Gardeners told to follow 7 simple steps to banish fungi from lawns

There are few things worse than dealing with a recurring crop of in your lawn. Fortunately, an expert has shared some easy steps you can take to get rid of them completely.

exists in a strange classification, termed as neither a nor an animal. Regardless, it can be a plague in your garden. Fungi reproduces via spores being ejected into the air. This means it can propagate itself quickly and easy, transforming your lawn into a creepy-looking mushroom forest. But why does it appear in the first place?

The unsettling thing is most fungi are already present in soil. They tend to feed on decomposing matter, which is what soil is made from. In many ways, its presence is actually a sign that your soil is healthy.

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Typically, fungi only become visible in mushrooms in wet, shaded environments. This means that they can appear all of a sudden after a long winter or damp spring.

While mushrooms are generally a harmless and normal part of the ecosystem, they can look out of place in your garden. Plus, some mushrooms, like death cap mushrooms, can be poisonous.

So, how do you get rid of the unwanted fungi? Experts from Love The Garden have devised seven easy steps to banish the unwanted spores:

How to remove fungi from your lawn

The first step is to remove its food sources. Fungi thrives on decomposing matter, so make sure that you rake away any fallen twigs or leaves to minimise the amount of nutrients it can consume.

Secondly, you should rake any thatch from your garden. Thatch is composed of interwoven dead grass, which could be hiding decomposing matter. This makes it easier for mushrooms to proliferate.

Take care to mow your lawn regularly. Make sure you're giving your lawn a general trim. Not only will these keep it looking neat, shorter grass locks in less moisture, making it harder for mushrooms to grow.

Love The Garden also recommend aerating your soil to improve drainage and airflow, which helps dry your soil out and prevent fungi growth. You can do this with a garden fork.

Equally, you should reduce the amount of shaded areas in your garden. Mushrooms love cool, damp spots and it can be very difficult to get rid of them if they are provided with ideal growing conditions.

Lastly, you can always turn to a product like high nitrogen lawn feed to help fix the problem. However, Love The Garden warned that this is not a long term solution and should not replace the other steps.