Posted: 6/28/2009 12:03:21 PM EDT
Not sure if this belongs here, but anyway. I have what appear to be mushrooms coming up in my yard at random spots. Why, and what can I do about them that is pet safe and wont destroy the rest of the yard around them (failed last year using some Roundup....)?
Also, we have a large mature tree in the back of the yard with some nasty roots coming up all over the place. Aside from being rather unsightly, they are a pain to mow around. I'm thinking I can just get some fill dirt, and even things out, but dont really know what I am doing. Any advice? 
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First, the tree. What kind of tree is it? You have to be really careful putting dirt over the roots of trees. They're up there on top of the ground cuz that's where that tree's roots naturally grow. So if you put MUCH dirt over them, you'll damage the tree....put way too simply (but you don't really want a dissertation here on tree growth) the roots need to breathe. They're used to breathing part way up in the air.....you're about to bury them. So, you CAN put dirt over them, but you have to put it there in thin layers. Another solution might be to remove the sod from around that tree as far as the roots go and then do landscape fabric (which breathes and lets water through) and mulch a circle around it. Looks nice, and you don't have to mow over those roots.... Now the mushrooms: What kind of pets do you have? Dogs? It may not be dangerous to dogs even if it's not safe for humans to eat (much like cow manure and roadkill) Do you have small children? If so, that's another matter. Beyond that, do you just hate the way a few mushrooms look, and are all about "the perfect grass yard?" (Trying to find out what your main objectives are here....) Because your choices are going to be a) try to kill the fungi by itself, which is not necessarily easy (and often involves some fairly nasty chemicals) or b)change the environment in your yard to one that is not good for the mushrooms. Roundup is not a fungicide, and mushrooms are fungi, not herbaceous plants, which is what most people think of when you say "plants". So roundup won't kill them. It's a broad-spectrum herbicide. Won't do anything to fungi. |
The tree ... I think its a maple? I didnt really think of the mulch bed idea, but I like it. What is the best way of removing sod in an area like this?
The yard ... no children, just a Lab that goes out there. The fungus is more of an annoyance than anything, looks like shit out there. So, I guess I am going for that "perfect grass yard". How do you mean, "change the environment of the yard"? |
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Okay. I figured it was a maple. That looks like Acer saccharinum or some cross of same. Maples do this. Maples are also particularly sensitive to having their root system "depth" altered. So that's why I went digging into what kind of tree before I said anything. Okay from an organic gardener's perpective, the best way to remove that sod is with a hoe and a weeding tool...lots of hard, backbreaking work. Because that's the only way to actually do it properly. The ideal situation is to take out a couple of inches of grass/roots/rootbed and replace that with mulch, see..so the roots remain in the same place, and there's no change in levels between your grass in the rest of the yard and what you mow. It's a perfect edge. But I'm betting you won't want to do that. I wouldn't. So, the reality, unfortunately, is that you're gonna have to use a spray. A broad spectrum one like glyphosphate (roundup) will work for this. Spray on a completely still day, with as little air movement as possible, so you don't get any more drift of the herbicide than absolutely necessary. Some drift will happen anyway, so be prepared to have your "killed" area be a little more than you planned... (I should include a disclaimer that this is not true "drift," but this word works for this, so I'm using it.) Then give the herbicide time to yellow the grass foliage, then get a water/air permeable landscape fabric and just lay it down on top of that––and cover with the organic mulch of your choice. Don't use ground up rubber tires. Remember...roots need to breathe. Nothing breathes under a layer of ground up rubber. The tree will like it better if you don't cover the roots with the fabric, but that's gonna be a chore. Try to just cover the main areas with the landscape fabric if you can, then spread mulch there. I might actually lay my fabric out, and use the yard itself as a pattern––just cut the big shapes out around the tree roots. In the tiny areas, don't bother with fabric. Just spread mulch (after the grass is completely DEAD, which sometimes takes more than one application of herbicide) You'll like it better if you just cover the tree roots up, cuz it's less work, but as I said, the tree won't. Okay did that make sense? I just read through it and realized I'm not being very succinct. Sorry. Long day. Mushrooms: Mushrooms found in lawns often develop from buried scraps of construction lumber, dead tree roots, or other organic matter. The fungi that produce these mushrooms are beneficial because they decompose organic matter in the soil, making nutrients available to other plants. These mushrooms usually are harmless to grasses, but some people consider them unsightly or want to get rid of them because young children play in the area. Remove mushrooms growing from buried wood or roots by picking them as they appear or by digging out the wood. Many of these mushrooms are associated with overirrigation or poor drainage. Removing excess thatch and aerating the soil to improve water penetration may help in some cases. You can sometimes eliminate mushrooms growing from organic matter by applying nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. The nitrogen should be readily available and not slow-release or water-insoluble formulations. Examples include 5 pounds of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) or special lawn fertilizers such as 6 pounds of 16-6-8 or 4 pounds of 27-3-4 per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Fertilization hastens decomposition of organic matter. I got this from a webpage, http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74100.html which is actually pretty good––has a good overview of most common fungi problems in turfgrass. When you read this, you'll see what I mean about changing the way you approach lawn care––dethatching and aerating is a big job...but the fungus is probably living on the thatch buildup in your lawn. It'll be GREAT for your lawn if you want to do all this, and it's the only way to really manage the problem––consistent turfgrass management. I'm guessing a few mushrooms here and there won't be worth all this effort, but you may feel differently. I think mushrooms are pretty though, so I'm biased. If I ran a golf course, or wanted a lawn that looked like a golf course, I would take the above approach to my grass. Caveat: Even golf courses get the occasional mushroom. The turf guys/girls pick them because they're out there every morning. Kind of like anything else that's meant to be there, you'll never guarantee "no more mushrooms" but you can reduce the number with good turf management. If you have real concerns about your pets, I'll point you to some sites where you can try to ID the mushroom, so you know whether to actually be worried or not. If you're going to get rid of it no matter what, it won't matter. All that matters is it's a fungi. Read through that webpage though, and you'll know more. (Edited for mulch clarifications) |
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maple trees tend to do this over time.
mushrooms usually grow where there is something decaying for them to feed on and is fairly moist. your best bet to getting rid of mushrooms and other fungi is to get rid of what it is they are growing on and see if you can dry out the yard some. thatching gets rid of the food and aerating gets rid of the moisture. if it is just a small area you can try using a garden rake to remove the thatch they may be growing on. |
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With the shrooms, if my dogs are dumb enough to eat them, they are funny enough to watch stumbling around in the yard.
With the roots. Any exposed roots over 5 feet from my maples I use an axe and whack the sh!t out of them. It's either that or tear my mower blade up. I have noticed the past few years that there are a lot more roots exposed and have started bagging my 3/4 acre of lawn clippings and putting them around the tree as erosion has seemed to expose the roots a bunch more. |