Why Are Mushrooms Growing In My Garden?

Mushrooms are an unmistakable sign of something living beneath the soil. When you notice mushrooms popping up in your garden bed, it can be alarming. But instead of worrying about them, it's important to understand why these fungi are there in the first place.

When moisture, humidity, and soil with organic material come together in the perfect combination, mushrooms will sprout from their underground colonies. It's possible that these fungi have lived beneath your garden bed for years and weren't visible until they were exposed to optimal conditions.

In order to disperse their seeds, the colony will produce mushrooms when ready- and they're particularly attracted to already humid climates as well as decaying organic matter or places that provide lots of shade. If you've noticed a recent flurry of mushroom growth in your garden bed, chances are there's been plenty of rain or mugginess to account for it.

Are Mushrooms Growing in My Garden a Good Sign Or a Bad Sign?

Mushrooms growing in your garden can be both a good and bad sign. On the one hand, mushrooms indicate that your soil is healthy and full of organic matter. This means, whatever you are growing will absorb more nutrients from the earth and have greater access to necessary minerals, resulting in better overall growth for your plants.

Additionally, organisms such as fungi that produce mushrooms can help with water absorption by increasing the moisture content within the ground which your plants can also benefit from greatly.

On the other hand, some types of mushrooms can cause damage to your garden. Depending on where they are located in relation to other plants or trees, they may be toxic and cause sickness or injury if consumed by people or animals.

How Do I Stop Mushrooms Growing in my Garden?

Although mushrooms can offer several benefits to your garden's soil, their appearance may not always fit in with your garden's aesthetic. Additionally, if you're trying to cultivate specific plants, you may not want these fungi interfering with their growth. To prevent mushrooms from sprouting in your garden, here are some effective tips to consider.

Control The Soil Conditions

Mushrooms like decaying organic matter, so to control their growth in your garden or yard you should remove dead materials as soon as possible. This includes leaves in the fall, twigs and sticks, and grass clippings.

When you mow the lawn, make sure there are no mushrooms present as the spores can blow away and spread when cut. Keeping the soil moisture low by mowing regularly and installing drainage systems in areas prone to retaining water will also help keep mushroom growth at bay.

When creating a conducive environment for growing plants and flowers, controlling soil conditions is key. This includes keeping moisture levels down in shaded areas to prevent fungi propagation. To ensure this is achieved with minimal effort, regular mowing should be done, dead materials removed quickly, and drainage systems installed where necessary.

Remove Shady Spots In Your Garden

As a gardener, it's important to keep shady spots in your garden to a minimum. Too much shade can prevent plants from getting the sunlight they need to thrive, as well as increase the likelihood of fungus or other pests taking up residence.

Fortunately, there are a few simple steps that you can take to remove shady spots and make sure your garden is filled with flowers and vegetables. First, trim back any excess branches from trees or shrubs that are shading your garden. This will help the sun's rays reach more parts of your garden, drying out excess moisture and bringing more life-giving sunlight down into the soil.

Second, if those shadier areas tend to be wet and marshy, you may want to install drains and channels to divert water away from those spots. This will further reduce the amount of standing water in those areas while helping sunlight penetrate all over your landscaped space.

Finally, consider putting mushrooms in these shadier spots as they can thrive in environments where other plants might struggle under direct sunlight.

Install Or Create Drainage

Making sure your garden or lawn has adequate drainage is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a healthy, vibrant landscape. Poor drainage can lead to mushrooms, pooling water and mud, and even damaged plants or landscaping. To get the best drainage from your soil, you will need to take steps to improve it.

Cleaning out gutters and extending downspouts away from gardens is a great first step in improving soil drainage. Additionally, creating a rain garden or using rain barrels can be effective in collecting heavy rains instead of letting it soak into your soil pooling and causing problems.

For more serious drainage concerns, installing a french drain or dry creek bed will ensure that excess water flows away from plants and continues moving towards an appropriate location such as a storm sewer line. 

Apply Fertilizer

Fertilizers can be an effective way of preventing mushrooms from sprouting in certain areas of your garden. By using a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content, the organic material in the soil will decay more quickly. Here at Canada Grow Supplies, we carry a variety of the best products available to suit any grower’s needs!

This in turn prevents mushroom spores from being able to find the food supply they need for growth. However, this technique should only be used with caution, as high doses of fertilizer can be harmful to other plants in your garden. Therefore it’s important to follow the manufacturer's doses and not over-apply nitrogen-rich fertilizers or you may accidentally damage your garden crops.

Aerate Garden And Improve Drainage

Having a garden is a great way to grow fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs, but it's important to properly maintain it in order for your plants to thrive. One of the most important steps in garden maintenance is aerating your soil prior to planting, as this helps improve drainage and reduces the risk of compaction due to traffic or watering.

Aerating your garden with a pitchfork or similar tool can help break up the fungal layer that might be present at the base of your soil, protecting plant roots from disease and allowing them to absorb more nutrients.

This can also improve water drainage, so that excess water doesn’t pool around the roots which can cause root rot or other issues.

Once you have aerated your garden soil it is important to immediately dispose of any plugs created during the process - if left behind on the ground they could spread their spores into your garden. By following these tips regularly you can help keep your garden healthy and beautiful for years to come.

Get Rid Of Existing Mushrooms

Removing mushrooms from your garden is one of the most effective ways to get rid of existing ones. This can be done as soon as they start sprouting, before they spread more spores and cause more mushrooms to grow.

To do this, you must first dig up or pull out the mushroom from the bottom of the ground carefully so that no spores are spread around in your garden. Then, put the mushroom in a plastic bag and tie it closed firmly, sealing away any possibility for spores to escape.

Consider Using A Fungicide To Get Rid Of Mushrooms

Using a fungicide for the removal of mushrooms can be an effective way to resolve the issue. Fungicides act against the fungus causing the mushrooms to grow, which in turn should make them stop appearing.

This method can be especially useful when it comes to large areas of mushroom growth and is usually safe for use around vegetable gardens, flowers, and other plants.

However, it's important to note that fungicides are not designed for quick results and may take several weeks here before they are completely effective. 

Final Thoughts

Mushrooms growing in your garden can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, mushrooms are beneficial to soil health and overall wellness of plants in your garden. They help improve absorption of water and nutrients, leading to increased growth, stress resistance and disease resistance among your plants.

They also indicate that the soil in your garden is healthy enough to sustain life. Furthermore, with their added presence comes an influx of more nutrients and better drainage for water – both positive signs for your garden.