Overnight, it seems, mushrooms pop up on our lawns, usually after a good rain. But it may surprise you to know that mushrooms don’t really pop up overnight. In fact, they are in the grass waiting for the right combination of temperature, moisture, and light to occur. They may wait weeks, but when the right conditions finally exist, mushroom stalks shoot up rapidly, their bodies unfold, and they release reproductive spores into the atmosphere. It’s all part of an elaborate mating ritual performed by fungal organisms that live in the soil beneath our lawns. The visible parts we call mushrooms are actually the fruiting bodies of those organisms. Mushrooms are the fungal equivalents of apples. Even the largest apple trees, however, have nothing on the network of fungal cells, or mycelia, that produce mushrooms. One mycelium may cover several acres!
Should you be worried about mushrooms in your lawn?
There are pros and cons to having a fungal network living in the soil beneath your lawn. Mycelia have a symbiotic relationship with grass and other vegetation. They help to break down decaying organic materials. They help plants’ roots to absorb water and essential nutrients. In return, their plant partners provide mycelia with carbohydrates produced by photosynthesis. In truth, you may want to rid your lawn of mushrooms, but you’d kill your grass in the process. The mycelia and grass depend on each other to survive.
So why get rid of mushrooms? The most common concern is toxicity to children and pets. Small children tend to experience the world orally, as every parent who has ever caught their child in the act of eating a bug (or some other disgusting thing) knows. The same is true of young pets, especially puppies. Unless you know for a fact that a mushroom is not toxic, it’s safer to assume that it is. Cutting your grass usually solves the problem, as mushrooms are cut at the same time. But between mowings, especially after a soaking rain, you may want to keep an eye out for mushrooms. Pluck and dispose of them as you find them. At the same time, teach your children to avoid eating mushrooms (and other plant parts, which can also be toxic). Young pets will usually outgrow the urge to “taste” the world around them, but it’s still a good idea to remove mushrooms until they do.
Learn more.
Mushrooms are truly fascinating. They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. According to mushroom expert, David Fischer, there are an estimated 10,000 species growing in North America. About 250 species are edible, though only half of those are considered worth eating. If you would like to learn more about mushrooms, check out David’s website, americanmushrooms.com. If you’d like to learn more about mushrooms specific to Louisiana, consider joining the Facebook group, Mushrooms and Fungi of Louisiana.
