Every hobby gardener knows the problem - after all the scarifying, cutting and fertilizing in spring and spring, the lawn care ultimately looks well-groomed. And then it rains heavily and suddenly mushrooms can be seen between the blades of grass. What can you do and how can you fight fungi in your lawn?
Why do mushrooms grow in the lawn and how do you get rid of them?
There are various fungi that grow in lawns. Most belong to the hat fungus and bovist groups. The fungi in the lawn are not just visual blemishes (they leave unsightly bare spots), but also indicate problems with the lawn.
Mushrooms like shade and moisture. If it has rained for days, they will sprout. They prefer compacted, nutrient-poor soil with poor drainage. Particularly in spring, the fungal spores are transmitted by the wind and then settle on lawns, compost heaps or old tree stumps.
What does a lot of mushrooms in the lawn mean?
Fungi in the lawn are a sign of certain care errors or problems with the condition of the soil. If you see fungus in your lawn, check:
1) whether the soil is permeable. Compacted soil can slow the growth of the lawn and make it difficult for irrigation and rainwater to drain away. The moisture that accumulates in the soil leads to waterlogging and root rot.
2) whether they can find mushrooms in the compost heap. Fungal spores often end up in the compost heap with chopped up dead wood. If you fertilize the flower bed or lawn with compost, the mushrooms will sprout.
3) whether the lawn is level. If the lawn is uneven, this is a sign of impaired water drainage. The rainwater cannot drain away, which leads to waterlogging and the fungal spores find suitable conditions that accelerate their growth.
Are the mushrooms in the lawn edible?
The mushrooms in the lawn are not edible. There are even poisonous species of mushrooms that can spread throughout the garden. Caution is therefore advised in households with pets and small children - remove the mushrooms immediately and dispose of them with household waste.
Remove individual mushrooms in the lawn or let them grow?
If the number of mushrooms in the lawn is limited (i.e. a few mushrooms sprout after a heavy rainfall), then there is no reason to panic. After a few weeks they will disappear again. But if several groups of fungi sprout at once, then you should strengthen the lawn. Fertilize it and improve soil permeability. Then dig up the mushrooms one by one and dispose of them with household waste.
What are witch rings in the lawn and how not to remove them?
Witch rings appear spontaneously, usually after a heavy rainfall. Many mushrooms sprout all at once, forming a circle. This is a sign of a major fungal infection. This mycell, i.e. ring-shaped fungal network, forms many fruiting bodies under favorable conditions, which can damage the grass.
An important prerequisite for this is the barren soil. The less nutrient-rich it is, the faster the fungi spread. Getting rid of them is a difficult task that requires a lot of effort and time.
As a preventive measure, you can have the soil tested in the laboratory every year at the start of the gardening season and compensate for any nutrient deficiencies with regular fertilization.
However, if the witch rings are already visible, then patience is required above all. A witch ring is a whole mushroom network. The majority of them spread underground. The cap mushrooms that form a circle are actually the fruiting bodies that grow on the edge of the network and through whose spores the whole thing multiplies. The larger the circle, the older the fungal network is.
This fungal network can damage the lawn. It repels water and the grass doesn't get enough moisture. In the end, the stalks dry out and this occursbare spots in the lawn. You can fight the fungal network with lime and quartz sand. Simply water the affected areas really vigorously and then shake sand directly over the mushrooms.
Mushrooms sprout after rainfall and are a sign of potential soil problems. Compacted, moist and poor soils offer the best possible conditions for fungal infestation. If entire mushroom circles, i.e. the so-called witch rings, can be seen in the lawn, then you should remove the entire mushroom network mechanicallyfight and the lawnstrengthen. Regular fertilization, improved drainage and fruiting body removal will solve the problem. Of course, patience is required because fungi sprout overnight, but fighting them takes weeks. But with patience you can get rid of them for good.
