mushrooms in the lawn

how do you get mushrooms in your lawn and what can you do to get rid of them?

 

Are they appearing in a semi-circular ring ?? If so, you have a lawn disease called, fairy ring. These mushrooms are formed by fungi that live in any thatch layer, especially in soils that are less fertile, and not well irrigated.

Here's a URL with more info: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r785100411.html . Its from UC-Davis, but the data does apply here. For advice from somewheres closer, heres some control advice from the Univ of Delaware:

Management. Avoid thatch, buried organic debris, and drought stress. Fertilize and rake mushrooms to mask symptoms. Core aeration of stimulated and dead zones, and drenching with an organosilicone wetting agent may alleviate symptoms. Eventually the symptoms will disappear.





Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

They are not in a ring, they just appear here and there not really in a patch.

 

Could be a number of things then, lots of moisture, decaying material, etc.

Pulling the mushrooms, then a good fungicide sprayed around the area will take care of the spores left.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

I recommend you contact the Loudoun County Master Gardener Helpline at 703-771-5150 or email ex107mg@vt.edu. These people know everything.

Master Gardeners will also be on hand to answer questions and distribute information at the Cascades Farmers Market July 10, August 14, and September 11 and the Leesburg Farmers Market July 16, August 20, and September 17.

 

Mushrooms in the lawn may also be caused by too much watering at night. If you water your lawn at night, try switching to watering your lawn very early in the a.m. instead.

In this mid-altantic northern va climate, the humidity during the summer at night might not allow the lawn to dry out enough in between waterings. Therefore, good lawn care companies usually recommend to homeowners that they water their lawns between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. to allow time during the day for sunlight to dry out the lawn in between waterings, which helps to prevent long-term moisture in the lawn, thereby preventing the right conditions for mushrooms/fungus to grow.

If that's not the cause of your mushroom problem, then master gardeners should be able to diagnose and help provide a remedy for your problem. Let us know what you find works for you.