17/02/2020
Anyone else feeling the humidity?
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Hot and humid conditions are perfect for growing your lawn, but also perfect for growing mushrooms, which are not uncommon this time of year.
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So, what's the story with mushrooms growing in your lawn?
Did you know that all mushrooms are fungi, but not all fungi are mushrooms? Mushrooms are actually the fruit of a fungus and appear above ground when the conditions are at their optimum - warm and humid, or cool and damp.
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The main reason why mushrooms appear in your lawn is because the environmental conditions are at their optimum for the fungi to fruit.
The good news is that mushrooms are a great sign that you have lots of organic material in your soil, which lawns love. They also help to break down organic material and aid in nutrient production.
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If you have mushrooms there's no need to stress, as they do not damage your lawn.
However, if you don’t want them popping up you can easily remove them by hand. More often than not favourable growing conditions for mushrooms will change and they will naturally disappear on their own.
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If you have continued issues with mushrooms, you could reduce humidity by improving drainage, which reduces the ability for fungus to grow. Also, avoid watering your grass in the evening, as daytime watering will allow any moisture to dissipate and fully absorb.
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Mushrooms also love shade, so make sure you trim back your trees to let the sunlight on your grass, and improve its ability to create food and oxygen.
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A compacted lawn will also be a haven for mushrooms, so consider aerating to improve drainage and allow oxygen and nutrients to your lawn's roots.
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So, there you have it, the full run-down on mushrooms!
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Image: thanks to Lawn Solutions Australia