How to Dispose of Wild Mushrooms

Some wild mushrooms are edible, but others can be fatally poisonous.

A patch of wild mushrooms cropping up in a yard can be an eyesore to some people who prefer a smooth, green grassy lawn. Even worse, some species of mushrooms are extremely poisonous, and can pose a hazard to young children or pets that might eat them while enjoying the outdoor environment. Disposing of wild mushrooms can be a challenge, as the removal might not take the first time, but vigilance and a few supplies can help keep them away.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel or trowel
• Gloves
• Topsoil
• Lawnmower
• Lawn aerator

Instructions

1. Remove any visible parts of the wild mushrooms, including caps, stems, or anything else rising above the surface of the soil. Put on gloves beforehand to ensure proper protection before dealing with potentially dangerous fungi.

2. Dig into the soil surrounding the mushroom patch with the shovel or trowel. Remove a small sample of the soil, about 6 inches deep, and examine it for roots or any other sign of the underground parts of the mushroom. Remove what is visible.

3. Shovel out the entire area where the mushrooms were found and replace it with fresh topsoil. Consider removing some additional soil from the immediate surrounding area, just to be sure that no lingering portions of the mushroom remain unseen underground.

4. Use the lawn aerator periodically around the area where the mushrooms grew. Aerating the lawn will allow for deeper water penetration when it rains, which should prevent the return of the mushrooms. Mushroom tend to flourish in areas with low moisture.

5. Mow the location regularly where the mushrooms existed. Doing so will ensure that any beginnings of a new mushroom patch will be quickly destroyed, before they can release spores into the area that could exacerbate allergies or cause additional mushroom growth.

References

• Weekend Gardener: Control mushrooms in your lawn