Seeing mushrooms in your yard can be an unsightly problem. In addition, it can pose health threats to pets and children, as some of them are poisonous.
How to get rid of mushrooms in the yard? To get rid of mushrooms in the yard, you may use ready-to-spray fungicide products or add nitrogen-based fertilizers to your soil to quicken the mushrooms’ life cycle. Furthermore, you may also remove the organic waste, use vinegar, or baking soda to eliminate the mushrooms in your yard.
To know about these mushroom-killing methods and what causes them in your yard, make sure to read the rest of the article.
What Causes Mushrooms in Your Yard?
Good environmental conditions are the reason why there are mushrooms in your yard. This is an indication that you have fungi-rich soil and a wet ground condition.
Furthermore, mushrooms usually flourish in dark and damp environments with plenty of decaying matter, such as:
- Tree stumps
- Grass clippings
- Dog or cat poop
- Tree roots
- Fallen leaves
- Decaying twigs, mulch, and more.
However, it’s very important not to confuse lawn mushrooms with edible mushroom species as most of them are poisonous.
How Do Mushrooms Spread?
Mushrooms spread through spores. Spores are the diminutive reproductive cells released by the mushroom and transmitted by the wind.
Once they land, they begin new colonies of mushrooms. According to a UCLA researcher, mushrooms ‘make’ their own wind. They do so by letting their moisture evaporate, creating water vapor and cool wind around them.
The air and water vapor around them gives spores enough lift to spread out. As a result, the natural wind mushrooms created can bring them four inches up until they land at their destination.
Why Do Mushrooms Grow in Grass?
Mushrooms grow in your grass because of its damp condition and existing organic matter. These two factors are great contributors to the significant growth of mushrooms in your lawn.
Are Mushrooms That Grow in Your Yard Good to Eat?
Not all mushrooms that grow in your yard can be eaten, as some of them can be poisonous. Some poisonous mushrooms can resemble edible mushrooms, so it’s best not to eat them at all for your own safety unless you’re 100% sure of the mushroom’s identification.
Should You Be Concerned About Lawn Mushrooms?
In most cases, having mushrooms in your yard is a good indication that you have rich soil. Thus, there’s nothing to be concerned about lawn mushrooms.
However, it can be pretty concerning if you have a dog. This is because some dogs are known to eat anything, and most lawn mushrooms are poisonous, posing a threat to your pet.
Are Mushrooms Growing in My Yard Toxic to Dogs?
Not all mushrooms in the yard are poisonous. However, for your dog’s protection, it’s best to pluck the lawn mushrooms to ensure your pet’s safety.
How Do I Prevent Mushrooms From Growing on My Lawn?
The best way to stop mushrooms from growing on the lawn is by monitoring and controlling your garden condition. To do this, you can do the following:
- For those mushrooms that just started to grow, you can pull them out. This hinders the spores’ ability to scatter via wind and eliminates the risk of poisoning pets and animals that eat them.
- As mentioned above, mushrooms feed on organic matters that surround them. Thus, it would be helpful to remove these organic matters that serve as their foods.
- If your lawn has a thick thatch layer, consider dethatching them to prevent the growth of mushrooms. In addition, mow your lawn regularly and limit the water application to the soil. That way, you won’t be creating ideal environmental conditions for mushrooms to thrive unknowingly. Moreover, make sure to rake away any mushroom remnants to hinder spores from spreading during mowing.
- Aeration is also ideal in helping improve drainage and airflow, keeping the soil and grass dry.
- Cut back also any overhanging limbs as mushrooms love to spout in shaded, damp areas.
How to Kill Mushrooms Using Fungicide?
Commercial fungicide can kill mushrooms simply by spraying it directly to the mushrooms. There are many types of fungicides that you can buy on the market to treat your yard.
To help you choose the best fungicide products, this article listed some of the most in-demand in the market and let you decide which one you prefer, such as the following:
Copper Fungicide
This fungicide product has a 4.5 out of 5 ratings from over 5,000 buyers who rated the product. It is very easy to use; all you have to do is mix the product with water and apply using a tank sprayer or hose-end sprayer.
Unlike other fungicides that destroy both mushrooms and plants, this product protects and controls plant diseases. This is also safe to use around pets and children, making it one of the most preferred fungicides in the market.
