For many people, the mushrooms that pop up in their backyards are mysterious, intriguing and sometimes worrying, and raise the question, “Why are mushrooms growing in my backyard?”
Beautiful and unique backyard mushrooms are intriguing but some are also poisonous, so it’s always best not to touch or eat any unknown wild mushrooms that appear in your yard.
But, most common backyard mushrooms are harmless and play an important role in your backyard ecosystem.
In this article, we explore what backyard mushrooms are, why they’re growing in your garden and how to identify them.
If you’ve noticed brown mushrooms popping up overnight in your yard or garden beds, you’re not alone. Many gardeners find these sudden mushroom sightings curious while others may feel concerned about their spontaneous growth. But rest assured – brown mushrooms in your lawn or flowerbeds are perfectly natural. In this article we’ll explore reasons behind brown mushroom growth, how to identify them, and smart ways to manage mushrooms in your garden ecosystem.
Why Brown Mushrooms Grow in Gardens
Seeing mushrooms sprouting up is actually a normal part of the garden lifecycle. Mushrooms and other fungi play a vital role in soil health. They form beneficial relationships with plant roots, helping shuttle hard-to-access nutrients like phosphorus.
Species like agarics, puffballs and shaggy manes thrive in lawns and amended garden beds. That’s because they feed on decomposing organic matter like grass clippings, dead leaves wood chips or compost. Healthy garden soil with ample organic materials provides an ideal habitat for mushrooms.
Spotting mushrooms signifies your garden soil is alive with beneficial fungi and microbes. It’s a visible reminder of the unseen workings happening under the soil surface. Mushrooms can grow so quickly that they often emerge overnight.
Common Brown Mushroom Species
While wild mushroom species vary by region, several brown mushroom genera frequently appear in gardens worldwide:
- Agaricus – Includes the store-bought button mushroom. In lawns, this genus produces the wide-capped field mushroom.
- Coprinus – The inky cap or shaggy mane is a coprinus mushroom. Its cap deliquesces into an inky black goo as it releases spores.
- Lycoperdon – Puffball mushrooms release clouds of brown powdery spores when touched or rained upon.
- Lepiota – Parasols and scaly lepiotas have brown, scaly caps on slender stems.
Use a mushroom field guide or trusted online source to properly identify any brown mushrooms in your yard. Compare all parts like cap shape, gill color and stem texture.
Are Garden Mushrooms Harmful?
In most cases, brown mushrooms are harmless or even beneficial additions to gardens:
- Common species coexist naturally with lawn grasses, spreading via underground networks.
- They don’t compete directly with plants for light and nutrients.
- Exceptions are honey fungus that can damage woody plant roots and chicken of the woods that parasitizes living tree trunks.
But overall, brown mushrooms signal healthy soil biology. Their fruiting bodies don’t directly harm other plants. Consider them fascinating examples of nature at work!
Managing Mushrooms in Your Garden
If mushrooms present no issues, enjoy observing them! But you can take actions to remove types you’d rather not see:
- Pick mushrooms to prevent spore release. Discard in yard waste, not compost.
- For recurring mushrooms, scrape away the top 1-2 inches of soil containing spores and mycelium.
- Improve drainage and reduce compaction to make the environment less mushroom-friendly.
- Allow grass to dry between waterings and mow higher to discourage fungi.
- Apply lime to raise soil pH, as most mushrooms prefer acidic conditions.
- Re-seed any dead patches where mushrooms concentrate.
Remember mushrooms will likely reappear if conditions are right. Accepting them as part of a diverse garden ecosystem is often easiest!
The Takeaway
Don’t be alarmed by mushrooms in your yard or beds. They indicate healthy soil biology at work. Identify mushrooms accurately and control only problematic types like those causing root damage. With smart identification and containment, most brown mushrooms can be appreciated for their fascinating ecosystem roles.
Natural Ways to Kill Mushrooms Growing in Your Backyard
It’s easier to reduce or prevent mushrooms by managing the conditions in your yard than to kill them.
Underground fungal mycelium networks are widespread and well hidden, so digging them up or using commercial fungicides will not remove them.
Fungicides often don’t work well on mushrooms because they don’t penetrate the soil deep enough to reach the mycelium and kill the fungus.
It’s also not advisable to use toxic chemicals and fungicides in areas where children or pets play.
But, if you really want to get rid of the mushrooms in your backyard, try these natural methods:
One way to kill off mushrooms growing in your yard is to spray them with a vinegar solution.
Household or cooking vinegar is usually not strong enough. Horticultural vinegar is very potent, so find some if you can and follow the directions to dilute it to the right strength.
Using a spray bottle will make it easier to apply the vinegar to the mushrooms but be careful where you spray as the vinegar may also kill the surrounding grass or plants.
Baking soda is a gentler approach, and while it’s not a fungicide, it will increase the pH of the soil, inhibiting the mushroom’s growth.
