Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Mushrooms

There are a lot of fungus varieties that can cause problems in turf grass. Mushrooms are among the most visible but least harmful of lawn fungi. Fairy rings are caused by up to 50 different types of fungi and create expanding rings in turf. Neither of these problems has a simple "cure." But there are a few things that might be helpful if you discover you have one or both of these lawn disease situations.
Mushrooms Don't Harm Your Turf

Mushrooms are caused by a large number of different fungi. They are sensitive to moisture and so they normally appear during periods of heavy rainfall or on very heavily irrigated turf. Mushrooms feed on decaying organic material in the thatch or soil, and do not attack living grass plants. Shallow dead tree roots, construction debris, or heavy thatch on the lawn can become the "host" that mushrooms feed upon.

In almost all cases, mushrooms will disappear when lawn moisture levels return to normal, and regular mowing is about all the control required to manage the appearance problem they can cause. Some of the fungi that cause mushrooms are sensitive to fungicides, but this type of weed control is difficult, expensive, and the results are usually less than desirable. Because of this we normally advise that attempting to remove mushrooms chemically is not really feasible.
A Few Things We Do Advise

Keep the soil open and allow water penetration. Regular core aeration helps this. Also, be sure the turf is regularly fertilized and watered. These are not cures, but will help to mask the ring effects.

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