Small Yellow mushroom, also known as Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, is a yellow houseplant mushroom. This type of fungus lives by consuming dead organic nutrients in pots. These mushrooms do not harm the plants in the pots in which they are fed.
What Kind Of Mushrooms Are They?
Yellow fungi growing in potting soil are often seen in greenhouses and pots. These yellow mushrooms are so common that they are called pot umbrellas.
When yellow mushrooms first emerge from the soil, you may notice them as small yellow balls. These balls will turn a slightly paler color as they mature.
The hats of yellow mushrooms are oval in shape and change to the shape of a bell as time passes. If you look carefully, you can sometimes see various patterns on their skin.
Should You Remove Yellow Mushrooms?
Removing the yellow mushrooms is entirely up to you. Some like the look of yellow mushrooms, while others think they spoil the look of their pots and remove them.
Apart from that, according to some sources, the toxicity levels of these mushrooms can be high. Therefore, it can be a good idea to remove these mushrooms if you have small children or pets in the home.
Although it may seem like a good idea to clean your pot of these mushrooms, it can damage the other plant roots in your pot as the roots of the yellow mushrooms fuse with other plants to share in nutrient exchange.
Therefore, you learn and apply the correct removal method for the size and quantity of your yellow mushrooms.
Yellow mushrooms are unique in appearance and can add a different visual atmosphere to your pot. In particular, a yellow mushroom that is compatible with the colors of the other plants can complement your arrangement.
How to Identify Yellow Mushrooms
Identifying yellow mushrooms in pots is quite simple. If you see anything growing inside your pot that appears to be yellow little balls, it is probably a yellow mushroom that will mature into a mushroom.
Some of the following may be useful for identifying yellow mushrooms:
- They can range in color from pale to bright yellow, including the body and caps.
- Their caps are 1-2 inches in size and oval in shape. The gills appear as if they are independent of the body.
- The cap color is almost the same as the body color, but it is possible to see scales and dots on the stem.
- It is possible to see rings of different sizes on the stems. The rings become more prominent as the cork leans.
- Their spore prints are white
- Since they feed on dead plant remains, they do not cause any problems to the plant in the pot. They are not a parasitic species, so you can safely keep them.
Why Are They There?
Yellow fungi can be found in pots due to contaminated soil. Since fungal spores are microscopically small and cannot be seen during tillage.
It is impossible to remove them from the soil they enter. After the packing process, spores that contaminate soil spread quickly.
Spores can be transmitted from the environment or from the clothes of the workers during the packaging process. Spores can land in your pot from the fur of an animal or from your hands, especially if you have completed any outdoor soil gardening shortly before planting your pot.
You may see fungus in your soil for the following reasons:
- The soil you use may contain spores when purchasing.
- Spores may be scattered in from another soil source or plant.
- Your soil is well balanced and highly nutritious.
What Do They Do?
Yellow mushrooms are proof that the soil is rich and healthy. If you come across a yellow mushroom in your pot, don’t panic.
it’s not a bad sign. Mushrooms prefer healthy soils to grow, so the quality of your soil means that they will grow well, and away from other plants in the pot.
According to some mushroom experts, yellow mushrooms contain some toxic substances. Although this is not fully clarified, it does not affect other plants in the pot. Since yellow mushrooms feed on dead organic matter, they will help the mini-ecosystem in the pot to complete its cycle and add life to other plants.
Most people treat these fungi as molds, in fact, the fungi put some of the nutrients they consume back into the soil and are certainly not parasitic on other living things.
For this reason, your plants will not be harmed due to the presence of yellow mushrooms. So, if you come across these mushrooms next to your beloved plants, this is nothing to be afraid of so long as the soil is not over-irrigated.
What Should I Do with the Yellow Mushrooms in My Potted Plants?
If these mushrooms do not harm you or those around you, especially small children or pets, it is recommended that you leave them where they are.
These mushrooms, which are very functional both in appearance and in terms of soil richness, can add beauty to your home. But if you are thinking of removing them, some of the methods below may be useful:
- The most drastic decision may be to take the pot out of the house with all the plants and soil.
- The most difficult and experienced method is to change the soil. Changing the soil without damaging the plants is a laborious task that requires a lot of attention, and recontamination is always possible.
- During the act of removing the soil, you can shock the mushroom, which can cause the mushroom to die. However, you may not be able to get rid of all the spores using this method.
- Another method is to change the oil soil for a few inches of new soil. In this method, the bottom of the soil remains the same and you only change the top layer.
- The disadvantage of this method is that you cannot completely get rid of the spores. Therefore, this method is not much preferred.
