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Have You Seen Mushrooms In Your Yard This Year?

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mushrooms growing in a yard More people have asked me about mushrooms and sent me more pictures than I have ever received. With the amount of water that the Midwest and parts of the South and Southeast have received this year, it is no wonder why people are seeing so many. They seem to be popping up everywhere. To some homeowners, mushrooms are of no real concern. They know that they can practice their golf swing or just mow them off and they will go away.

large mushroom found in a lawn

Some homeowners get “freaked out” by the presence of any mushrooms and want Spring-Green to come out and spray their lawn to get rid of them. (There is no product that can be sprayed on a lawn to kill mushrooms if they are scattered throughout the lawn.) Fortunately, not many people have ever asked if the mushrooms growing in their lawn are edible. I am not a mushroom expert, but I do know that eating the wrong type of mushroom can cause great gastronomic distress. Mushrooms come in all sizes, colors and shapes. They typically range from tiny cup mushrooms that grow up from the thatch, to parasol mushrooms that can have a top that measures 6 inches or more in diameter.

How Big?

The world’s largest mushroom is 3.5 miles wide and is growing in the forests of Oregon. It is killing trees as it slowly spreads throughout the forest floor. There are many common mushrooms that grow in lawns.  To me, mushrooms are the sign of a lawn that has a good deal of microbial activity. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of these fungi as they work away in the soil, supplying nutrients to plants through decomposition of organic matter.

tiny mushrooms

The ONLY times to be concerned about mushrooms:

  • They are Growing in a ring or arc, especially if the ring or arc is darker green. This usually means that Fairy Ring is active in the lawn.
  • Mushroom growth from the base of a tree. Which could indicate root problems or forming structures from the side of a tree called Shelf Fungus.

mushrooms found at the base of a tree

For the most part, mushrooms are not an indication that a lawn has a problem. It usually just means that these organisms are breaking down organic material and are a benefit to your lawn. If you have questions about your lawn as it relates to mushrooms  contact your neighborhood lawn care professional at Spring-Green!