ORLANDO, Fla. – Rainy season has been in full fledge lately across Central Florida. With the addition of extra tropical moisture from Hurricane Debby, lawns across the area have been reaping the rewards! Those rewards are showing up as toadstools in your vibrant green grass.
In the past seven days, neighborhoods have racked up between 3-7 inches of rain inland and about 1-3 inches along the coast.
Looking at the past 30 days, most of Central Florida is experiencing a surplus of rainfall, with the exception of central Brevard County.
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Mushrooms love moisture
With the daily deluge of rain each afternoon lately, our yards are retaining high levels of moisture in their soil, sprouting outbreaks of mushrooms in lawns which might never have had them.
According to the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, the rapid return of rain triggers mushrooms to sprout.
“They can survive for years in the soil, unseen, until the favorable conditions of Florida’s rainy season trigger a surge of growth and reproductive activity. In this case the ‘mushrooms’ you see popping up in your yard are actually the reproductive structures of the larger underground organism being released.”
Removing mushrooms
Although they might be an eye-sore or a concern for children and pets, not all mushrooms are the same and are a good sign of a healthy yard.
“Though some find them unsightly, mushrooms rarely damage turfgrass. Still, if a fungus is growing in an inappropriate location or known to be toxic, removal may be necessary.”
Although most mushroom species are harmless, there are a few Florida mushroom species that can be toxic for humans or pets.
If you need help identifying mushrooms in your yard, UF’s Plant Pathology department has a helpful online tool to request free help in mushroom identification.
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