Mushroom Hunting

The appearance of mushrooms on the lawn should be treated calmly, like a plumber's visit. They may appear out of time and not aesthetically pleasing, but they do their important job. The fungus feeds on organic matter that the lawn grasses create and converts it into other substances "edible" for plants. Mushrooms enrich the soil with biologically active substances, amino acids, vitamins necessary for plants and microorganisms living in the soil. Sometimes, however, the amount of these substances is such that it can lead to partial damage to the lawn. But, as a rule, everything is limited to the so-called "witch's rings" - dark green circles on a general, lighter background of the lawn.

A small amount of nitrogen fertilization is enough to mask the result of mushroom activity. To avoid their too violent activity, one should not get carried away with the use of organic fertilizers on the lawn, regularly remove the formed grass felt and, if possible, do not use soils rich in peat when laying a new lawn.

Dmitry Lyanguzov

(Based on materials from the "Stylish Garden" magazine, No. 11, 2004)