It might be the fact that mushrooms are appearing in your yard. It can ruin the appearance of your lawn and garden in the long run. Apart from appearing ugly across the pristine green lawn, they also are quite dangerous for pets and kids, apart from releasing fly-attracting smells, thus creating a secondary issue.
In this article, we have asserted how to get rid of mushrooms in your yard apart from some other important information as well.
Why do mushrooms grow in my yard?
Perhaps it is known to you that mushrooms happen to be a kind of fungi. They can be described as a kind of toadstool along with a stem, gills, and cap beneath the cap; however, they might also consist of other kinds of fungi that grow in all types of amazing sizes and shapes.
On most occasions, mushrooms grow in dark and damp environments having lots of rich decomposed matter. However, it will be unwise on your part to confuse lawn mushrooms with those that we tend to consume, and this can be quite dangerous for us in the long run.
What is the rate of development of mushrooms?
Here, we like to assert that mushrooms happen to be amongst the fastest-developing organisms that you will find in the garden. While the time taken by the small mushrooms to develop will be only one day, the medium and large mushrooms will consume approximately 3 to 4 days to become mature. Several environmental factors affect the rate of development of these mushrooms which can consist of temperature and moisture levels.
Do you consider backyard mushrooms to be dangerous?
You’ll come across various types of mushrooms at present from the dangerous ones to the delicious and edible ones. In general, lawn mushrooms cannot be considered to be toxic to humans or animals. Nevertheless, there are certain varieties that are toxic and can cause symptoms of gastrointestinal issues in some cases, and even demise in others.
It will not be a good idea to consume a wild mushroom that you are not able to identify. Every single property owner must stick to this principle at present. Make sure to identify a mushroom before consuming it since the appearance of poisonous mushrooms can be similar to that of edible ones.
It will be sensible to come in touch with your regional corporate extension office in case the mushrooms are developing in a high-traffic area, and you should provide photographs and descriptions of the mushrooms for determining whether they are poisonous or not.
Consuming wild mushrooms will not be suitable for young kids and pets because of their smaller body size, as well as their propensity to put everything in their mouths. In case you are of the notion that your pet or child has consumed a mushroom or a part of it, make sure to come in touch with your vet or doctor at the earliest for seeking advice. Moreover, in case the pet or toddler becomes sick after consuming a mushroom, make sure to take them along with a mushroom sample to the emergency room.
How to get rid of mushrooms in the yard?
1. Get rid of the mushrooms manually
This can be performed by hand or by making use of a rake having fine tines. However, make sure to put on disposable gloves after removing these mushrooms by hand, and do not forget to get rid of them after accomplishing your task.
While removing these fungi, make it a point to remove them quite close to the base. If possible, dig out a lot of underground material as well. Put them in a plastic bag immediately and seal right away for preventing the release of any spore. Following this, the bag should be disposed of in the trashcan.
Burning mushrooms or throwing them on the compost pile will not be a good idea in the long run. This is because it is going to release spores which can aggravate your mushroom issues.
2. Baking Soda
One more authentic solution for killing a mushroom will be the usage of baking soda. The ingredient will work by enhancing the soil’s pH temporarily, thus making it less conducive for the development of mushrooms. The mushroom caps are going to become dry with repeated applications in the long run.
Make sure to dissolve some baking soda in water, and following this, spray or pour the solution over the mushroom caps along with the area surrounding them. Nevertheless, make sure not to spray the solution on any other plant or grass. Baking soda is alkaline in nature, and therefore, it might enhance the pH of the soil to a great extent thus damaging your landscape.
3. Ensure adequate drainage
Stay away from any scenario where water is going to sit for a long time on the lawn so that it discourages the growth of mushrooms in the first place. This will likewise help to withhold moisture from the existing populations of mushrooms out there. This might imply setting up a French drain for transporting the water away from your garden faster and also leveling the ground in certain places. Stay away from watering the plants excessively in case you do have a garden.
4. Aerate your lawn
It will be sensible to demolish the mushrooms below the grass so that they can be killed for good. Here, it is important to bear in mind that a green lawn doesn’t indicate that the fungi are absent. Make use of an aerator for aerating the soil at certain intervals for the purpose of introducing more oxygen and air into the soil. You will also find assistance by detaching the lawn (getting rid of compressed dead grass). Make use of your lawn more for reducing the height of the grass and for helping the soil to receive more air. It will be imperative for your landscaping to have healthy soil which will help to prevent the issue at the source.
5. Baking Soda
It will also be possible to control the development of mushrooms with the help of baking soda. Make sure to sprinkle the solution right on the soil or spray the baking soda in the area after mixing it with water. In this way, it will be possible to enhance the soil’s pH level, which is something that the mushrooms don’t prefer. However, it will be a wrong idea on your part to expect any result immediately, and it might be imperative to treat the area using baking soda several times for it to function.
You might also like to consider that baking soda will be able to damage, and even kill the grass in the long run prior to going with the mushroom-eradicating process.
6. Make them dry
It will be feasible to demolish the mushrooms by making them dry given that they usually thrive in shaded and damp areas. Here, it is important to bear in mind that this process might even kill the grass since it will not be possible to water quite frequently, or even mow for encouraging strong roots.
- Make improvements to the drainage in your area and do not water that particular portion of the yard.
- Prune the branches of the tree that is providing them with shade.
- Get rid of any damp debris or leaves.
7. Vinegar
Being a powerful anti-fungal solution, vinegar can also prove to be an effective agent that will help to get rid of mushrooms. However, make sure not to go for the white vinegar in your kitchen in case you want to get the best results within a short time. Instead, make it a point to go for horticultural vinegar which is much more powerful. While the content of acetic acid in horticultural vinegar happens to be somewhere between 25% and 70%, that of white vinegar is somewhere between 4% and 7%.
However, take care not to spray the shrubs, grass, or any other plant with vinegar. This is because vinegar can also kill other plants since it is extremely acidic in nature. Take care while spraying because it might also demolish the surrounding grasses. It will be a good idea to first test the area for several days before applying vinegar.
8. Boiling water
Lastly, we like to mention that it will also be possible to kill mushrooms effectively by pouring boiling water on top of them. There is no doubt about the fact that this process will definitely kill mushroom caps without any problem whatsoever. Nevertheless, you might be required to repeat the process for a few days before seeing the desired outcomes.
Moreover, be extremely cautious while making use of the boiling water. Safeguard your hands by putting on heavy oven mitts, and the water should be poured gradually so that there are no accidental splashes.
How to prevent mushrooms from developing
It will be feasible to prevent any unwanted growth of mushrooms by cleaning up your yard. This implies that you need to rake up leaves, place them in a bag, and send them to compost instead of leaving them around the fence in a pile. Mushrooms will also be able to thrive on the waste of pets, and therefore, make sure to clean your pet’s poops at regular intervals.