Lawns - Mushrooms
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  Last year and this year we have been having quite a few mushrooms growing in our front yard that is on the south side of the house. We have been digging them up when they appear. Is there anything we can get to put on our lawn which is bermuda grass, that will go down in the soil and keep them from growing?

  Mushrooms look worse than they are. They simply mean that you have the spores in your soil and when they receive the proper moisture, humidity and temperature, they sprout up. Simply knock them down when you see them. Fungicide drenches may give you limited control, but would not be effective long term and really are not necessary.

  I have a problem with mushrooms growing in my yard. They seem to be increasing in numbers. Is there anyway I can control this problem? I also have a black substance that forms on some of my soil, in certain areas. Any help here?

  Mushrooms occur when you have the spores in the soil and high levels of moisture. Unless the mushrooms are occurring in a circle (which indicates fairy ring), or they are sprouting from the base of a tree, which indicates internal decay, there is usually not much that can be done about them. Digging up the mushrooms as they appear and removing some of the surrounding soil, replacing it with fresh soil may reduce the problem, but is not a recommended practice. The mushrooms aren’t hurting anything, they are simply a nuisance. The black soil covering is more than likely some type of algae. Algae forms when you have compacted soil, usually coupled with poor drainage. Shade and acidic pH can also increase the algae. Aerate the soil. Have your soil tested at your local county extension office to determine pH. Copper sulfate will kill the algae, but it will reoccur unless you solve the problem. Use the copper sulfate only where you have algae.

  My mother used to pick mushrooms. They were the common variety that I see both in the city and the country. If you invert them, they are pink. What variety of mushroom is this?

  There are numerous mushrooms that grow in Arkansas–both in the wild, and in our lawns. I would never tell you what exactly they are, since there are many varieties that are poisonous, that look just like the edible forms. Unless you are a certified expert, I wouldn’t eat any of them. Some of the state parks offer wild mushroom forays, you might visit with some of the park naturalists.

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