There are a number of features you should look for when identifying mushrooms in your garden. You can decide whether a mushroom is poisonous or non-poisonous, edible or inedible, by looking at such external characteristics.
For example, you should first look at the cap of a mushroom, and check it for rings or wart-like patterns on its body. In addition, the shape of the root can give you information about the type of fungus you have found.
What Kind of Mushrooms Grow in My Lawn?
Mushrooms in your garden are usually non-poisonous and are cream-colored and white. They feed on rotten wood chips, dead tree roots, and plants.
Although these mushrooms are generally non-poisonous, they are still not recommended for consumption. It is easy to accidentally pick the wrong mushroom and you may be mistaken about which mushrooms are poisonous and which are not. It’s best not to eat these mushrooms at all, even if they are non-poisonous.
Are Lawn Mushrooms Edible?
Most lawn mushrooms are edible and non-poisonous, but that doesn’t mean you can eat them. Because it is quite possible for you to come across poisonous ones, even if they are rare.
Although poisonous varieties of garden mushrooms are not as poisonous as the wild mushrooms you find in nature, they contain some poison, so it’s not worth the risk.
Some mushrooms have a very small amount of toxic substance that can be removed with extreme heat, but unless you are 100% sure, it is wise not to consume the mushroom you find in your lawn.
How Do You Distinguish Between Mushroom Species?
The process of distinguishing fungi from each other is not easy.
We cannot say that all white mushrooms are non-poisonous, nor can we say that all mushrooms with red hats and white spots on their hats are poisonous. There are several methods that allow us to identify fungi from each other, but in this case, the best teacher is experience.
Here are some of the general methods for identifying mushrooms:
The Smell
It’s not only flowers that smell in your garden. Maybe you don’t realize it, but the mushrooms in your garden have their own unique smell too. Here are some of the mushrooms that can spread their scent in your garden
Agaricus Xanthodermus: May have an earthy but medicinal smell
Agaricus Augustus: Strong Aniseed or Marzipan Aroma
Inocybe sp: Smells similar to Corn Silk
Phallus impudicus: A foul, fetid smell
The Touch
Each mushroom has a different texture. rough, hard, soft, slimy, hairy, or silky. The touch can also tell you how young or old the mushroom is. Younger mushrooms tend to be very hard, mature, harvest-ready mushrooms are firm and more brittle. Mushrooms that are old are malleable and rubbery.
Make a Spore Sprint
Spores come in many different colors, from cream to white, black to dark red, and purple. Since spores are microscopic, it is possible to see them more clearly with the spore print.
While making the spore print, press the mushroom on a paper on its gills and cover it, you will get a great spore print result within 1-2 hours. the color of the spores should tell you what variety of mushrooms you have.
Can You Eat Lawn Mushrooms?
Although many of the lawn mushrooms are non-poisonous, it is not recommended to eat them. Because it is possible to come across some that contain toxic substances, albeit a little.
What Happens if You Eat Mushrooms That Grow on Your lawn?
Although most of the mushrooms growing on your lawn are non-toxic if you come across a poisonous mushroom and eat it. You may experience symptoms such as nausea, stomach cramps, severe headache, and vomiting after a short time. If you encounter such a situation, you should see a doctor immediately.
How Do You Know if The Mushrooms in Your Lawn are Poisonous?
Poisonous lawn mushrooms usually have warts and small rings on their stems. In addition, their gills are cream or white instead of brown.
If you can see a ring-shaped base on the upper part of the body that goes downwards, these mushrooms have a high probability of being poisonous.
Are The White Mushrooms in Your Yard Poisonous to Dogs?
Since dogs generally tend to eat everything, the probability of them eating the fishy-smelling white mushroom that you see in your garden is very high.
But since these mushrooms grow locally, they may not contain toxic substances that can cause your dog to be harmed.
However, you should make sure that your dog does not eat any mushrooms that grow spontaneously in nature just in case they are poisonous.
Can You Touch Mushrooms in Your Lawn?
While most of the mushrooms that grow in your backyard are harmless, some of them can be dangerous because of the toxins they contain.
The probability of encouraging a toxic mushroom in your backyard is low, but not low enough to consider eating or touching them excessively.
Instead of touching these mushrooms with bare hands, you should touch them with a plastic glove – just in case.
How Do You Get Rid of Mushrooms in Your Lawn?
In order to get rid of lawn mushrooms, you can separate your grass with a rake, to break them up and prevent their spread. Also, with proper pruning techniques, you can prune your trees and purify your garden from dead trees and plant residues that mushrooms feed on.
Also, you can kill the mushroom roots and prevent them from multiplying by making holes in the area where the mushrooms are located and pouring detergent with water over them.
Hi, I’m John Stephens, chief editor and writer for Totalgardener.com. I’ve been gardening and raising animals for over 15 years starting with a small backyard plot in Northern Virginia where I grew corn, potatoes, squash, and using a high mulch technique called the Ruth Stout Method. I also raised ducks and small mammals for meat and eggs in a movable pen similar to the ones used by Joel Salatin. I later moved to Colorado where I experimented with growing greens using aquaponics inside. I eventually added a microgreens setup and home sprouting operation. I’m excited to share everything I’ve learned plus more from the other local gardening and animal raising experts I know.