Note: Make sure to read the label for proper usage and instructions.
Scotts DiseaseEx Lawn Fungicide
Scotts DiseaseEx has 4.4 ratings from over 8,000 buyers who rated the product. This item helps prevent and control lawn mushrooms’ growth and help cure 26 lawn diseases, and some of them are:
- Brown Patch
- Stem and Stripe Rust
- Red Thread
- Powdery Mildew
- Necrotic Ring Spot
- Summer Patch
- Yellow Patch.
This product is fast-acting and can start working within 24 hours of treatment. To apply, use it with a Scotts spreader at equal coverage.
A 10 pounds bag of Scotts DiseaseEx can treat up to 5,000 square feet. This is also a people and pet-friendly item, so children and pets can enter the treated vicinity after application.
BIOADVANCED Fungus Control for Lawns
This fungicide product has a 4.4 out of 5 ratings from over 3,000 buyers that rated the products. It is a ready-to-spray product, so just spray it directly on the mushrooms, and it’ll protect your lawn for up to 30 days.
Furthermore, this fungicide can control various lawn diseases, such as brown patches, red threads, dollar spots, and rusts. This product is also rainproof, so reapplication after the rain isn’t necessary.
The BIOADVANCED fungus control will be absorbed by the grass and will not wash off, and can treat up to 5,000 square feet.
However, make sure to read the label and follow the instructions for the best results. You should also use them with caution to protect your children and pets.
Additionally, if you have purchased a non-ready-to-spray product, consider buying spray attachments that fit perfectly to your garden hose. This will let you spray effectively to the affected areas.
How Do I Naturally Get Rid of Mushrooms in My Yard?
To get rid of mushrooms naturally, consider the following:
Organic Waste Removal
You need to remove the decaying matters that serve as their food. This may include:
- Grass clippings
- Animal wastes
- Rotten stumps
- Decomposing tree branches.
It will also help if you thatch your yard with a thatching rake in removing these organic matters.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a great home ingredient that contains acetic acid, an active ingredient known for its exceptional ability to kill garden mushrooms. To use vinegar:
Step 1: Get a clean spray bottle.
Step 2: Pour four parts of water and one part of white vinegar or horticultural vinegar.
Step 3: Once done, spray it only on the mushrooms to avoid killing your grass and plants.
Baking Soda
Another home ingredient you can use to kill lawn mushrooms naturally is baking soda. Although this item isn’t a fungicide, it can raise the soil’s pH, preventing mushrooms’ growth.
To apply:
Step 1: Get a gallon of water and mix it with two tablespoons of baking soda.
Step 2: Make sure the solution is well-dissolved and put the mix in a clean spray bottle.
Step 3: After that, spray the mixture into the mushrooms and the surrounding soil. This will decrease the growth chances of mushrooms and kill them eventually.
On the other hand, you may sprinkle the baking soda directly into the mushrooms and the soil around them.
How to Prevent Mushrooms From Growing?
To prevent mushrooms from growing, you can use the following methods:
Nitrogen-Based Soil
You can use nitrogen-based soil. This increases the speed of mushroom decay, allowing them to die early than their usual life cycle.
Lawn Aeration
Aerating your lawn is an effective method of preventing mushrooms from growing in less severe cases. This allows water and nutrients to penetrate your soil rather than sit on top of your grass.
Lawn aeration will keep your grass and soil dry enough not to encourage mushrooms’ growth.
Clean Your Surroundings
Another way to prevent mushrooms’ growth in your yard is to clean your surroundings. Since mushrooms feed on organic matters like rotten stumps, branches, and grass clippings, it’s vital to clean your area from these things.
That way, you can eliminate and control the growth of mushrooms in your yard.
Encourage Sunlight in Your Yard
As stated in this article, mushrooms love to thrive in dark, damp areas. Thus, if you have overhanging tree limbs, pruning them would be ideal.
If you have large trees, make sure to hire tree care professionals to do the job for you.
Summary
In general, mushrooms are harmless. However, there are wild mushrooms that can grow in your yard that could be toxic.
Aside from that, mushrooms can make your lawn unsightly, so it’s best to pull them out. You can also use the listed methods above to get rid of the mushrooms and restore the pristine look of your garden.