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Vegetable Gardening

Mushrooms have invaded my garden. Is this a problem?

15 years ago

I walked out to my garden where I am growing some corn and melons and discovered these little guys everywhere.

This is my first garden so I have no idea if this is normal or a problem.

Here is an overview of a section where you can see distribution and relative size next to some corn:

[URL=http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0631e.jpg][IMG]http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/1534/img0631e.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

And here is a closeup:

[URL=http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0639x.jpg][IMG]http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/2417/img0639x.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

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Comments (6)

drayven
Original Author
15 years ago
Whoops, here are the links in a better format:
http://img210.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0631e.jpg

http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0639x.jpg
0
bella_trix
15 years ago
Mushrooms are not a problem in the garden; in fact, there are studies showing they can benefit plants in the garden. The ones in your picture are delicate and will disintegrate quickly. I believe they are a type that grows on compost, so they are busy breaking down your compost into ingredients more useable to your plants.

While I'm sure you know the following, I always like to repeat this: Do not eat any wild mushroom unless you are 100% sure that you have identified it correctly and have an experienced mushroom hunter verify your identification. On a side note, you can not poison yourself by having them growing in the garden or by touching them. Swallowing them is the trouble!

Bellatrix
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@Mark Biddle, did you read the full thread? As has been clearly pointed out, mushrooms that appear from out of the soil are NOT harmful to growing plants. The mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of naturally occurring fungal organisms that are the decomposers of organic matter or dead plant material. They are everywhere and do not eat "at the garden roots and stems and such" or bother any living plants! There is no need to compost them as they will disappear in a couple of days all on their own. They are the sign of a healthy soil.
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However the great thing is we know now that mycelium behaves not only like a neural network. It's able to break down rocks and other material not only organic. [ Paul Stamets was involved in one with petroleum, "spoiler alert" He was the only successful 1 out of 3 // and another one where they radioactively tagged a rock and come back later to verify minerals were being transported across a mycelial network some distance away from its origin. ] It's been proven that they can communicate with other plants in a way. This also is a few interesting test studies with aphids and the natural defense that was provided by the mushroom mycelium. In relation to a few plants. Taking the time to identify maybe a hidden treasure in itself. Otherwise if you just don't like them I agree with the right method knock them down and turn them under the soil if you want.
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drayven
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the quick response. That's kinda what I figured but I wanted to be safe. And don't worry I only ate a few of the mushrooooomsslkdjowprettyflowerlk;asdjfl;kwjegoodcornl;kdoiw
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imrainey
15 years ago
What I've always heard is that they indicate that you have organically rich soil.

You might monitor your water use and see if you can maintain a drier soil. Fungus requires a damp environment.

If you find them growing on stumps and roots, probably best to leave them alone to break them down.
0
gardenlen
15 years ago
yep good indicators of a healthy garden, leave them be in time they will stop or get less.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page
0
boogshead
15 years ago
one of my garden beds has what seems like hundreds of clusters of tiny brown mushrooms that start out as little tightly packed colonies, which then spring up into slimy black caps, to shrivel away into nothing, all within a day or two. I shouldn't worry about this? Just let the mushrooms do their job breaking down the organic matter in the bed? It won't affect the peas/onions/everything else growing there already? Thanks.
0

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