BATON ROUGE — Have you noticed all the mushrooms popping up around South Louisiana?
They’re called fairy rings, and according to Dr. Eric DeBoer, an assistant professor of turfgrass management at LSU’s School of Plant, Environmental, and Soil Sciences, this increase is due to the recent excessive rainfall and humid weather.
Dr. DeBoer explains, “The rainfall and the humid weather create a perfect environment for mushrooms. The fungus loves this kind of weather, and it triggers their reproduction. Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of fungi. So, when we see a lot of rain, the fungus in the soil starts to reproduce.”
In the soil, these fungi break down organic matter, helping to cycle nutrients.
“The fungus feeds on organic matter in the soil,” Dr. DeBoer says. “When it gets a big flush of rain, that’s its cue to start reproducing. The conditions are right, and favorable for growth. We have warm, humid air, and grayer days. This creates a great environment for mushrooms.”
Dr. DeBoer discusses the different types of fairy rings seen in Baton Rouge. Fairy rings are circles of mushrooms that appear on lawns. There are three types of fairy rings:
- Type One Fairy Ring: This type makes the soil resistant to water, causing the grass to become brown and dry. “I haven’t seen this as much around Baton Rouge,” Dr. DeBoer notes.
- Type Two Fairy Ring: This type creates a darker green grass ring. “The fungus breaks down organic matter in the soil, releasing nutrients that the grass can use. This results in a healthier-looking ring of grass.”
- Type Three Fairy Ring: This is the most common type we see now. “You don’t notice it until it rains a lot, and then you see a bunch of mushrooms growing. It doesn’t affect your grass, just creates a cool-looking ring of mushrooms.”
Fairy rings are sometimes mistaken for turf grass diseases, Dr. DeBoer says.
“Fairy rings don’t infect the grass. They affect the soil, which indirectly affects the grass. If you see a fairy ring, it means you have healthy soil with plenty of organic matter for the fungus to break down.”
While it may mean a healthy yard, Dr. DeBoer advises against letting children or pets eat these mushrooms.
“I can’t say exactly how toxic they are, but they can definitely upset your stomach. If your pets eat them, they could have digestive issues.”
For homeowners, the best approach is to remove the mushrooms when they show up.
“You can pick them or hit them with your lawnmower,” Dr. DeBoer suggests. “There isn’t an easy way to completely get rid of them, so it’s best to just keep removing the mushrooms as they appear.”
As the weather changes and becomes less humid, the mushrooms will start to dry out and disappear. “When it gets drier, the mushrooms will die back until we get more rain,” Dr. DeBoer concludes.
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