Category: Organic Lawns

MUSHROOMS IN YOUR LAWN - GOOD OR BAD

11/18/2021

When the temperatures rise and there has been an abundance of rain or supplemental irrigation. Mushrooms come in all shapes and colours. For the most part, mushrooms are a good thing as they are a sign that there is plenty of activity going on in the soil food web below the ground.

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of the fungi that feed on organic material that exists in the soil, providing nutrients to other microorganism as well as to the roots of landscapes plants and to the turf.

There are a lot of fungi varieties that can cause problems in lawns. Mushrooms are among the most visible, but least harmful of lawn fungi. Fairy rings are caused by up to 50 different types of fungi and create expanding rings in turf. Although fairy rings and mushrooms are not harmful, they are unslightly for some people. Here are a few facts about mushrooms and how to help control them on your lawn.

Mushrooms Don’t Harm Your Lawn

Mushrooms are caused by a large number of different fungi, and the good news is they won’t cause lawn diseases. They are sensitive to moisture and normally appear during periods of heavy rainfall and warm temperatures or on very heavily irrigated turf. Mushrooms feed on decaying organic material on the lawn in the thatch or soil, and do not attack living grass plants. Shallow dead tree roots, construction debris, or heavy thatch on the lawn can become the “host” that mushrooms feed upon.

In almost all cases, mushrooms will disappear when lawn moisture levels return to normal and regular mowing will help get rid of these unsightly fungi. Some of the fungi that cause mushrooms are sensitive to fungicides. Usually fungicides will only help prevent further mushrooms from developing and not kill the current ones. Because of this, we normally advise that attempting to remove mushrooms chemically is not really feasible.

It’s also a good idea to determine what kind of mushrooms your lawn is developing or spotting types of mushrooms in your neighbourhood area. Although mushrooms don’t affect your turf, some mushrooms are toxic for pets.

How To Control Mushrooms In Your Lawn

To control mushrooms on the lawn, we recommend keeping the soil open and reduce water frequency for the time being. Make sure you’re following best watering practices to avoid over watering your lawn (over watering leads to Brown Patch). Regular core aeration helps keep the soil open and allows more air, nutrients and water to reach the root zone for healthy, thick grass. These tips will generally help control mushrooms, and prevent new mushrooms from emerging on the lawn.

Mushrooms don’t last a long time once they surface and will usually decompose in a couple of days. There are no products that will keep mushrooms from growing in a lawn or landscape bed. They can be hand-picked and thrown away, but it is a good idea to wear gloves when doing so as some mushrooms are poisonous. Normally mowing will also remove those mushrooms that grow taller than the turf.

For more information make a Estimate Request today.

TIPS FOR ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE LAWNS

4/27/2014

• Water early in the morning.
Much of the water from daytime watering is lost to evaporation. Avoid over watering your lawn - it's more damaging than under watering. Water to a depth or 1-2" once a week. Sightly more during drought conditions.

• Leave clippings on the lawn.
Sometimes referred to as "grass-cycling", this provides nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, water) equivalent to one application of fertilizer. Clippings do not cause thatch. Mulching mowers help the clippings hide in the grass. For effective grass cycling, wait until the lawn is 4" tall, then set the mower height to 3.5". Remember to bag your clippings when weeds are in flower, this will reduce the number of weeds seeds able to grow in your lawn.

• Observe the weeds.
Dandelions thrive at a pH level of 7 or above, and are a sign to add a natural product to lower the pH of your soil. Clover and medic are sign that your lawn may be nitrogen poor, and needs a good quality compost.

• Sharpen mower blades at least 1 - 2 times a year.
You can tell when your mower blades are dull by looking at the grass tips. If they are brown and ragged, your blades are dull. Sharp mower blades not only make your lawn look greener, they help develop a healthier lawn.

• Fertilize 3 to 5 times with a Natural / Organic Fertilizer.
This is sufficient for an attractive lawn. Cool season grasses are semi-dormant in the summer. Fertilizing in early fall promotes vigorous lawn growth the next spring. Not all Natural or Organic fertilizers are the same READ THE LABEL before applying.

