I pride myself on how beautiful my lawn is, how green the grass is, and how healthy the whole yard looks.
However, when mushrooms appear on the lawn, they give an unsightly feeling that makes me just want to rip them off for good.
There can be a deep discussion on how helpful (or toxic) mushrooms can be, but either way, if you’re reading this guide, then you don’t care about either, and you want the mushrooms gone.
In this guide on Lawn Advisors, you’ll know what mushrooms are, why they grow in the yard, and how to get rid of yard mushrooms.
Along the way you’ll learn how to prevent the growth of mushrooms in the first place, making sure they don’t grow back again, forever, after reading through this Lawn Advisors guide.
What Are Mushrooms & Why Are They Growing in My Yard?
Mushrooms are a type of fungi that loves the decaying matter residing in damp & dark areas.
They basically feed on the decaying organic matter in the soil and break it down into useful nutrients that can aid your lawn.
Mushrooms feed on dead leaves/grass, thatch, animal waste, and decaying tree trunks.
Generally speaking, in the presence of old decaying matter, mushrooms will be growing in your yard, and they find the shady and damp areas the most attractive.
How Do Mushrooms Reproduce?
Mushroom colonies are formed by the spores produced by mature mushrooms and carried by the wind to other areas.
Mature mushrooms evaporate moisture, providing the spores with enough force outside the body, while the wind will complete the job by carrying spores to nearby areas.
Do Mushrooms Grow Fast?
This is one of the main issues you may encounter when battling mushrooms, they grow faster than any other species.
Smaller-sized mushrooms can literally grow in a single day, while larger-sized ones can take up to 3 or 4 days in the process.
Of course, the whole process depends on the environment, sunlight, and other factors, but they’re still fast to grow in a decently good environment for their growth.
Why Should You Get Rid of Mushrooms?
In this Lawn Advisors guide, we’ve established that mushrooms can break down decaying matters, aiding the health of the soil and lawn altogether.
However, there are tens of toxic mushroom species out there that can use your lawn to reproduce.
They are fatal in some cases, as they can cause different cases of illness out of nowhere.
Those illness cases may or may not include vomiting, stomach ache, diarrhea, kidney pain, and more!
Let alone how ugly the lawn can look when mushrooms take over the yard, and how this mushroom invasion can attract pests, or produce odor in your yard.
How to Get Rid of Yard Mushrooms? Use Preventive Measures
Just like any case of encountered Lawn problems, preventive measures are always better, as they fix the problem in the longer run, instead of dealing with the same issue over and over again.
Those are the most productive preventive measures you can carry out to get rid of yard mushrooms forever:
- Water Early Morning: watering in the early morning will allow the sunlight to evaporate excess water that could create the mushroom’s favorite dampened water.
- Get Rid of Organic Matter: If you leave the organic matters that mushrooms look for, then you’re providing them with their favorite food. Get rid of those matters so mushrooms find nothing to feed on and die.
- Mow Short: mowing the lawn short will aid in improving the access to light & air, removing the excess water in the process.
- Improve Drainage: since the moisture attracts mushrooms, then a better drainage system shall make sure that no dampened areas are created anymore.
How to Get Rid of Yard Mushrooms Natural Methods
Although some may find the fungicides more effective in the short run, we believe in the natural methods of mushroom removal, as they are safer for both the lawn and the kids/pets.
Here are some of the best natural methods on How to Get Rid of Yard Mushrooms:
1. Dispose of Organic Matter
We’re not talking about preventive measures now, we’re talking about visible growth of yard mushrooms.
In this case, you will need to dispose of organic matter near the mushroom colony, so that they don’t feed off the organic matter anymore, and die of hunger.
Those organic matters can include tree branches, pet waste, thatch rakes, and any other form of organic matter.
Dispose of those matters safely, then proceed to take care of the mushrooms.
2. Remove Mushrooms Manually
Always remember to remove mushrooms before they grow mature. If you’re late and they’ve matured enough, then they have already started evaporating water and air-carrying spores.
Therefore, attend to mushrooms ASAP, by putting on protective gloves and pulling or digging as much of the mushrooms from the ground as possible.
If you only pluck off the mushroom’s head, it won’t work as effectively.
Once you finish removing the mushrooms manually, you’re not done yet, you’ll have to seal them tightly in a trash bag so they don’t spread spores anymore.
Removed them in a sealed trash bag? Now go back to their original colony and spray it with dish detergent a couple of times during the day, as a further step toward preventing any potential growth.
3. Moisture Control
If you control the moisture level inside your lawn, then the mushrooms won’t find a dampened area to colonize in.
The best way of doing that is to make sure your lawn is early in the morning, and never over-water any areas intentionally, or by mistake.
4. Use Nitrogen Fertilizer
Nitrogen-based fertilizers increase the speed of decaying in your soil, making less space for any invisible mushrooms to feed off any matter remaining.
This could serve as a preventive measure if you’re not encountering any mushroom colonies yet, or if you’ve already gotten rid of the mushrooms lately.
How to Get Rid of Yard Mushrooms FAQ
Summary
Mushrooms can be beneficial for some lawn owners, breaking down organic matter into useful nutrients.
But if you’re looking for fewer dangers caused by toxic mushrooms and a better-looking lawn, then you have the best natural ways on how to get rid of yard mushrooms at Lawn Advisors, alongside some of the best preventive measures to prevent them from growing again.
Do you have any questions regarding dealing with mushrooms? Leave them in the comments section below.
