Fungi that appear on houseplants can be caused by airborne spores from other fungi. In addition, these spores occur within contaminated soil mixes. The most common type of fungus in houseplants is Leucocoprinus birnbaumii.
This mushroom is usually cylinder-capped and yellow in color. These fungi emerge especially in summer when the ambient weather conditions are suitable. These mushrooms love humid weather. Humidity prepares the necessary environment for their growth.
How To Get Rid of Mushrooms in Houseplants
It is very difficult to get rid of fungi that infect houseplants. Once these fungi have infested your soil, it is very difficult to remove them. But you can still try the following techniques to get rid of them for good.
Remove the Caps
If you want to get rid of the fungus that has infected your houseplant, the first thing you need to do is to get rid of the mushroom caps.
In this way, you also get rid of the spores that cause their spread. This method can help reduce the number of fungi without damaging the soil of your houseplant.
Scrape The Soil
You can try to get rid of these fungi by scraping the soil of your house plant from a depth of 5 cm. But in this process, the mushrooms may grow again. Therefore, this process may not be a permanent solution
Change The Soil
Changing the soil of your houseplant is one of the wisest ideas. By very carefully removing your plant from the soil, you can rid your pot of the old infected soil and add the new soil.
However, it can be a little dangerous to remove all the soil as the process may damage the roots of your plant.
Drench The Soil With Fungicide
You can soak the soil with a fungicide. In this way, you can get rid of the fungi settled in the soil. But the downside of this method is that there is a possibility that the fungi release their spores and reproduce. Therefore, you should repeat the soaking process several times.
Change The Conditions
Fungi love moist weather. By reducing the humidity in the environment, you can prevent the development of fungi. Unfortunately fungi and most houseplants like almost the same environmental conditions.
Therefore, some of the conditions that you eliminate for the growth of fungi will affect your houseplants.
Where Did The Mushrooms in My House Plant Come From?
There may be several reasons why your soil is infected with fungi. Here are some of these reasons:
There May Be Spores in The Soil
Fungal spores may be flying in from your open windows or somewhere around your plant. This may be the most logical explanation for the growth of fungi in your houseplant.
This contagion can happen anywhere. Where the soil is made, or near your flower pot, or in the greenhouse where the plants are grown.
Your Soil Life is Rich
Soils where fungi can thrive are usually fertile and rich soils. If you have such a soil, fungi may appear in your soil.
You are Overwatering Your Plants
If you water your plants more than necessary, you may find unwanted guests have moved in to take advantage of the extra moisture. Over-watered can also cause plants to become moldy.
If there is no mold, you can eliminate this possibility. If you have just started growing plants, you should get yourself a moisture meter.
Fungi love moist areas. Therefore, you need to check how humid the environment is.
Are Mushrooms Dangerous to My Plant?
The mushrooms growing in your pot will not harm your plants. These mushrooms are most likely the yellow cylindrical Leucopcoprinus birnbaumii mushrooms.
These fungi continue to exist without harming the plants in your pot. The reason these fungi do not harm your plants is that they get their nutrients from decaying organic matter.
These fungi live in temperate climates, but if you live in a relatively warmer climate, these fungi cannot reproduce easily.
If you have vegetables in your pot, these mushrooms will not affect the taste of your vegetables.
Do I Need to Get Rid Of The Mushrooms in My Plant?
Mushrooms growing in your pot are not harmful to adults, but if you have small children in your house, you should put your flower pot in a place where they cannot reach it.
As it is known, mushrooms can only be harmful if eaten. Touching or smelling them will not do you any harm.
Also, these mushrooms are not poisonous mushrooms. Some mushrooms in the wild are very poisonous and can lead to death when consumed unknowingly.
Is There Anything I Can Do to Stop Mushrooms Growing in My House Plant’s Soil?
Fungi love moist weather. If you grow your plants in a less humid environment, you can get rid of them by not allowing the fungi to grow. In addition, if you water your plant more than necessary, you can cause the emergence of fungi.
You should only water your plant as much as your plant needs. You should constantly check your soil and remove dead organics.
Since fungi feed on dead foods, the organic foods you leave on the soil surface will be unique foods for fungi. Never consume these mushrooms and keep them out of reach of your children.
Is it Bad if A Mushroom Grows in Your House?,
Mushrooms grow and multiply in humid weather. Mushrooms appear more easily in pots, especially in the bathroom of your home.
These fungi, along with heat and humidity, can cause serious mold infestations in your home.
This is an indication of a moisture problem in your home that should not be neglected. The growth of fungi in the home means that home conditions can also have a negative impact on human health.
Moisture is the enemy of the lungs, and when you stay in humid rooms for a long time, some lung diseases occur and if these diseases are not diagnosed in time, it can cause fatal health problems in the future.
If you see unwanted mushrooms in your pot, you should definitely review the general condition of your home.
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.
