What does it mean when mushrooms grow in your plants?

Got mushrooms? Here are the causes of mushrooms growing in your garden or potted plants and what to do about it!

It’s funny because when you are growing plants, you want them to grow. You water them and provide light and care hoping for growth.

But sometimes, other things grow too.

Usually, that’s weeds.

Today I want to talk about mushrooms and what causes them to grow by your indoor and outdoor plants, what they mean, and what you should do about them!

Mushrooms growing in outdoor garden

Mushrooms are natural growing fungi that can appear in your yard suddenly or over time!

What does it mean when mushrooms grow in your garden?

Mushrooms usually appear in yards after a period of heavy rain without much sun. Mushrooms tend to indicate high organic matter and high moisture – as well as low light – in the area.

Dead roots can also cause mushrooms to grow. This could be from a dead tree, stump, or even where a tree used to be. If the roots are decomposing under the soil, they could lead to increased mushroom growth.

Do mushrooms mean healthy soil?

A lot of soil has organic material in it, meaning that there are mushroom spores present. They are just waiting for the right (shady, moist) conditions to sprout! So, mushrooms mean high organic material – which is not a bad thing.

Are mushrooms in your garden OK?

Mushrooms are a part of a healthy ecosystem. They indicate that there is a lot of organic material and they help to break that material down!

However, they could also mean that your soil is too wet and not draining well. Sitting moisture can kill plants and lead to a variety of problems with your lawn, so assess the drainage situation and act accordingly!

Should you remove mushrooms from your garden?

You can choose to knock mushrooms down if you want, but they are not hurting your garden. Mushrooms are completely natural and not a problem in most spaces!

How do you prevent mushrooms growing in your yard?

Mushrooms like to grow in shady areas, so cutting back branches or plants that provide shade can help to cut down on mushroom growth.

Mushrooms also like moist soil, so be sure that your yard and garden has plenty of drainage! Aerating your lawn can also help to improve flow and decrease mushroom growth.

Additionally, mulching your garden will help to better manage moisture levels and decrease the mushroom growth.

If you want to treat for mushrooms, copper sulfate is the most common treatment to prevent mushroom growth.

Are backyard mushrooms poisonous?

Most common backyard mushrooms are not poisonous. However, there are a few that are poisonous to humans, cats, and dogs. If you have curious mouths in your yard, it’s better to knock them down.

Mushrooms growing in potted plants

Mushrooms can also appear in the soil of potted houseplants.

What does it mean when mushrooms grow in your potted plants?

If there are mushrooms growing in the potting soil of your indoor plants, that is usually an indicator that the soil is staying moist. The potting mix is retaining a lot of moisture. This isn’t necessarily bad, but could lead to bad things like gnats.

Mushrooms feed off of decaying matter so if you have a lot of dead leaves, roots, or similar in your soil, that will feed them. Keep the soil cleaned up dead debris if you don’t want mushrooms!

What to do when mushrooms grow in your houseplants?

You can simply knock down mushrooms in your plants or pluck them to remove them. However, you will also want to address the issue causing the mushrooms.

Usually this is too much water or not enough sunlight. Moist, shady soil mixed with decaying organic matter (present in most potting soils) is what leads to mushroom growth.

Should I remove mushrooms from potted plants?

Mushrooms don’t hurt your plants. But if you don’t like them aesthetically, or are worried about pets or kids getting them, then it is no problem to pull them mushrooms.

If you don’t want to pull the mushrooms by hand, you can mix 1 part white vinegar with 4 parts water and spray that on the mushrooms. Be careful getting this on your houseplants, though, as it can damage them.

Repotting the plant in fresh potting mix is another way to get rid of mushrooms and ensure that the soil is healthy.

Are mushrooms that grow in potted plants poisonous?

Most types of mushrooms that will grow in in houseplant soil are completely harmless. However, if you are concerned about kids or pets that may eat them, it is better safe than sorry!

Any more questions about mushrooms growing in your plants?

Thanks for reading!

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