Brown Mushrooms in My Garden: What They Are and What To Do About Them

As a gardener, you may have noticed brown mushrooms popping up in your garden from time to time. While some mushrooms can be beneficial or harmless, others may be toxic and pose a risk to children or pets. This article will cover everything you need to know about identifying brown mushrooms in your garden and deciding what to do about them.

What Are Brown Mushrooms?

Brown mushrooms encompass a wide variety of mushroom species that happen to have brown caps They can range in color from light tan to deep chocolate brown The stems also vary in color from white to brown,

Some types of brown mushrooms include:

• Paddy straw mushroom
• Shaggy mane
• Chestnut mushroom
• Brown meadow mushroom
• Porcini
• Bay bolete
• Birch bolete
• Scaly wood mushroom

These mushrooms belong to different genera and species. Some are edible while others are inedible or even toxic. So proper identification is crucial.

Why Are They Growing in My Garden?

Mushrooms naturally grow in gardens because the conditions are ideal for fungal growth. Fungi thrive in moist, shady environments with plenty of organic matter to feed on.

Common places you may find mushrooms in your garden include

• At the base of trees or stumps
• In mulched flower beds
• In your lawn
• Near decaying leaves or vegetation
• Areas that don’t drain well

If you have healthy soil with lots of organic material, it offers the perfect food source for mushrooms. The shade and moisture provided by trees, shrubs, mulch and vegetation also create an ideal microclimate.

Are Brown Mushrooms Harmful?

Many brown mushrooms are harmless or even beneficial to your garden. Fungi break down organic matter, recycle nutrients, and improve soil health. Some species form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, exchanging nutrients for carbohydrates.

However, some brown mushrooms can be toxic or poisonous. Consuming toxic species can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, organ damage, or even death in some cases.

Examples of poisonous brown mushrooms include

• The toxic brown galerina
• The deadly poison pie
• The sickener
• The fibrecap

So proper identification is extremely important before handling brown mushrooms in your garden. Some toxic species closely resemble edible varieties.

How To Identify Brown Mushrooms

Identifying mushrooms accurately requires patience and scrutiny. You need to examine several parts of the mushroom including the:

• Cap – Note the shape, texture, color and markings
• Gills – Observe the attachment to stem, spacing, size and color
• Stem – Check the color, texture, length and shape
• Veil – Look for partial veils or volva at the base
• Spore print – Making a spore print can help identify the mushroom

You also need to note where the mushroom is growing and characteristics of the surrounding habitat.

Using a field guide or app can help you properly identify species. If you plan to eat foraged mushrooms, have an expert identify them first to be safe.

Here are some identifying features of common brown mushrooms:

• Bay boletes – Stocky brown stems with olive caps featuring a distinctive cracked pattern on the surface. Pores instead of gills.

• Birch boletes – Tan, brown or reddish-brown caps that are scaly or hairy. Short white stems. Pores on underside. Grow under birch trees.

• Paddy straw mushrooms – Light brown caps with whitish stems. Pink gills that turn chocolate brown. Grow in overlapping clusters on rotting straw.

• Shaggy manes – Cylindrical brown mushrooms that elongate as they mature. Eventually, they turn black and “melt.”

Being able to accurately identify brown mushrooms takes practice. When starting out, stick to commonly eaten species that are easy to recognize.

Are Brown Mushrooms Edible?

Some species of brown mushrooms are choice edible mushrooms, while others are inedible or toxic.

Examples of edible brown mushrooms include:

• Paddy straw mushrooms
• Bay bolete
• Birch bolete
• Chestnut mushroom
• Porcini
• Brown meadow mushroom

Before consuming ANY wild mushrooms, ensure you have correctly identified the species. Only eat mushrooms you are 100% confident are edible.

How To Get Rid of Brown Mushrooms

If you want to get rid of brown mushrooms in your garden, you have a couple options:

1. Remove Them

• Wear gloves to protect yourself
• Use a trowel or shovel to dig up the mushrooms and a bit of surrounding soil
• Seal the mushrooms in a plastic bag and dispose of them promptly

2. Create Unfavorable Conditions

• Improve drainage in damp areas
• Cut back overhanging branches to increase sunlight
• Remove dead leaves, wood and thick mulch
• Apply nitrogen fertilizer to speed decomposition
• Spread baking soda or lime to raise pH

3. Use Fungicides

Apply fungicide drenches to lawn, flower beds and surrounding soil to kill mushroom spores. Avoid overuse of fungicides which can harm beneficial fungi.

4. Introduce Mushroom Predators

Certain insects like soldier beetles and fungus gnats prey on fungi. You can attract them to your garden by avoiding pesticides.

Can I Grow Edible Mushrooms?

Many delicious mushrooms can be grown right in your garden! With a little effort, you can have homegrown mushrooms to harvest.

Some types that grow well outdoors or on logs/stumps include:

• Oyster mushrooms
• Shiitake
• Lion’s mane
• Wine cap mushrooms
• Pearl oyster mushrooms
• Chicken of the woods

You inoculate a growing medium like sawdust, woodchips, or logs with mushroom spawn. Then provide the right moisture, temperature, shade and time for mushrooms to form.

The Bottom Line

If you see brown mushrooms in your garden, take time to identify them before taking any action. Many brown mushroom species are harmless or beneficial for your garden. But some toxic mushrooms can grow in gardens too, so educate yourself on poisonous varieties to avoid.

Properly identifying brown mushrooms ensures you can remove potentially dangerous ones, while leaving edible or benign mushrooms intact. With extra care, you can even cultivate appetizing brown mushrooms like shiitakes right in your own yard!