You don't say where you are but I have had stinkhorn fungi in my yard. They show up when it's damp and since I'm in tropical Florida, that pretty much means every summer. I've had the one that looks like a red wiffle ball and the dog vomit variety among others. They smell like something died. They disappear when it's dry so I never bother with them.
Is it super wet where you are?

Here is a link that might be useful: kill the fungus

changing the ph of the soil should work, maybe? lol

Hi coffeemom...thanks for the link. I am in New Brunswick Canada and yes it has been a terribly wet summer and fall. I did put all the ones I found in a bag in the trash and I scooped up the dirt around them, then put vinegar. It has rained the last few days so I am sure that has washed some of the spores into the ground again :( At least with the rain the flies aren't as bad as they have been!
I went out there today and no new ones yet but I will be checking daily. You can see the balls come to the surface before the long neck thing with the black goop pops out. If I can catch them then it is better I guess.
I have never smelled anything so disgusting in my life!
Thanks again.

You need to make darn sure which ones you eat.About 2 years ago a family went out picked mushrooms for dinner a few died a few of thier kidneys failed.

Bulldinkie...believe me there is NO WAY these would ever get eaten by ANYTHING!! You have to hold your breath and be upwind when you are near them. They are beyond foul. I put them into a plastic bag to seal them and their spores, NOT to eat, they are in the garbage now.

Yes we have had them. The extension agent said to spread lime over the area. In a few days they were pretty much gone. The spores came from some bags of cypress mulch I got at Walmart. The lime worked. You can get bags at Ace Hardware, or any nursery.

Please don't spread lime where the stinkhorns are growing. Lime applications can dramatically alter the pH of the soil (raising it), which might be detrimental to existing plants. Also, vinegar poured directly into the soil can cause problems, too.

They are often found where fresh mulch has been put out, since they are part of the recycling team of fungi. Most common in wood mulch (not bark mulch), but I've seen them in pine straw, too.

I'd simply keep them raked up, and if you can do so before they some to the surface...all the better. I sympathize with you, believe me.

These are not in mulch at all. They are growing in the soil where a tree used to be and I believe are growing on the old dead roots of that tree. The tree died some time ago, it was a lilac.
I planted a butterfly garden around where the tree was. Unfortuantely some of these plants are now in danger of being lost because these things are popping up. I have some special plants in there (fern leaf peonie, peach maltese cross, unusual coneflowers etc.) that I may not be able to get again.
I am being very careful about pouring the vinegar because I do know it will kill the plants but my hope is it will kill any spores that have dropped into the soil.
I haven't had a chance to check out there yet today as I have been at work. I will when I get home later.
Thanks again for all the ideas/help.

taigen, these mushrooms will not harm your valuable plants. Is there anyway that you can take a picture of these fungi? There are so many different kinds of stinkhorn and if I could identify it, I might be in a better position to help you get rid of them/slow them down.

I'm worried that if you mess with the soil too much, it might not recover (the soil, I mean) readily. A healthy, balanced soil system is vital to your plants. We don't think of the soil as being a fragile entity, but it is.

The lime was applied to our mulch area, because it was used as a bare, no grass could grow, shaded area.
You can always ask an extension agent to come out an asscess the area for you.
Saying never to apply lime, is misleading. Changing the PH of the soil, is what works. If they are in an exsisting garden (which you said), then consider another alternative.

Mine became very slimy if left to rot on their own. Nasty things.

I am just getting on here now after having removed some more from the garden after work. I will certainly take a photo next time before removing them so you can see.

Rhizo...it isn't just the worry of my plants being killed off by them. The reality is that you can not be anywhere near the garden they are growing in. They are beyond disgusting in smell and the amount of flies they are attracting. My husband is a medic and he says they smell worse than some dead bodies he has dealt with!!

I had a friend stop by yesterday and they could not be near the garden nor the the garbage can that the bag was in.

I really am getting very concerned that these are out of control now. The ones today are coming up in the lawn, which I guess in some ways is better as I can safely lime those.

Being in Florida I have to ask-Will the change in seasons, specifically cold weather freeze/kill the spores?
I'm sorry you have to deal with this. They're nasty.
Here are pics for those inquiring.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant porn-not for faint of heart

......there's more

Here is a link that might be useful: Hall of Fame