• Stop pesticide/herbicide.
Pesticides/herbicides kill the soil organisms which contribute to a healthy lawn. The sooner you remove harsh chemicals, the faster your soil will recover. Repeated past use of toxic chemicals and synthetic fertilizers will have destroyed or damaged the biological life that exists in healthy soil; it will take time, at least a season with the use of a Natural / Organic soil feeding fertilizer, for the soil to begin to recover.

• Reseeding or over-seeding?
This is a staple of an healthy organic lawn care program. Overseeding evey year will help ensure you have a thicker healthier looking lawn. If you are adding seed to cover bare spots or a thin lawn, use hardy perennial ryegrass and drought-tolerant fescue seed mix.

• Hand raking.
If the lawn clippings are too long and are clumping up, try hand raking. This light aerobic exercise will save you a trip to the gym. If you have fallen leaves to rake, don't burn them - they make excellent mulch for flower or garden beds, or can be added to your compost pile where they'll be converted to rich, organic humus for the garden.

For more information make an Estimate Request today.

Healthy Lawn Basics

4/27/2014

The only way to reduce a dependence on chemical fertilizers is to develop a healthy lawn, which is naturally resistant to weeds, insects and diseases. If you need to fertilize your lawn more than once a year, consider these ways of improving the natural health of your lawn:

1. Improve the Soil
The first step is to test the soil's pH - it should read between 6.5 and 7.0, which is slightly acidic. Soil that is too acidic will need a sprinkling of lime; sulfure can be added to soil which is not acidic enough.
Lawns grow best in loamy soils that have a mix of clay, silt and sand. Too much clay in the soil mix, or heavy use, can compact the soil and prevent air and nutrient flow. Compacted soil may need aeration, a process of lifting small plugs of turf to create air spaces in the soil. This will remove "finger size" plugs which improves aeration. Aeration is best done before over seeding, top dressing.

Organic matter, such as compost, compost-tea and grass clippings, will benefit any type of soil; it lightens soil which is heavy in clay, and it builds humus in sandy soils, which helps retain water and nutrients. Some lawn mowers are equipped with mulching attachments which break up the clippings and disperse them as you mow.

2. Choose a Locally Adapted Grass
Grasses vary in the type of climate they prefer, the amount of water and nutrients required, shade tolerance and the degree of wear they can withstand. Ask your local professional awn care provider to recommend grass which is best adapted to your area.

3. Mow Often, but Not Too Short
Giving your lawn a "Marine cut" is not doing it a favor. Surface roots become exposed, the soil dries out faster and surface aeration is reduced. As a general rule, don't cut off more than one-third of the grass at any one time. Most turf grass species are healthiest when kept between 2.5 and 3.5" tall.

When the lawn is finished growing for the season, cut it a bit shorter to about 1.5 and 2". This will minimize the risk of mold buildup during winter.

4. Water Deeply but Not Too Often
Thorough watering encourages your lawn to develop deep root systems which make the lawn hardier and more drought-resistant. Let the lawn dry out before re-watering; as a rule of thumb, the color should dull and footprints should stay compressed for more than a few seconds. When watering, put a cup in the sprinkler zone; it should get at least one inch (2.5cm) water. Most healthy lawns require only 1" of water per week.

The best time for watering is early morning - less water will be lost to evaporation.

5. Control Thatch Build-Up
Thatch is the accumulation of above-soil runners, propagated by the grass. This layer should be about 1/4 to 1/2" ( 1.25cm) on a healthy lawn, and kept in balance by natural decomposition, earthworms and microorganisms. Too much thatch prevents water and nutrients from reaching the grass roots. Before resorting to renting a dethatcher, however, effort should be made to improve aeration to control thatch buildup. Aeration brings microorganisms to the surface that will eat most of the thatch. If you don't aerate, the roots stay near the surface, contributing to thatch buildup. When you aerate once a year it breaks down the thatch, allowing the roots to get deeper in the soil. This leads to thicker grass which naturally kills weeds too. While a de-thatcher will reduce thatch buildup, it can strip and thin the grass so much it reduces competition for weeds allowing them to germinate easier. You can also reduce thatch with a steel rake.

For more information make an Estimate Request today.

MUSHROOMS IN YOUR LAWN - GOOD OR BAD

TIPS FOR ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE LAWNS

Healthy Lawn Basics

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