Mushrooms: the interesting fungus among us. Recently we've had a few growers ask us why and how mushrooms could end up in their grow. Some growers see these little buggers pop out of the side of their fabric pots, others see them popping up near your plants. If you're not trying to grow mushrooms you might be freaked out to see them growing in your garden- especially if you're growing indoors. Well, the good thing is that mushrooms are pretty harmless to growing plants, and they can even help improve the quality of your soil.
Here, we'll be going over what mushrooms do, how they grow, and ways to avoid growing them or stopping them when they do. Mushrooms: Fungus With a Purpose When people hear the word mushroom they think of its plant variety: fungi, and when they hear "fungi" they often think of one particular kind of fungi: mold (particularly white powdery mold and yellow/brown downy mold). Those types of fungus are usually parasites, but for the most part, mushrooms either help plants exchange nutrients or help put nutrients back into the earth.
Mushroom Reproduction and Growth Mushrooms don't grow as plants do. In order to reproduce their spores need to attach to a nutritious source, whether it's a plant's roots, a dead plant, or a dead animal. They don't use seeds as most other plants use, but as long as there's a breeze or some way to get spores on to a nutritious source, that's all they need to reproduce. Because they have no chlorophyll to help make food, they rely on the nutrition of a plant (live or dead) to eat. That doesn't mean mushrooms are sucking the life out of your plants. Quite the opposite: most mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with plants, particularly at the root level. Mushrooms help give your plants the nutrients it needs to help produce the sugars the mushroom feeds off, so they're helping each other to grow and receive the best nutrients they can get. Saprophytism is when a mushroom or group of mushrooms help decompose something and then release it back into the soil. Whether it be dying parts of your lawn, dying roots under the soil, or dead plants and animals (and their waste), mushrooms can take in the remaining nutrients from a dead source and introduce those nutrients back into the soil in a way bacteria or insects cannot. Mushrooms Usually Mean Healthy Soil Like we've mentioned, if you're positive you don't have a mushroom or fungal spores anywhere in your growing area but you still see mushrooms growing you might be alarmed- and we don't blame you. However, unlike mold which can be a sign of stagnation, mushroom growth from your soil can be a sign of pretty healthy soil. How?
Remember that mushrooms don't have roots like other plants, so they need to feed themselves by attaching to the roots of your plant or decaying nutrition sources in the soil. If you transplant rooted plants into new soil and eventually see mushrooms come out of the soil, there's a good chance there were mushroom spores in your soil that had a chance to begin feeding with your plants. If you see mushroom growth before your seed(s) sprout there's a chance that there are spores attached to something in your soil (usually a wood chip) and started to grow. Mushrooms like cool, moist, and humid places without lots of light. Growers will find mushrooms popping out of the side of fabric grow bags for that exact reason: bags become moist when you feed your plants, then they sit in a humid space, and temperatures are bound to hit around 50-60°F at some point. If you have the environment for mushroom growth all you need is a spore and something it can attach to and you can see mushrooms popping out of that soil. Ridding Your Garden of Mushrooms While they may be harmless to plants, mushrooms may not be desirable in all gardens for any number of reasons. Some mushrooms can act as pesticides when ingested by insects, but they can cause serious harm if they’re ingested by our pets or by anyone who doesn’t know better.
If you’re trying to avoid them in the future, you may also want to get rid of them as soon as you see them. Mushrooms send off spores to reproduce and when those spores attach to a source of nutrition (say, a wood chip in your soil or the roots of a growing plant) they’ll begin to grow. To avoid unintentional mushroom growth try these three things: 1) Eliminate the environment. Mushrooms like cool, humid, and moist places, so raise if you raise the temperature of your garden, lower the humidity, and ease off the watering for a bit they’ll dry up and be unable to grow. 2) As soon as you see them, pick them off. Picking mushrooms won’t harm your plants, so if you don’t like them in your soil or around your plants you can simply pick them off and get rid of them. 3) Start making your own compost and soil. Pre-mixed soil has all kinds of things you’re not sure of, and spores are just one of them. If you’re not sure of what’s in your soil, it’s a dice throw whether or not you have the makings for mushrooms. Making your own soil from composted materials is the safest way to know exactly what’s in your soil and to assure you don’t have the ingredients for mushroom production.
FAQs
“If you see mushrooms, it's a sign that your soil has a healthy soil food web,” Midgley said. Along with other microorganisms, fungi consume all kinds of organic matter — the remains of dead plants, animals and other living things — and release useful nutrients into the soil to be absorbed by plant roots.
Do mushrooms improve soil health? ›
Helpful Hyphae
And hyphae are incredibly helpful! They help break down organic matter into nutrients that plants can use, hook up with plant roots to help them access water, and improve soil structure. They even help plants communicate with each other! In short, a healthy fungi population is essential for healthy soil.
