If you don’t want your yard to turn into a mushroom kingdom, you must know what causes mushrooms to grow. The culprits are moisture, shade, organic material, poor drainage, excessive thatch, and fungal networks.
We’ll delve into each factor in detail and show you which mushrooms commonly grow in lawns.
Why are Mushrooms Growing in My Yard?
Whenever I see a mushroom growing in my yard, I panic — thinking it’s a poisonous mushroom spreading toxic spores in the air. But I recently found out that mushroom growth doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong. In fact, some people even grow mushrooms right in their backyards.
According to Jeremy Kichler, county extension coordinator at the University of Georgia, “Fungi are vital in a healthy soil ecosystem, as they act as decomposers for dead plants and organic matter in the soil, providing nutrients for plants.” He adds that mushrooms usually appear when rain follows extended dry periods.
But if you’re not fond of mushrooms, you must understand the various conditions that trigger their growth and what you can do to prevent them.
Moisture
Frequent rainfall and overwatering can create moist environments where lawn fungus can thrive. So, while mushrooms popping up after a long spell of rain may seem magical, it’s a natural occurrence since mushrooms love moisture.
Solution: Prevent too much soil moisture by watering your lawn between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. to allow the excess water enough time to dry.
Pro Tip: You can also aerate your lawn to help water drain more efficiently and reduce fungal growth. If you don’t have the time to do yard work, hire a lawn care pro to do it on your behalf.
Shade
Buildings, trees, and fences can block sunlight and cast persistent shadows on certain areas of your yard. And these shady areas, where moisture gets trapped and the soil remains cool and damp, can create favorable conditions for mushrooms to grow.
Solution: To reduce shade-related mushroom growth, trim your trees to allow more sunlight to reach the ground. You can also transplant the trees to open up crowded areas, improving airflow and light exposure.
Rich, Organic Material
If your soil is rich with decomposing mulch, that’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet for mushrooms since they feed on decaying organic matter. Even an old tree stump or buried wood can fuel a mushroom outbreak in your yard.
Solution: Keep the nutrient levels in your soil balanced to discourage excessive mushroom growth. Remove any decaying organic debris, rake or clean up fallen leaves, and avoid applying too much mulch.
See Related: Reasons Why Soil Testing Is Important for the Lawn
Poor Drainage
Water can get trapped in your yard if there’s poor drainage, leading to standing water or consistently soggy soil. And if the soil surface remains damp, it creates the perfect breeding ground for mushrooms.
Solution: Poor drainage needs your immediate attention. To help redirect excess water away from problem areas, try leveling your yard or installing a French drain.
Excess Thatch
Having too much thatch (more than a half-inch-thick layer of organic plant material) between your grass and soil surface can create a consistently damp, fungi-friendly environment, especially after rainfall or irrigation. When this happens, you’re attracting an army of lawn mushrooms to invade your lawn.
Solution: Dethatch your lawn once a year: late spring to early summer for warm-season grasses, and early spring or early fall for cool-season grasses. Combined with aeration, it should be able to encourage better water movement and reduce fungal activity.
Underground Fungal Networks
Long before any mushroom appears in your yard, fungal networks are quietly breaking down organic matter underneath the soil. Known as mycelium, these webs can exist for years and only sprout mushrooms when the conditions are right — usually when the humidity is high after it rains.
Solution: While completely eliminating mycelium isn’t possible, routine lawn care, such as core aeration, dethatching, and mowing, can help discourage mushrooms from surfacing.
What Kind of Mushrooms Grow in Lawns?
Fairy ring mushrooms: Dr. Hans-Günter Wagner / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Puffballs: Pixabay
Inky caps: Under the same moon… / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Stinkhorns: Sameul Mann / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Green-spored parasol: Jason Hollinger / Flickr / CC BY 2.0
Mower’s mushroom: Ruth Hartnup / Flickr / CC BY 2.0,
created using Canva Pro
Depending on where you live, different types of mushrooms may appear, but the most common found in lawns are as follows:
- Fairy ring mushrooms: These mushrooms often grow in circular patterns, forming what’s known as a fairy ring. They have tan to light brown caps with a tough, leathery texture and a distinctive bell shape when they mature.
- Puffballs: Without the usual cap and stem structure, these small mushrooms look like white or beige balls. When mature, they release a cloud of brown spores if stepped on or disturbed.
