Mushroom Patch :(

Hello All,

See below photos.

I have had mushrooms in my yard for the past 3 years due to over watering on my part. I just installed an irrigation system and this zone gets sunlight most of the day. I water for 10 minutes a day, three times a week. It has rain delay on the controller.

I feel as if I am not over watering it but could there be a possibility that the fungus disease or whatever has carried over from last year? Only one zone in my yard has this issue.




How would I eradicate these?

 

Mushrooms do not indicate a disease, or any other problem... they thrive on decaying matter in the soil and /or might enjoy the fertilizer that is applied to the lawn. Sprinklers can contribute too. Personally, I would do nothing... you can always pick them and throw them away, or kick them with your foot, or better yet, ignore them. Mushrooms are the visible manifestation of the main organism, which lives in the soil. Even when you don't see any mushrooms, the organism is still living in the soil... it just may not be sending up any mushrooms if it doesn't feel like it.

If you really feel like this is a problem, I have heard that a small amount of dish soap mixed with water will pollute the soil enough that the mushrooms won't like it, but it won't harm the grass.

 

Depending on where you are located I would think watering three times a week is too much for an established lawn. When you water I would do it in the early morning when the grass is wet with dew anyhow and then the lawn can dry out during the day.

 

Watering for 10 minutes is also a bad idea, as shallow watering like that will promote shallow root growth. Less frequent, longer lasting waterings would be better so the water penetrates deeper into the soil, which encourages deeper root growth.

As to the 'shrooms, it's common for wood to be the source of the decaying matter - old tree roots in old lawns or discarded pieces of dimensional lumber were always the case in a house I bought new once.