It can be frustrating when you start noticing whitish balls all over your lawn once the wet weather comes around. On a closer look, you notice that they are mushrooms and last time you checked you had not turned your lawn into a mushroom garden. Even as you pick them out from the ground, the next day you notice that there are more. What could be the cause of the growth? Don't worry there is any conspiracy to rip your lawn of its beauty and luster there is a reason for the growth.
Mushrooms are of the fungus family that in most cases do not appear on your lawn but stay underground until they a broken down to help in with the soil composition. The appearance of mushrooms on your lawn is proof that your soil has some good amount of fungus which keeps your soil well aerated and provides nutrients for your plants and grass.
The growth of mushrooms is encouraged by the right amount of moisture in the soil as well as adequate shade. As the mushroom appears on your lawn, it releases some pores which act as the reproductive cells for another fungus in the future before they die off as he soils dries up during dry weather. The mushrooms are harmless to the lawn but are not good to the aesthetic appeal and the next rainy season will come with them if you do not try to change the conditions of your lawn. Here are certain things you can do to keep the pesky appearance of mushrooms from lawn:
Fertilizer application
Mushrooms appear because the fungus breakdown process was not fast enough. The introduction of nitrogen into the soil will go a long way in making sure there is complete and fast decomposition of the fungus. Nitrogen fertilizer is one way to do the work but make sure that the fertilizer is the right form and not one that will take the time to act on the fungus.
Remove shades
Shades have the ability to help the soil retain moisture in certain parts of the soil. This moisture is one of the main factors that mushrooms crop up around your lawn. Trim all trees and shrubs that might be shading your law and if possible remove the shade altogether.
Reduce the moisture
Depending on the type of irrigation system you have installed there is always a possibility that you are overwatering your lawn and this makes it the perfect breeding ground for mushrooms. It is important to water your plants even during cold and wet weather but be careful not to use too much water on the soil as it gives mushrooms the opportunity to grow and spoil the flawless look of your lawn.
Aeration
When you walk around your lawn and you notice that after it has rained there is that one area that seems to retain water for the longest time then you should be sure that there is a drainage problem. A simple solution for this is to keep the area free of unwanted moisture and water logging lies in aeration. Aeration improves the structure of the soil and which is essential for good drainage, and it also helps oxygen circulation which in turn helps to break down the organic material in the soil.
Mushrooms might ruin the look of your lawn, but it is harmless so do not take their appearance as a war declared on you and your plants. As time goes by and the sun appears you will see them vanish as fast as they appeared. In any case it is reassuring to see some mushroom that not.
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