Baking soda is not a permanent solution, but it is safe and effective. There are two ways you can go about applying baking soda to your mushrooms.
The first is in liquid form using a spray bottle. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda per gallon (5 liters) of water and stir until it’s dissolved. Spray the mixture onto the mushrooms and the surrounding soil.
Over time, this will reduce the mushroom’s growth and possibly even kill them.
The second method is to sprinkle baking soda directly onto mushrooms and surrounding soil and water it in.
You’ll need to repeat these methods regularly to see results, but they’re inexpensive and safe to use around pets and children.
Something to consider is that any significant changes in the soil’s pH level may inhibit the growth of nearby plants.
Commercial dish soap is another easy solution to killing mushrooms in your backyard.
Mix one or two tablespoons of any commercial dish soap with up to three gallons (15 liters) of water.
With a screwdriver or something similar, poke holes in the soil around the mushrooms. Pour the soapy water over the mushrooms and into the holes.
Repeat the process several times a day for a week, and you’ll see a dramatic reduction in mushrooms.
For this to work, soapy water needs to get deep into the soil where the fungi live.
But, not everyone wants to get rid of mushrooms in their backyards.
For those of you who want an ongoing supply of fresh mushrooms, let’s take a look at the different ways you can grow mushrooms in your backyard.
Field or Meadow Mushroom (Agaricus Campestris)
The field or meadow mushroom is one of the most eaten wild mushrooms in Britain and Ireland. It’s closely related to the common button mushroom and has a similar taste and texture.
You’ll find them growing alone or in groups, arcs or gradually expanding rings called fairy rings, in fields, meadows and lawns.
Their caps are creamy-white and 1-4 inches (3-10cm) in diameter. The caps edges usually remain down-turned or rolled inwards even when the mushroom is mature.
When you cut the cap, the flesh should be thick and white, sometimes turning slightly pink but should never turn yellow.
Like portobellos, their gills start out deep pink becoming brown and eventually dark brown when the mushroom matures.
There are several species of mushrooms that you may confuse with field mushrooms, some of them are also edible, but others are poisonous.
What To Do About MUSHROOMS In The Garden?
FAQ
Are the brown mushrooms in my yard poisonous?
The Majority of Lawn Mushrooms Are Not Dangerous
Common poisonous varieties, such as those in the Amanita genus, can be fatal.
Should I remove mushrooms from my garden?
The answer, in general, is that mushrooms in your garden are fine. Actually, the mushroom you see is just the portion of a larger fungal network that lives in all living soil all the time.
Do mushrooms indicate healthy soil?
Fungi, slime molds, and beneficial bacteria are workhorses for our soils. They indicate healthy soils for trees and other plants to grow in, and they do not cause harm to the garden.
What does it mean when brown mushrooms grow in your yard?
Mushrooms growing on the lawn indicate the presence of organic material under the surface. It’s probably old tree roots or the stump decomposing. The tree might have died a decade ago, but it takes years for it to fully decompose. Maybe some wood or mulch was buried a while ago.
Why do mushrooms grow in my garden?
Mushrooms growing in your garden mean that your soil is healthy. Mushrooms are fungi. They do not have typical roots. This means that they aren’t able to eat the same way as plants do. For mushrooms to eat, they need to attach themselves to the roots of your vegetables or feed on the nutrients in your soil.
Why do mushrooms appear in my lawn?
Mushrooms are the reproductive or fruiting structures of fungi. Their appearance in the lawn usually indicates decaying tree stumps or roots in the soil. In garden beds, mushrooms can appear because they are associated with decaying organic matter which could be dead roots, stumps, or mulch.
How can I prevent mushroom infestations in my raised bed garden?
Soil Health: Foster overall soil health by amending your garden bed with organic matter and using natural fertilizers. Healthy soil is less inviting to mushroom growth. Armed with knowledge and effective strategies, you can manage and prevent mushroom infestations in your raised bed garden.
How can you identify a yard mushroom?
To identify a yard mushroom, carefully examine its key features. Look at the cap shape, color, texture, gills or pores underneath, and stalk shape and color. Additionally, some mushrooms have distinctive odors that can help identify the species. You can also tell some types of yard mushrooms by where they are growing.
Are mushrooms in your garden a good sign?
In most cases, the conditions in which mushrooms thrive are good for your garden and mushrooms are a sign of healthy soil with good moisture retention and lots of organic matter. So, if mushrooms are appearing then you probably have a good environment for growing plants. Are Mushrooms In Your Garden Soil A Good Or Bad Sign?
Are mushrooms growing in my yard dangerous?
Mushrooms growing in the front or backyard are a common sight and can appear almost instantly in lawns and gardens after a rainy period or in areas with high humidity. Some mushrooms growing in the yard are harmless, whereas others can be toxic and harmful if ingested. Knowing how to identify common yard mushrooms is crucial.