How to Get Rid of Mushrooms in a Vegetable Garden
Mushrooms are a fun addition to the outdoors and can even be enjoyable to observe while they grow in your garden. But if they start to overrun your vegetable garden, you’ll need to take steps to get rid of them. Here’s what you need to know.
Causes of Mushrooms in the Garden
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and they grow in moist, dark soil where there’s plenty of organic matter for them to feed on. They can also be present in grass, especially if the grass has straw or hay in its soil.
Steps to Getting Rid of Mushrooms in the Garden
You can get rid of mushrooms in your vegetable garden with a few simple steps.
- Remove the mushrooms by hand. If the mushrooms are small and easy to access, you can simply pull them out of the soil. This is best done in the morning when the mushrooms are still freshly damp.
- Improve soil drainage. If mushrooms are showing up a lot in your garden, you might need to improve drainage. You can add compost to the soil or spread mulch to help the water get drained away more quickly.
- Mow or rake the grass. If mushrooms are appearing in grassy patches, mow or rake the grass to get rid of some of the thriving fungi. This should help keep them from coming back.
- Use chemical treatments. If the mushrooms are stubborn and won’t go away, you can try using chemical treatments like fungicides. However, these products can damage plants and are toxic, so use them with caution.
Prevention
The best way to get rid of mushrooms in your vegetable garden is to prevent them from growing in the first place. Keep your garden free of decaying or dead organic matter, as this often serves as a food source for mushrooms. Also, make sure you aerate the soil, since mushrooms thrive in poorly aerated environments. Lastly, water your garden deeply and less often, as mushrooms need the moisture to stay alive.
By following these tips, you can keep mushrooms from taking over your vegetable garden and enjoy a healthy harvest.
