You may think that having mushrooms growing in your garden is a good thing; however, if they start growing in your mulch, they can create an issue.
You won’t know if these are hazardous to your children or your dog, so it is better to deal with them as soon as possible. Fungi get energy from decomposing organic matter to produce what we see as mushrooms.
In our quick guide, you can learn how to remove mushrooms, so they aren’t a threat to children or pets.
By the end. You’ll know what causes mushrooms in mulch and how to kill mushrooms in mulch to prevent an unsightly garden without any need for fungicide on your lawn or around your house. (Learn What is Mushroom Compost)
What Type of Mushrooms Grow in Mulch?
Here are some of the common mushroom mulch growing varieties you can find in your garden bed material and grass of your lawn.
- Agrocybe pediades group – Common agrocybe
- Agrocybe praecox group – Spring agrocybe
- Coprinopsis atramentaria – Alcohol Inky Cap or Tippler’s Bane
- Lycoperdon pyriforme – Pear-shaped Puffball
- Lysurus cruciatus – Lizard’s Claw
- Phallus impudicus – Stinkhorn
- Pluteus cervinus – Deer Mushroom
- Psathyrella candolleana – Common Psathyrella
Are Mushrooms That Grow in Mulch Poisonous?
Wood-borne fungi can be common in mulched beds at certain times of the year. While many may not look at it, it can be harmless. However, rather than think they are safe, it can be advisable to remove mushrooms in your mulch. Fungi help break down dead organic matter and provide nutrients for plants.
Most fungi are harmless, and as the mulch breaks down and the weather becomes hotter and dryer, any visible new growth will cease and die back.
A few types may be poisonous or nausea-inducing if ingested. If you’ve got pets or kids around your landscape, you are best to get rid of these from any mulches you have as a precautionary measure. (Learn How to Mulch Flower Beds)
Why Are Mushrooms Growing in My Mulch?
Mushrooms can grow through your mulch and may cause issues. You may not want mushrooms growing in your garden, so it is good to understand what causes them to grow.
Many gardeners are not sure how to get rid of mushrooms in mulch, although it can be easier than you think.
Before seeing in detail why mushrooms are growing in mulch around your landscape, it can be a combination of fresh mulch, suitable warmth, and it gets wet from rain coming after a dry spell. You will find this is a near-perfect formula for any bloom variety of wood-eating fungi.
When spores are in the mulch wood, and the chunks haven’t been processed sufficiently to stop fungus, you will find this is when mushroom-looking fruiting occurs, and you have the natural but unsightly growths springing up. You can find they go past the mulch, and depending on your plants, they grow on their roots if exposed.
How Do I Get Rid of Fungus in My Mulch?
When you have these fungus growing in your mulch, you can follow these tips on how to get rid of mushrooms in mulch.
Use Less Mulch
The main reason you can have mushrooms that grow in mulch is you are using too much. If you have too much, it traps moisture in certain areas and offers the ideal conditions for mushrooms to thrive.
Use less mulch, and you can see the effects almost immediately. To do this, spread your mulch a bit thinner, and you can prevent mushrooms growing in your mulch. You will need to get rid of your mushrooms before you thinly spread your mulch.
It’s just worth knowing that using less mulch will be a big help when you’re trying to prevent future mushroom growth.
You may also find that a thinner layer of mulch helps your plants get the right nutrients.
Use Compost
Compost around your yard could work as a solution to your mushroom issues.
You’ll find mushrooms can thrive on things like wood and bark-based mulch. Compost doesn’t come with this problem, and it is far harder for mushrooms to grow when using organic compost materials.
Organic compost, however, doesn’t make your garden beds look as appealing.
Prune or Trim Trees and Shrubs
Mushrooms like growing in dark or shaded areas. A shrub or tree can create these areas of darkness for fungus to grow. If you have overhanging trees and the area is wet, it offers the right shade, cover, and conditions for the mushrooms to feed on your mulch.
Rake Mulch
Raking mulch really is effective to get rid of mushrooms. Mulch will dry out, and so will and mushrooms as they don’t have deep roots.
As you free the mulch up, you can make it better for your plants to breathe easier, and moisture won’t be trapped.
If things get too moist, it’s going to let mushrooms thrive. Take the time to rake around your garden beds every so often, and it can act as a deterrent for mushroom growth. Doing this every single day isn’t worth it as there won’t be much benefit. Every few days or once per week can be sufficient for raking your mulch thoroughly.
At the very least, you could create a schedule of every Sunday or every other Sunday as the weather gets warmer. (Find the Best Mulch for Vegetable Garden)
Replace Mulch
If you have a severe problem, then it can be effective to change the type of mulch you have in your landscaping environment. Adding lime to your soil may help as mushrooms like an acidic environment. Lime alters your soil slightly.
