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mushrooms #833418

Asked June 02, 2023, 3:54 PM EDT

Can anything be done to eradicate mushrooms. I have more every day. They appear in clusters, too many to count. I also get really big ones that have a large hard base, that I dig up. None of my neighbors have them. Info on Internet says it's a sign of a healthy yard. The weeds think so. I believe I have every type weed possible. Please help

Fort Bend County Texas

Expert Response

Hello Sue,
Thanks for contacting us about the mushrooms. I love talking about the "fungus amongus".
One reason you are seeing so many mushrooms right now is that we have just been through a very rainy spring. Warm weather, and wet soil will encourage the mycelium (the fungus that lives underground) to send up fruit. That fruit is the mushroom you see. So, you can mash, cut up, hoe down or mow the mushrooms but that doesn't kill the mother fungus and she can live in the soil for many years.
You can lessen the appearance of mushrooms by making sure this area is not irrigated. Warm dry soil does not encourage the mycelium to fruit. Also, you can hoe them down when they first arrive. If you let them mature, they will spread spores to start mycelium growing in other parts of the yard.
I am attaching a few links for more information.

Mushrooms in the Garden Beds | Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab (tamu.edu)

Mushrooms and Other Nuisance Fungi in Lawns Management Guidelines--UC IPM (ucanr.edu)
Good luck with your project,
Deborah
FBCMG
An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 02, 2023, 5:21 PM EDT

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