Mushrooms in the Lawn

Inky caps, stinkhorns and other mushrooms are interesting to look at, but usually considered an eyesore in the lawn.

These often colorful and uniquely shaped growths that appear in your lawn are the fruiting bodies of fungi residing in the soil. They typically appear after a period of cool wet weather.

Though unsightly, they won’t harm your grass. Removing the mushrooms will improve the view, but will not eliminate the problem. Pick or dig and dispose of the mushrooms if you are worried about pets and kids consuming the poisonous fungi.

The best and easiest solution is to allow nature to take care of the problem. The source of the problem is the underground fungi feeding on buried construction lumber, dead tree roots and other organic matter. Once the fungi has decomposed these items into compost that enriches the soil, their food source is gone and the problem will disappear.

A bit more information: Mushrooms growing in a circle or arc are an indication that fairy ring is present. Several fungi cause rings or arcs of dark green or dead grass in infested lawns. Water and fertilization can help mask the symptoms when the only symptom is a ring of tall green grass.