Much Ado About Mushrooms — Seattle’s Favorite Garden Store Since 1924 – Swansons Nursery

Mushrooms popping up in mulch beds or lawns are largely a cosmetic problem — if you don’t see them and they’re not harming your plants, you can ignore them. If they often appear on open surfaces of bare mulch or soil, consider planting those areas with low shrubs, perennials, or groundcovers. In addition to benefiting the garden, wildlife, and soil, the plants will hide the mushrooms!

On Trees and Other Plants

Mushrooms can also sprout from dead and decaying trunks, branches, or roots. A healthy tree or shrub may have a branch die off (from being shaded out or other natural causes) and slowly rot away (with mushrooms’ help) while the rest of the tree grows on around it. Sometimes they may pop out from an inconspicuous section of decaying wood on a mostly healthy trunk. The fungus is part of the natural process of decomposing that wood. A healthy tree will often seal off that section so the decay won’t spread to other wood unless the tree has more systemic health issues.

But mushrooms can also be an early sign of die-back that we didn’t notice before. If they are marching up or around the main trunk it may indicate that the tree is dying or already dead. So if you see them, take a close look at the rest of the tree and/or have a certified arborist evaluate it.

Meanwhile, it’s always a good idea to prune off dead branches to redirect growth energy to a tree’s healthy branches.

In Plant Pots

In potted plants, indoor or outdoor, mushrooms can suddenly spring up from the soil or the mulch covering it. Besides growing from any larger pieces of organic matter in the soil, this might suggest that it needs to dry out more between waterings (depending on the species of plant).

Are They Poisonous?

A larger concern is the sudden appearance of unidentified mushrooms if you have small children, pets, or anyone that might be tempted to eat one. Toxic mushrooms can cause severe and long-lasting effects, especially for the smaller members of our family.

To reduce that risk, you can cut or mow down mushrooms when you see them (although it might be a daily task this time of year). If cutting large ones by hand, wear gloves and cut them at their base. Watch out for “puffball” mushrooms which can burst and send out spores. To contain those, wrap them with a bag, cloth, or paper towel before cutting. For any mushrooms you are removing, bag them up and put them in the garbage.

Mushroom Foraging

Are you a mushroom lover? You are not alone. The Pacific Northwest is one of North America’s richest regions for foraging. Our diversity of mushroom species offers an array of nutritional and culinary benefits. But before you do any harvesting or foraging, ALWAYS make or obtain a positive identification to avoid any encounters with toxic species. The best place to start learning what and how to forage is through the Puget Sound Mycological Society.

So let the mushrooms sprout and the toads dance during their brief season. And if they seem to be getting out of hand, feel free to contact us with any questions!