Mushroom colonies are a common occurrence in residential landscapes. During the spring and winter, these fungal organisms will emerge through the soil, consuming valuable nutrients that would otherwise be used by grass, trees and plants.
Rather than turning a blind eye and “hoping” that mushrooms go away, you should take action to manage these fungal colonies on your lawn.
With a little work, you can protect your lawn from mushrooms to encourage a healthy, lush-green landscape.
Don’t Overwater Your Lawn
Be conscious of how much water your lawn receives to avoid overwatering it. Lack of water can cause serious damage to your lawn by drying up the grass and slowly killing it.
But too much water is equally harmful, as it creates water-logged soil that’s susceptible to mushrooms and fungal disease.
A good rule of thumb is to give your lawn about 1 inch of water – whether rainwater or sprinkler water – per week.
Clear Out Tree Branches
Another tip to discourage mushrooms from growing on your lawn is to clear out unwanted tree branches.
How does this help exactly? Well, mushrooms thrive in dark, moist environments. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cook fungus from the inside out, preventing it from growing.
If there are a lot of large tree branches overhanging your lawn, it may create a dark environment that naturally attracts mushroom-forming fungi.
Clean Organic Debris
It’s important to clean organic debris off your lawn. For mushrooms to grow, there must be some type of organic matter present. This is the same principle behind the formation of mold and mildew.
Without organic matter, there’s nothing for fungi to feast on, in which case it won’t grow.
To discourage mushrooms from growing on your lawn, use a rake to clean organic debris like downed limbs, pine straw, leaves, acorns and weeks.
Bag Grass Clippings
When mowing your lawn, don’t mulch the grass clippings back onto your lawn. Instead, bag them up and dispose of them elsewhere.
Mulched grass clippings can provide some nutrients for your lawn, but it increases the risk of mushrooms.
Like other organic matter, mushroom-forming fungi will eat grass clippings, giving it the energy needed to develop and grow mushrooms.
Even with these tips, you probably won’t be able to stop all mushrooms from growing on your lawn – but that’s okay. Most mushrooms are harmless.
The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.
If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or
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