Do mushrooms mean your yard is healthy? ›
Bacteria and fungi are the building blocks of a healthy soil. The presence of mushrooms is a sign that the soil is healthy. Living soils have the presence of millions if not billions of beneficial microbes and are teeming with beneficial bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and earth worms.
Are mushrooms a good sign in your garden? ›
“The fungi need organic matter to live, so the mushrooms are a sign that there is organic matter in your soil,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Arboretum's Plant Clinic. Mushrooms that appear in the lawn or garden indicate that the soil contains a healthy amount of organic matter.
What are mushrooms a sign of? ›
Mushrooms are an indication that your yard has a lot of organic material in the soil. Mushrooms help break down that organic material and make your soil more productive. If your shade and drainage aren't real problems, you can always just knock the offending mushrooms over and wait for the sun to come out.
What do mushrooms indicate in soil? ›
"Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi and may indicate healthy soil for trees and other plants to grow in."
Can mushrooms purify soil? ›
“Mushrooms can feed on the organic compounds and break down the lignins that bond them. Previous studies have shown that they not only remove the petroleum-based contaminants from the soil, but also break them down in such a way that even the mushrooms themselves are nontoxic.
Why is my yard suddenly full of mushrooms? ›
Lawn Is Too Damp or Receives Too Much Water
Fungi love moisture. If your lawn does not receive adequate drainage and collects water in some areas, it may be the perfect place for mushrooms to erupt, especially if it's combined with other conditions. Your drainage might be perfect, but you may also be the culprit.
Should I remove mushrooms from my yard? ›
Because mushrooms are merely the above-ground symptoms of existing beneficial fungal growth, getting rid of them is a temporary fix at best. However, removing them quickly may prevent more spores from being released to spread more fungi.
Do mushrooms in yard mean too much water? ›
If you are watering your lawn too much, one thing that will let you know fairly quickly is an abundance of mushrooms or other form of fungus. Fungi like mushrooms thrive in wet environments and overwatering your lawn will often lead to an invasion of mushrooms.
While mushrooms in the lawn or garden bed may be somewhat annoying, most cause no damage to the grass, soil, or nearby plants. For this reason, no action is required. If you want to remove them, there is nothing that can be applied to the ground that will prevent them from coming up.
Should I remove mushrooms from my plants? ›
In conclusion, fungi, masters of the soil, can benefit your houseplants. When and if you see a mushroom in your plant's soil, consider it a sign of a happy, healthy mini-ecosystem. If you don't love the shrooms, simply pull them out!
What does it mean if mushrooms are growing in my garden? ›
Mushrooms love humid weather, decaying organic matter, and lots of shade. If you notice more mushrooms in your garden than usual, you've probably experienced a lot of rain or mugginess recently. There are also probably many sources of food, such as old tree roots, dead leaves, or old mulch.
Do mushrooms improve soil? ›
Growing mushrooms in the garden helps decompose common organic matter faster, while growing a food source. 2. Fungi Feeds Soil Food Web: This organic matter in turn feeds all of the living things in the soil food web, your plants, and eventually you when mushrooms fruit.
Do mushrooms mean a healthy yard? ›
In fact, it's often a sign that your turf has been receiving plenty of water. Plus, mushrooms help decompose organic matter, which could help release more nutrients into your soil. Occasionally, however, mushrooms could indicate that your lawn is overwatered or draining poorly.
Are mushrooms a sign of overwatering? ›
Too much water can cause fungus growth, one of the most noticeable being mushrooms. Also, red/orange coloring on your grass may indicate a type of rust fungus.
Do mushrooms return nutrients to the soil? ›
While animals ingest food and plants make their own through photosynthesis, fungus secrete enzymes to digest surrounding organic matter and then absorb the released nutrients. By decomposing dead or decaying organisms and recycling nutrients, fungi serve an important ecological function.
Should I get rid of mushrooms in my garden? ›
These unplanned garden guests can also be toxic, so you'll want to remove them if you have curious children or pets. While the discovery of mushrooms may prompt feelings of unease, they pose no risk to the health of your soil and plants. Indeed, they can have environmental benefits that are worth considering.
Are dead mushrooms good for soil? ›
Mushrooms are extremely common in the houseplant world, and they're actually very helpful! Mushrooms are a good indicator that your soil is rich in nutrients.
Is mushroom soil a good fertilizer? ›
Like most types of compost, mushroom compost provides low levels of lots of different nutrients to the roots of plants over time, as it gradually degrades. This makes it great as a slow-release fertilizer, feeding the soil and therefore improving plant health.
