Emma Wilson
Mushrooms in your yard can be a nuisance, especially if you have children or pets who might be tempted to nibble on them. While most mushrooms are harmless, some are toxic and can be dangerous. Fortunately, mushrooms can be removed fairly easily. To prevent mushrooms from growing, you can reduce their food source by eliminating decomposing organic matter, such as grass clippings, dead tree roots, and fallen leaves. You can also improve drainage in your yard by aerating the lawn, which will reduce waterlogging and create an unfavourable environment for mushroom growth. If mushrooms are already present, you can remove them by digging them out, mowing or raking over them, or using natural treatments such as vinegar, baking soda, or soap and water.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Remove mushrooms | Pluck and remove mushrooms before they release spores. Dig out the mushrooms using a spade, shovel, or garden trowel. Put them in a plastic bag to prevent spores from spreading. |
| Drainage | Mushrooms grow in areas with poor drainage and lack of sunlight. Improve drainage by aerating your lawn, rerouting or extending downspouts, cleaning gutters, and harvesting rainwater. |
| Sunlight | Mushrooms thrive in shady spots. Trim bushes and tree limbs to increase sunlight. |
| Organic matter | Mushrooms feed on decomposing organic matter, such as grass clippings, dead tree roots, and leaves. Remove organic matter, reduce food sources, and periodically dethatch your lawn. |
| Nitrogen fertilizer | Apply a quick-release, inorganic nitrogen fertilizer to speed up the decomposition of organic matter and reduce the food source for mushrooms. |
| Vinegar and baking soda | Spray a mixture of water and vinegar on mushrooms and the surrounding soil to kill them. Dissolve baking soda in water and pour it over mushrooms and the soil to raise soil pH and halt mushroom growth. |
| Soap and water | Mix dish soap and water, poke holes in the soil around mushrooms, and fill them with the soapy water. |
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What You'll Learn
Pluck and remove mushrooms before they release spores
Mushrooms are the fruits of the fungus world. They are considered unsightly, especially if you are preparing to sell your property. However, they are usually harmless and can be beneficial to your lawn by breaking down organic material and returning nutrients to the soil. Mushrooms thrive in high-moisture, low-light environments with poor drainage. They grow underground, feeding on decaying organic matter, before popping up above ground.
If you want to get rid of mushrooms, it is best to pluck and remove them before they release their spores. Simply plucking the mushroom cap will not kill the fungus, which will continue to spread and reproduce. Instead, you must attack the entire mushroom. Use a spade or a garden trowel to dig as much of it out from the ground as possible. Put the mushrooms immediately in a plastic bag so that spores aren't dispersed. Dispose of the mushrooms in a trashcan or incinerator.
If you leave mushrooms in the ground for too long, they will release spores, leading to more mushrooms. Mowing or raking over the mushrooms can help them decompose but will increase the chances of spores spreading across your lawn.
To prevent mushrooms from growing, you can reduce their food source by removing organic matter from your lawn. Rake up leaves, twigs, and fallen plant material. You can also dig out organic material submerged in the soil, like dead tree roots, old mulch, or discarded wood. Aerate your lawn to improve drainage and reduce soggy conditions that are prime for fungal growth. Trim back bushes and tree limbs to let in more sunlight, as most fungi thrive in shady spots.
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Improve drainage and sunlight to prevent growth
Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas, springing from fungi and feasting on organic matter. To prevent mushrooms from growing, you can improve drainage and increase sunlight.
Improve Drainage
Mushrooms grow in areas with poor drainage and waterlogged soil. To prevent this, you can:
- Aerate your lawn by perforating the soil with small holes to increase drainage and decrease moisture retention.
- Install a draining system with pipes that carry excess water away from your lawn and towards flower beds or shrubbery.
- Prevent thatch buildup on the soil surface by using a thatch rake or other specialised tools.
- Avoid overwatering your lawn.
Increase Sunlight
Mushrooms grow in areas without sunlight. To prevent this, you can:
- Trim back bushes, tree limbs and branches to reduce shade and allow more sunlight to reach the grass.
- Remove any above-ground organic matter, such as leaves, twigs, and fallen plant material, which can trigger mushroom growth.
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Treat with vinegar, baking soda or fungicides
Treat with vinegar, baking soda, or fungicides
A vinegar solution can be used to treat mushrooms. Mix one part vinegar with four parts water, transfer the mixture to a spray bottle, and apply it to the infected area. Mist the soil where mushrooms have emerged and continue this treatment for five days to prevent regrowth. However, vinegar will injure grass and other plants if applied too heavily, so caution is advised.
Baking soda can also be used to treat mushrooms as it raises the pH of the soil, making it more alkaline and creating an environment in which mushrooms struggle to grow. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with one gallon of water and stir until the baking soda has completely dissolved. Aerate the soil around the mushrooms and pour the solution over and around the area, allowing it to drain freely. Alternatively, you can place the solution in a spray bottle and spray it onto the mushrooms and the surrounding soil.
