Michael Davis
Mushrooms are a common eyesore for homeowners, especially those with children or pets, as certain species are toxic. While mushrooms are beneficial to lawns as they break down organic matter and return nutrients to the soil, they can be a nuisance. To get rid of mushrooms, it is important to first understand their growth conditions. Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas with poor drainage and a lack of sunlight, feeding on decaying organic matter. To prevent mushrooms from growing, it is necessary to address these favourable conditions, such as improving drainage, reducing thatch, and trimming back overgrown trees. Once these conditions are managed, various treatments can be applied, including vinegar, baking soda, fungicides, and soap and water solutions. Proper disposal of mushrooms is also crucial to prevent the spread of spores.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dissolving agents | Vinegar, baking soda, fungicides, dish soap, water |
| Lawn care | Improve drainage, reduce thatch, trim trees, add nitrogen fertilizer |
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What You'll Learn
Using vinegar
Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas, springing up from fungi and breaking down organic matter. They can be an eyesore and some may even be harmful. If you want to get rid of mushrooms, you can use vinegar, a natural fungicide, to kill them.
The easiest way to remove mushrooms is by picking them with your hands. Make sure that you wear gardening gloves and remove the entire mushroom by the root. If you want to use vinegar, start by mixing 1 part vinegar with 4 parts water in a spray bottle. You can also use a plastic bucket and a funnel to mix the solution before pouring it into the spray bottle. Protect your hands with gloves and cover your eyes with goggles.
Spray the mushrooms with the vinegar solution, making sure to keep the bottle 4 to 6 inches away from them. Be careful not to get the vinegar solution on your garden plants or grass, as vinegar is a non-selective herbicide and will damage and potentially kill any plant material it touches. Spray the mushrooms on a day that is above 15.6 degrees Celsius, yet below 29.4 degrees Celsius. Days with little wind will help you to target the mushrooms in your lawn more easily.
Wait 3 to 4 days for the vinegar to kill the mushrooms and then monitor the lawn for lingering growth. Spray any remaining mushrooms and monitor them until they have died.
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Using baking soda
Mushrooms growing in your yard or lawn can be unsightly and may pose a risk to children and pets. While mushrooms indicate that your soil is healthy and rich in organic matter, they can be harmful and poisonous.
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a common household item that can be used to dissolve and kill mushrooms. It raises the pH level of the soil, making it more alkaline, and creating an environment that is unfavourable for mushroom growth.
To use baking soda to dissolve mushrooms, follow these steps:
- Mix a solution of 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 gallon of water. The amount of solution you need will depend on the number of mushrooms you want to treat.
- Stir the mixture until the baking soda has completely dissolved.
- Transfer the solution to a garden sprayer or pump sprayer.
- Spray the solution directly onto the mushroom caps and stems, ensuring that you also cover the surrounding soil.
- Repeat the process as needed.
Note that while baking soda is effective in raising the pH level of the soil and impeding mushroom growth, it may not have a lasting effect. Fungi may return once the soil conditions improve. Additionally, be careful not to get the baking soda solution on your grass or garden plants, as it can have a desiccating effect.
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Using fungicides
Mushrooms in your yard can be an eyesore and may be harmful to children and pets if ingested. They are a sign of good soil quality, but if you want to get rid of them, it is important to address the conditions that favour their growth. Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas, springing up from fungi and feasting on organic matter.
Fungicides can be used to treat and kill the fungus that started the mushroom growth. However, they do not kill mushrooms directly and only kill the fruiting part of the fungi. They can also be toxic to pets, wildlife, and people if applied improperly, and may kill beneficial soil organisms. Therefore, it is recommended to take preventative measures and implement strategies to prevent mushroom growth, such as reducing thatch, improving drainage, or trimming back overgrown trees.
If you are dealing with a small mushroom colony, manual removal by hand-picking or using a small spade to dig out larger mushrooms is the most effective method. For more serious fungal problems, chemical fungicides might be needed, but it is best to consult a professional.
Commercial fungicides, such as azoxystrobin or flutolanil, can be used for large outbreaks. These must be applied several times and by a professional. The simplest homemade fungicide mixture is dish soap and water, which can be sprayed directly onto the spot where mushrooms were plucked. Another natural solution is to use an acidic fungicide like vinegar (one part vinegar to four parts water). However, it is important to be cautious as vinegar can damage grass and other plants if applied too heavily.
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Removing their growing conditions
Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas, springing up from fungi and feeding on organic matter. To prevent their growth, you can address the conditions that favour it, such as:
Reducing Thatch
Thatch is a layer of living and dead grass roots and stems that forms between the grass and the soil. Mushrooms thrive in thick patches of thatch covered in leaves. Reducing the thatch in your lawn can help to prevent mushrooms from growing.
Improving Drainage
Mushrooms grow in areas with poor drainage. Improving the drainage in your yard can help to eliminate their growing conditions.
Trimming Overgrown Trees
Mushrooms grow in shaded areas under trees, where they feed on organic matter such as decaying tree stumps and branches. Trimming back overgrown trees can help to reduce the amount of shade in your yard and remove a food source for mushrooms.
Removing Decaying Organic Matter
Fungi feed on decaying organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead plants. Removing decaying organic matter from your yard can help to eliminate a food source for mushrooms.
Applying High-Nitrogen Fertiliser
Applying a high-nitrogen fertiliser can help to strengthen grass and boost lawn health, making it less susceptible to mushrooms.
While it is important to address the growing conditions of mushrooms, you can also treat existing mushrooms with vinegar, baking soda, or fungicides to prevent their spread. However, it is important to note that these treatments can also damage surrounding plants, so they should be applied with precision.
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Plucking and removing mushrooms
Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas, springing up from fungi and feasting on organic matter. They can be an eyesore, especially if you are preparing to sell your property, and can be toxic, which can be problematic if young children and pets play on your lawn.
To prevent mushroom growth, you can introduce proper drainage to your lawn. Mushrooms love damp and humid places. If your lawn holds too much water, you will need to make sure that it drains properly. If water is flowing down a slope, build up soil to redirect excess water to a more desirable location. Add a pond or water garden to catch excess water. Place rain barrels beneath waterspouts to collect excess water during storms. Consider adding an underground drain, such as a French drain (an underground ditch filled with gravel) to help disperse water and prevent it from becoming stagnant.
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Frequently asked questions
A mixture of vinegar and water can be used to dissolve mushrooms. Mix four parts water to one part vinegar and spray the mushrooms and the surrounding soil. This mixture will desiccate the mushrooms, killing them.
Yes, baking soda dissolved in water can also be used to kill mushrooms. Dissolve two tablespoons of baking soda in a gallon of warm water and pour the mixture over the mushrooms and the surrounding soil. Baking soda raises the soil pH and halts mushroom growth.
Mushrooms thrive in damp, shaded areas and feed on organic matter. To get rid of mushrooms, improve drainage, trim back overgrown trees, and remove decaying organic matter.
After plucking or digging out mushrooms from the ground, seal them in a plastic bag to prevent the mushrooms from spreading spores.
