Lawn mushrooms can become an eyesore your lawn or yard. However mushrooms do break down dead material and release nutrients back into the soil. Another issue with mushrooms could be poisonous to children and pets. Therefore removing the mushrooms would be important as soon as you notice them growing. You must do more than simply plucking mushroom. Mushrooms are a fungal organism and need to treated similar to an invasive weed.
Steps to Remove Lawn Mushrooms
If you leave them for too long, they will release spores, which will lead to more mushrooms. Removing the mushrooms from the ground as soon as you notice the mushrooms.
- Mushroom Removal – Remove the mushrooms is clearly to first step. The important factor is to try to remove in tact or keep from breaking apart. Mushrooms release spores to reproduce and could potentially lead to more mushrooms., but this will heighten the chances of them spreading spores across your lawn.
- Mushroom Disposal – Do not dispose of mushrooms into your compost pile. Put them into the bag as soon as you pull them out of the ground, and toss it into a trashcan or incinerator. This will help prevent the mushrooms from spreading spores across your lawn.
- Apply Fertilizer to Spots – The fertilizer will speed up the decomposition and promote new grass growth that will help keep out mushrooms
- Do not use slow release or water-soluble nitrogen fertilizer.
- Aside from spot treatments, it is recommended to follow an annual fertilization schedule.
- Adding some phosphorous and potassium soil amendments will help the soil balance. You will need 3 parts nitrogen, 1 part phosphorous, and 2 parts potassium.
You can purchase a fungicide to treat and kill the fungus that started the mushroom growth. Fungicides don’t kill mushrooms directly. The main portion of the fungus lies underground where fungicides can’t reach it. Mushrooms sprouts when conditions are idea, usually when the soil is cool and damp. If you have a large outbreak of mushrooms, a couple of commercial fungicides, such as azoxystrobin or flutolanil, can be used. These must be applied several times by a professional.
Preventative Lawn Maintenance
Fungus need excess moisture to grow and thrive, therefore mushrooms have a tendency to grow when soils are very moist and saturated. A weekly lawn care schedule that includes mowing keeps your grass trimmed and properly watered. A healthy lawn has less chance to grow mushrooms.