provided by the manufacturer since fungi can develop tolerance to certain fungicides if used repeatedly over time.
7. Remove Lawn Mushrooms By Hand
One effective way to remove mushrooms is by simply picking them off the ground or plucking them from the lawn. Just be sure to use gloves when you do this, and dispose of them in an outside garbage bin, preferably secured in a bag. This will prevent the spores from continuing to spread. Also, don’t put the mushrooms you pick in a compost pile, as this will only exacerbate your mushroom problem!
8. Use A High-Nitrogen Fertilizer
Sometimes a high-nitrogen fertilizer is all you need for effective mushroom removal. A high-nitrogen fertilizer will speed up the decomposition process for decaying organic material in your yard, thus removing the main food source for the mushrooms. Just remember not to overfertilize, as this can affect the overall health of your lawn.
9. Apply A Dish Soap Solution
Mix together 1 gallon of water and 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap in a bucket, then liberally sprinkle the mixture directly onto the mushrooms and their bases in your yard. Make sure to cover all the mushrooms so none of them escape treatment.
The dish soap acts to disrupt the membrane layer of the mushroom, causing it to dehydrate and eventually die with regular exposure and reapplication. You may need to use this method multiple times over several days or weeks until the mushrooms are gone for good.
10. Use A Baking Soda Solution
Mix together 1 part baking soda and 10 parts water and add this to a spray bottle. Spray the mixture directly onto the mushrooms, and the alkaline environment created by the sodium bicarbonate will dehydrate and get rid of the mushrooms in no time. Make sure to repeat this spraying process a few days later, as more mushrooms can grow if any spores are left behind.
11. Killing Mushrooms With Vinegar
This method uses the acidity of vinegar to kill mushrooms. Most household types of vinegar are not strong enough, so you will need to use a horticultural vinegar that is more concentrated (usually 30-50%).
Simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution and then apply it to the mushrooms. Be sure to wear gloves and eye protection since concentrated vinegar can burn your skin. You will also want to be careful only to apply the solution directly on the mushrooms since concentrated vinegar will also kill other plants.
12. Treat Your Mulch
Mushrooms often thrive in mulch since mulch tends to retain more moisture than the surrounding ground. Wood chips and wood-based mulch are also often naturally full of mushroom spores. If you notice that mushrooms are primarily growing in your mulch, you can use the baking soda method outlined above to treat your mulch. Keep an eye on the area after treatment; if new mushrooms start popping up again, it’s likely time to replace the mulch altogether.
13. Only Water Your Yard In The Morning
Wet conditions create an ideal environment for mushroom growth. So watering your yard only in the morning can often help to prevent the conditions in which mushrooms thrive. Watering in the morning allows your lawn to dry out during the day and prevents the damp conditions that allow spores to grow overnight.
What Are Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are fungi that reproduce by releasing spores into the air. Most varieties have caps and “gills” that appear on the underside of the caps. Many varieties of mushrooms also have stems, but not all. They typically appear between late summer and early winter due to the combination of warm temperatures and increased humidity.
They tend to grow near decaying organic material, such as leaves or wood chips, as these places provide a rich source of nutrients for their growth. Some species are edible, but there are poisonous mushrooms that should never be consumed. It’s best not to eat any wild mushrooms unless you know exactly what kind they are.
Are Mushrooms Growing In My Yard Dangerous?
While mushrooms are not actually bad for your yard, they can be toxic to humans and animals if ingested. That’s why it’s important to never eat any mushrooms you find in the wild unless you are qualified to identify them as safe to consume.
Can You Eat Mushrooms Growing In Your Yard?
Eating wild mushrooms can be a risky business because there are both edible and poisonous varieties. If not sure about the type, then don’t take chances and do not consume any wild mushroom varieties, regardless if they look familiar or not.
The only way to guarantee eating safe wild mushrooms is by purchasing them from reliable sources or having them correctly identified by an expert mycologist. We don’t recommend eating any wild mushroom species found around yards, woods, or anywhere.
Common Yard Mushroom Types
Here are some of the most common types of mushrooms you’ll find growing in your yard:
Lawyer’s Wig
These are easily identifiable due to their brown stem and white top that resembles a wig. These tend to release their spores quickly, then shrivel up and die.
Puffball
This type of mushroom lacks a stem and cap and resembles a small round ball. They will release their spores if stepped on, so be careful!
Green-Spored Lepiota
Also known as False Parasol, this type of mushroom resembles a miniature, cream-colored umbrella. It is most prevalent in southern regions of the United States.
Fairy Rings
There are dozens of types of mushrooms that can make the so-called “fairy rings.” Basically, this is when mushrooms grow in a circle around a decaying source of organic matter, such as a tree stump. The fungi spread out from the food source in circular waves, creating the distinctive “fairy rings.”
Create Your Perfect Home Landscape With Farrell’s Lawn & Garden
If you’re struggling with mushrooms in your yard, don’t worry! There are many things you can do to get rid of them. Some methods are simple and easy, like changing the way you water your yard, while others require a little more work, like using a fungicide.
If you’re ready to improve the look of your yard, reach out to the landscape experts at Farrell’s Lawn & Garden Center. Just fill out our contact form and let us get started on creating your perfect outdoor paradise today.