You may have seen some mushrooms popping up in your garden beds. Most of the time, you’ll find them in flower beds that are mulched with bark or shredded wood, which is basically recycled wood. People often call the Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab with these kinds of sightings and ask, “Is it dangerous? Is it poisonous? Will it kill my plants? How do I get rid of it?” Let’s break it down.
It is dangerous? The short answer is PROBABLY NOT. There are a lot of fungi that live in the ground or on wood that turn into mushrooms. The role of these fungi is to help breakdown the wood material. They are an integral part of the ecosystem cycle.
Is it poisonous? This is a tougher question, because it depends on the fungus. A good field identification guide will help with figuring out what the fungus is. The usual practice is to NOT eat a wild fungus unless you are 100% sure of its identity. The spores produced by these mushroom can be an allergen to a small percentage of folks. If your pet is affected, please talk to a vet right away; if you can, take a picture of the mushroom. A physical sample is helpful but remember that the mushroom may breakdown rapidly.
Will it kill my plants? Unlikely! In some cases, these mushroom may be beneficial to the plants. When they break down the woody “waste,” they add nutrients back to the soil that plants can use. Then again, something like SLIME MOLD can smother and overwhelm small plants.
How do I get rid of it? Most mushrooms are delicate and will break down relatively quickly. Many mushrooms associated with the mulch may be present only a few days. The breakdown can be hastened with disturbance (ie. chopped up, broken, crushed). You can break up the mushroom with a jet of water (this works well for slime molds and mushroom that are fragile) or with a tool like a rake. But for these types of mushrooms, there are no approved fungicides.
Where are these mushrooms coming from when it’s so dry outside? The ground may be dry, but landscape beds are usually watered. If the right conditions are met, like enough water for the fungi and the right temperature and humidity, the mushroom will show itself. The key is availability of water to the fungus. In a garden bed, irrigation to ensure that plants are watered also provide water to the fungus.
Mushrooms popping up in raised garden beds are a common occurrence that often takes gardeners by surprise. While some view these fungi as a nuisance, mushrooms are actually an indicator of healthy soil and can be beneficial to your vegetables In this article, we’ll take a closer look at mushrooms in raised beds, when you should encourage them, and when it may be best to remove them
What Causes Mushrooms to Grow in Raised Beds?
There are a few key factors that create ideal conditions for mushrooms to thrive in raised garden beds
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Moisture: Raised beds tend to retain moisture well, which mushrooms need to grow. The gaps between boards provide shade and protection.
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Nutrients The rich soil of raised beds contains abundant organic matter for mushrooms to feed on Regular mulching adds nutrients.
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Warmth: Raised beds heat up quicker than regular garden soil, especially the dark, moist areas around the boards.
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Spores: Mushroom spores can unknowingly be introduced through infected mulch, manure, compost or untreated wood. Once present, they spread easily in moist soil.
Understanding what mushrooms need to grow will help you decide if they are welcome guests or not in your raised beds.
Are Mushrooms Harmful to Plants?
In most cases, mushrooms are completely harmless companions to vegetable plants and trees. Here are some of the benefits they can provide:
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Nutrient cycling – Mushrooms help break down organic material and recycle nutrients back into a form plants can absorb.
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Pest control – Some mushrooms have anti-insect and anti-bacterial properties that protect plants.
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Improved soil structure – The threadlike mycelium of mushrooms creates a matrix that improves soil texture.
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Increased moisture retention – Mycelium helps soil absorb and retain water better.
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Plant partnerships – Many mushrooms form symbiotic mycorrhizal associations with plant roots, improving nutrient and water uptake.
So not only are mushrooms usually harmless, they actively improve soil health and plant growth in most cases.
When to Remove Mushrooms from Raised Beds
While mushrooms are beneficial to garden soil and plants, there are a couple situations where you may want to remove them:
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Poisonous varieties – Certain types like the death cap are toxic, so remove any you can’t identify. Teach kids not to eat wild mushrooms.
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Allergies – Spores released by some mushrooms can trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals if inhaled.
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Timber damage – Wood-decay fungi will eventually cause rotting of untreated timber raised beds as they break down lignin.
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Appearance – If you don’t like the unsightly look of mushrooms, promptly remove the fruiting bodies. They will regrow from mycelium.
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Overabundance – Large masses of mushrooms can crowd out space needed for vegetables. Thin excessive growth.
When mushrooms become detrimental in these ways, take steps to remove them. Otherwise, let them be.