If you are concerned about using commercial fungicides, baking soda is readily available and non-toxic. However, it may not have a lasting effect, and fungi may return once soil conditions improve. Commercial fungicides are useful but may not address underlying soil issues, and some can be toxic to pets, wildlife, and people if applied improperly. Biological control methods include introducing beneficial bacteria and competitive fungi, such as Trichoderma, which can naturally inhibit mushroom spore viability.
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Mow, kick over or dig out mushrooms
Mow, kick over, or dig out mushrooms
Mowing over mushrooms is a quick way to remove any visible fruiting bodies and improve the look of your yard. However, if the mushroom pieces are left on the lawn, more spores will be distributed, leading to future mushroom growth. To prevent this, bag the clippings and dispose of them in the trash immediately.
If you don't have access to a lawnmower, you can simply kick over or stomp on mushrooms to remove them. As with mowing, this method will not solve the underlying problem, but it will reduce future mushroom reproduction. Be sure to put the kicked-over mushrooms in a plastic bag to prevent spores from becoming airborne.
Digging out mushrooms is a more labor-intensive method but can be effective if the fungus mat is deeper than 3 inches (7.62 centimeters). Use a shovel to dig out the soil containing the mushrooms, going about 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) deep. Some experts advise digging all the way to the center of the ring to determine the cause of the fairy ring, which could be rotting wood, construction debris, or drainage issues. After digging out the mushrooms, discard them in a large garbage bag and toss the bag into the bin. Do not throw the mushrooms into your compost pile, as this could encourage further growth.
While these methods can help reduce mushroom growth, it's important to address the underlying causes of mushroom proliferation. Mushrooms often grow in yards with poor drainage, a lack of sunlight, and decaying organic matter. To prevent mushrooms from returning, improve drainage by rerouting downspouts, cleaning gutters, and harvesting excess water through rain gardens or rain barrels. Trim bushes and tree limbs to let more sunlight into your yard, and remove decomposing wood chips, branches, and other organic matter that could trigger mushroom growth.
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Reduce their food source
Mushrooms thrive in damp, dark places with organic matter. They grow on top of the soil, or on the surface of a food source. To reduce their food source, you can take the following steps:
Firstly, avoid overwatering your lawn or garden. Mushrooms like waterlogged soil, so it's important to provide moisture deeply but infrequently. Repair any broken sprinkler nozzles or leaky hoses that might be contributing to soggy soil.
Next, avoid using organic mulches such as bark mulch or wood chips, as these are a natural food source for mushrooms. Instead, opt for inorganic mulches like rocks, gravel, or rubber pieces.
You can also use nitrogen fertilizers, which speed up the breakdown of organic matter, reducing the food source for mushrooms. Apply a quick-release, inorganic nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn or garden soil. While this may seem counterintuitive, as mushrooms thrive on high-nutrient soils, nitrogen will cause them to move through their lifespan quicker, and they will disappear ahead of time.
Additionally, you can spray a mixture of four parts water to one part vinegar onto the mushrooms and surrounding soil. This will desiccate the mushrooms, killing them. However, be careful not to get the vinegar solution on your plants or grass, as vinegar is a non-selective herbicide and will damage or kill any plant material it touches.
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Frequently asked questions
Mushrooms are the result of fungi feeding on decomposing organic matter in your lawn. To get rid of them, you must remove their food source. Remove any above-ground organic matter, such as leaves, twigs, and fallen plant material. You can also dig out the mushrooms and the organic matter they are feeding on, but this may be more trouble than it's worth. Mushrooms will disappear for good once they have devoured all the organic material.
Mushrooms thrive in soggy conditions with poor drainage and a lack of sunlight. To prevent mushrooms from growing, improve your lawn's drainage by aerating it with a core aerator or vertical mower. You can also trim back bushes and tree limbs to increase sun exposure.
You can spray mushrooms and the surrounding soil with a mixture of four parts water to one part vinegar. This will kill the mushrooms, but be careful not to get it on your plants or grass as vinegar will damage any plant material it touches. You can also mix two tablespoons of baking soda with a gallon of warm water and pour this over the mushrooms and soil. The baking soda will raise the soil pH and halt mushroom growth.
You can apply an inorganic nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn to speed up the decomposition of organic matter, reducing the food source for mushrooms. You can also mix two to three tablespoons of dish soap with two gallons of water and pour this over the mushrooms.
You can simply mow, kick over, or dig up the mushrooms. Mowing or digging up the mushrooms may increase the chances of spores spreading across your lawn, so be sure to wear gloves and dispose of the mushrooms in a plastic bag.