- Inky caps: These mushrooms have tall, thin stems and delicate gray to white caps that dissolve into black, ink-like goo as they mature.
- Stinkhorns: Resembling a small horn, this bizarre mushroom has slimy, dark tips that emit a rotten odor, which attracts flies.
- Green-spored parasol: This large, umbrella-shaped mushroom is toxic if ingested, so it’s important to identify and remove it quickly. Its color is white to tan with a greenish spore print and scaly cap.
- Mower’s mushroom: These small brown mushrooms often appear after mowing, hence the name. They have thin, fragile stems and a dark spore print, typically growing in clusters and fading quickly in sunlight.
When to Remove Lawn Mushrooms
Photo Credit: Stu’s Images / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Mushrooms growing in your yard might indicate healthy soil, but in some situations, removing them makes more sense.
Kichler says the main reason to remove mushrooms is to keep children and pets from eating them. “Never eat an unidentified mushroom,” he warns, “as some mushrooms are poisonous to humans and animals.”
Consider removing lawn mushrooms when:
- They form fairy rings or honey fungus.*
- Children and pets are at risk of ingesting wild mushrooms.
- They pose safety issues in high-traffic areas, such as walkways or play areas.
- You simply want a mushroom-free lawn because they don’t fit the overall look of your landscape.
Fortunately, you can get rid of mushrooms by manually removing them or using vinegar, baking soda, or dish soap. Or just wait a few days; they usually disappear as soon as the sun shines and the weather warms up. Note, though, that you’ll have to address the root cause of the fungal growth if you don’t want them to regrow.
*See FAQ for more information.
See Related: 11 Ways to Make Your Yard a Safer Place for Kids
FAQ About Mushrooms in Lawns
While some people agree that mushrooms are unsightly, they won’t kill your grass and are not necessarily bad for the lawn. On the contrary, their appearance is an indication that your soil has organic matter. Some of the benefits these fungi can provide your lawn include:
• Recycles organic matter: Mushrooms break down dead insects, decaying plant roots, and other organic matter, recycling the nutrients back to the soil.
• Improves soil structure: Fungal networks naturally bind soil together, helping with moisture retention and drainage.
• Boosts turf health: Plants have better resistance to lawn diseases because these beneficial fungi can outcompete the harmful ones.
If mushrooms are multiplying exponentially in your yard, you need to start investigating the root cause and fix it right away. Otherwise, a bigger issue can develop, such as the occurrence of fairy rings and honey fungus:
Fairy rings: A fairy ring on your lawn doesn’t mean there’s a group of cute little fairies dancing in a circle. In fact, it’s a fungal lawn disease that comes in three varieties:
• Type 1: Produces fungi that cause rings of brown, dead grass
• Type 2: Creates dark green grass rings from increased nitrogen levels
• Type 3: Forms mushroom or puffball circles, especially in wet regions during fall
Honey fungus: If you notice mushrooms popping up around the base of trees and shrubs with nearby plants looking sick or dying, there’s a big possibility that you’re dealing with honey fungus. They spread underground and attack roots, so it’s best to catch and remove them early.
It’s best to assume that mushrooms popping up on your lawn are toxic to your dogs. With a huge variety of wild mushrooms, it can be difficult to determine whether they’re poisonous at first glance.
Yes, using a nitrogen-rich fertilizer can help eliminate mushrooms because it actually starves the mushrooms. Nitrogen fertilizer reduces their food source by breaking down organic matter.
Use Mushrooms to Know Your Lawn’s Condition
Think of mushrooms as a way for your lawn to communicate with you. Too many of them means there’s something wrong with your lawn, while a few of them here and there is a clear signal that the soil is healthy. And if you need help getting rid of these shrooms, it’s best to consult with local lawn care experts.
Sources:
- “How Do I Get Rid of Mushrooms in my Yard or Garden Bed?” By Aaron Steil, consumer horticulture extension specialist. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
- Jeremy Kichler, county extension coordinator at the University of Georgia. Personal interview.
- “Mushrooms and Other Nuisance Fungi in Lawns.” University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
- “Stinkhorns.” Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension.
- “Why Mushrooms Grow In My Yard (Sometimes).” By Justin Moore, marketing and communications director. North Carolina State University Extension.
Main Image Credit: J.smith / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
