What Can I Do About Mushrooms in My Yard?
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Mushrooms growing in the lawn are not a cause for concern.
Recent rainfall has led to explosion of mushrooms in lawns and mulched areas throughout our area. Most of these fungi are completely harmless, though some consider them slightly annoying. While mushrooms are easily recognized by most people, some of their relatives that can be found growing on hardwood mulch may not be as familiar. From time to time, some of the more noticeable of these organisms may catch a gardener’s attention and cause them to wonder about their identity.
Slime Mold
One of the most eye-catching mulch inhabiting fungi is a type of slime mold commonly referred to as dog vomit. This mat-like growth usually begins as a small area a few inches across but can rapidly grow to up to three feet in diameter and may be bright yellow or orange, fading to brown and tan as it dries. Slime molds do not harm plants and usually dry up within a few days of forming. One of their more curious characteristics is that they are actually able to move, up to two or three feet a day. If their appearance is offensive, they can be scooped up and added to the compost or thrown away.
Stinkhorns
You will likely smell a stinkhorn before you see it!
The stinkhorns are a group of mushrooms most people smell before they see. The octopus stinkhorn is one of the most common and putrid, emitting the odor of decaying flesh. The name octopus stinkhorn is very descriptive of this curious mushroom, which looks like an orange octopus or squid popping up out of the mulch. Other types of stinkhorns take on a more x-rated appearance, resembling a certain part of the male anatomy. All stinkhorns grow from egg-like sacks that can be found in the mulch they inhabit. The stinkhorn and the egg-like sack are the reproductive parts of a larger body mass, which is made up of white, thin threads known as hyphae. Like all mushrooms, removing just the visible growth does not get rid of the fungus because the majority of its body is left behind.
What To Do
Mulches and soils are alive with millions of microorganisms that work to decay organic matter and release nutrients, including many types of fungi and bacteria. Though the appearance or odor of some of these fungi is sometimes considered to be a nuisance in home landscapes, they are harmless and do not require treatment. Even if treatment is desired no fungicides are available for mushroom control.
Nuisance fungi are most common on hardwood bark mulches and wood chips as well as in yards where trees have been removed. When trees are removed, much of their root system is left behind to decay, providing an ample source of nutrition for mushrooms.
There are some steps that can be taken to minimize the occurrence of nuisance fungi. Fresh wood chips or sawdust should never be used in the landscape, but should instead be allowed to age at least six months or be composted thoroughly before using as a mulch or soil amendment. If nuisance fungi are causing a problem in your landscape, switching from hardwood mulch to pine bark mulch or pine straw can help. Simply putting new mulch on top of existing mulch will not solve the problem though and can lead to new issues since mulch applied too deep (over 4”) can cause problems. Watering hardwood mulch well when it is first applied can discourage the growth of nuisance fungi by encouraging beneficial bacteria.
Overall there is little that can be done to eliminate nuisance mushrooms from yards and fungi and mold from landscape mulches. No chemicals are available to rid yards and mulch of mushrooms. Simply allow nature to run its course and wait for these growths to disappear, which usually occurs within a few days.
Learn More
If you have questions about gardening or landscape care, contact your local Extension office. In Pender County call 259-1235, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., or visit us online anytime at //pender.ces.ncsu.edu/
- Learn more about nuisance fungi that grow on mulch from this Ohio Extension fact sheet: http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3304.html
- This University of Delaware fact sheet covers more varieties of nuisance fungi, including Artillery Fungus — a tiny fungus that launches its spores on to bright reflective surfaces (like your car or vinyl siding!) http://ag.udel.edu/extension/horticulture/pdf/pp/pp-49.pdf
- Want a refresher on mulch and how to apply it? Read this July 2010 Pender Gardener article: //pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2012/10/can-too-much-mulch-killl-plants/