Controlling Mushrooms in Raised Garden Beds
If mushrooms are becoming a nuisance in your raised beds, there are a few cultural practices that can help reduce their growth:
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Remove old mulch and replace it with sterile material like gravel or landscape fabric to cover bare soil.
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Allow beds to dry out between waterings to create less hospitable conditions.
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Turn and stir soil frequently to disrupt fungal mycelium networks.
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Apply lime to raise the pH – most fungi thrive in acidic conditions. Wood ash also increases pH.
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Replace any rotting wood boards that may be harboring spores. Choose naturally rot-resistant timber.
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Solarize soil by covering beds with clear plastic in summer to kill fungi with heat.
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Introduce mushroom predators like birds, toads, shrews and hedgehogs to your garden.
With persistence, these methods can help curtail mushroom growth but eradication is difficult. Learning to coexist is often the best approach.
Using Mushrooms to Your Advantage
Rather than battling mushrooms, an alternative is to embrace them and use them to enhance your garden’s health:
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Compost activators – Add mushrooms to compost piles and worm bins to accelerate decomposition of organic material.
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Mulch boosters – Chopped mushrooms increase nutrient content and water retention of mulch.
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Pest deterrents – Some varieties like Reishi repel insects. Place pieces under plants.
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Mycorrhizal inoculants – Powdered mushrooms promote symbiosis between plant roots and fungal filaments.
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Medicinal Tonics – Certain mushrooms like Chaga have health benefits and can be brewed into teas.
With a bit of creativity, those pesky mushrooms can become powerful plant allies!
Tips for Coexisting with Mushrooms in Raised Beds
Here are some final pointers for peacefully coexisting with mushrooms in raised garden beds:
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Learn to identify poisonous species and remove only those. Leave beneficial fungi.
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Pick individual mushrooms as they appear but leave the underground mycelium intact.
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Mulch around plants rather than open soil to cover potential growth sites.
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Ensure raised beds have adequate drainage to avoid overly soggy conditions.
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Rotate annual crops to prevent any one fungus from dominating long term.
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Plant mushrooms intentionally in a separate shaded bed and harvest for your use.
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Accept that fungi are integral members of a healthy garden ecosystem.
With a better understanding of the causes, benefits and occasional downsides of mushrooms in raised beds, you can make informed choices about how to manage them successfully as part of your garden. A diverse fungal population contributes to the overall biodiversity that is key to building balanced, resilient soil and plant communities. Making space for mushrooms can thus improve sustainability in your garden. So consider giving these decomposers their due regard rather than dismissing them as pests. A thriving symbiotic relationship with fungi will reward you and your plants!
What To Do About MUSHROOMS In The Garden?
FAQ
Should I remove mushrooms from my raised garden bed?
Why is my raised garden bed growing mushrooms?
Should I let mushrooms grow in my garden?
Are the mushrooms growing in my garden edible?
Why do mushrooms grow in raised beds?
Mushrooms grow in raised beds for several reasons: We use raised beds in vegetable gardens for a few different reasons, but the most important is that they provide a much more stable growing environment for our veg than simply planting in the soil.
How do you grow mushrooms in a raised bed?
Mulch Mindfully: Apply a layer of mulch to your raised bed to regulate soil temperature and moisture levels. However, avoid over-mulching, which can create favorable conditions for mushrooms. Soil Health: Foster overall soil health by amending your garden bed with organic matter and using natural fertilizers.
Are raised beds good for mushrooms?
They also drain better, while typically having high amounts of organic matter like leaf mould or garden compost due to annual mulching. The soil health, combined with timber edging and shaded gaps between raised beds creates the ideal space for mushrooms to mycelia to thrive, and mushrooms to fruit. Are mushrooms a problem in raised beds?
Are mushrooms good for a raised garden?
Unlike mols, mushrooms are a good sign that your raised garden has healthy soil. They help dead breakdown waste material and return the nutrients to the ground. Mushroom composite is one of the best soil amendments. Can You Get Rid Of Mushrooms In Your Garden Raised Bed?
How do mushrooms grow?
Mushrooms will often grow on decaying organic matter which they then feed on for nutrients. This is why you can see them bursting from old tree stumps or aged fencing. Raised garden beds may contain wood chips, chunky mulch, or timber that’s used to build the bed itself. All of these can provide the ideal foundation for mushrooms to sprout from.
Why are there mushrooms in my raised vegetable garden?
It might be very disgusting to find unwanted mushrooms in your raised vegetable garden. Although this might be pretty annoying, it is a good sign of an active soil microweb. The part you see above the ground is the fruiting body of mushrooms. The mushrooms are growing because of too much organic matter in your soil. They mostly grow on woodchips.