Is that a Mushroom in my Yard?

Mushrooms can appear in new sod or established sod.  They aren't picky about where they grow as long as there is the right combination of moisture, shade, and organic material in the soil.  They may appear suddenly usually overnight and appear under the shrubs, near the trees or just in the middle of your beautiful lawn!  

Mushrooms are fungi, or rather the reproductive part of fungi that lives in soil.  The fungi are hidden most of the time busy breaking down organic material.  But, when the conditions are right they will burst up from the ground like flowers blooming in the spring time.  

In your newly laid sod, mushrooms may appear since the new sod must be kept very moist to encourage root growth into the underlying soil.  If you have mushroom spores present in your sod when the watering begins, the spores will germinate and begin to break down organic materials in the sod.  Once the germinated fungus has grown into the sod, mushrooms break through the soil and can begin growing rapidly.

Once your new sod is established and excessive watering is no longer needed, the mushroom problem may clear up on its own.  The mushrooms must have a moist area to thrive, so allow your lawn to dry out once the sod is clearly established. Fungal growth in new sod can cause the grass to grow at an uneven rate, leaving you with longer grass in sections of your lawn.  Using a lawn aerator will improve the water flow while increasing air content in the soil and this will help keep the mushrooms at bay.  If mushrooms appear and you remove them manually, just keep in mind they may return after a heavy rain.

If mushrooms persist in your established lawn, you may be able to keep mushrooms away by changing the conditions in your yard.  Mushrooms typically like shade so trim back bushes and leaves.  The sunshine will help keep the shrooms in check!  If you see standing water or if part of your lawn remains damp for long periods after a rain, your soil may be compacted. Aerating will increase drainage and better drainage will decrease the moisture that the mushrooms thrive on. Dethatching your lawn may be necessary if you have a thick layer of organic material that absorbs moisture.

If you have a stump or even a place where a stump used to be, the dead roots underground may be encouraging the growth of mushrooms.  If the stump is still there, you can have it removed.  If it has been removed, keep the area raked and aerated to promote proper drainage.  Pet waste left on the lawn can bring out the unwanted mushrooms.

Mushrooms indicate that your yard has lots of organic material in the soil.  When the mushrooms break down the organic material your soil becomes more productive.  If you don't have drainage or shade problems, just simply knock the mushrooms over and wait for the sun to appear and dry out the lawn.

Call Sunbelt Turf Farm for all your sod needs!



Sunbelt Turf Farm began in St. Clair County. Over 30 years have perfected the art of growing, selling and the delivery of quality turf grass. Customer satisfaction is paramount and we stand behind our turf grass. Expansions into Shelby and Talladega Counties successfully turned cotton fields and pasture land into beautiful green turf. Commercial and retail opportunities, pick-up or delivery, free estimates, fast turnaround and remaining environmentally friendly separate us from the rest.

All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. This blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.  The owner of this blog will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of the information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.  The terms and conditions are subject to change at any time with or without notice.

Common Lawncare Mistakes-102

Sunbelt Turf Farm is happy to offer suggestions on how to avoid the most common mistakes homeowners make in regard to their lawncare.

Dethatch

Thatch is tightly packed layer of dead and living shoots, roots and stems that develop between the turfgrass and the soil surface.  It is important to use the right equipment to dethatch and don't attempt to remove the entire thatch layer in one treatment.  Do not dethatch with the soil is wet, only dethatch your lawn when it is truly necessary not on a routine basis.

Advice

Too much thatch can present negative consequences to your lawn, but a little thatch is desirable.  It will help moderate temperature at the soil surface and provides a cushion effect on the surface.  To determine if you need to dethatch your lawn, remove a small plug of turf several inches deep.  If the spongy layer between the soil and the turf is more than 3/4 to 1 inch thick, your lawn will benefit from dethatching. 

Aeration

Lawn aeration is recommended when the soil becomes compacted and water and nutrients can't get to the roots of the plants.  Aeration opens up the soil by pulling plugs of soil out of the lawn letting the air in.  One of the biggest mistakes is not pulling enough plugs from the soil.

Advice

Warm season greases tend to perform better if the aeration is done in late summer when the grass is actively growing.  The aeration is best done by hiring a professional or renting professional equipment.  The lawn should be moderately moist, but not soaking wet, so it is easier to penetrate  and pick a day when the temperature is mild.

Sunbelt Turf Farm began in St. Clair County. Over 30 years have perfected the art of growing, selling and the delivery of quality turf grass. Customer satisfaction is paramount and we stand behind our turf grass. Expansions into Shelby and Talladega Counties successfully turned cotton fields and pasture land into beautiful green turf. Commercial and retail opportunities, pick-up or delivery, free estimates, fast turnaround and remaining environmentally friendly separate us from the rest.

What is Thatch?

Thatch is a combination of grass stems, roots, clippings, and debris that lies between green vegetation and the soil surface. Thatch becomes a problem if it reaches over ½ to ¾  inch in thickness.  The thick layer of thatch keeps air, water and nutrients from breaking through.  This means your water is wasted since it runs off and doesn’t reach the roots, helping weeds to thrive.  Fertilizer is also wasted since it only reaches the top layer and doesn’t penetrate to the roots.

Thatch is most common in warm weather climates and is most commonly found in lawns where grass has grown tall, mulch is frequently left and lawns that haven’t been aerated.  It is extremely common in creeping grasses such as Bermuda and Zoysia.  If you have these grasses, you will usually have to de-thatch more often than with other grasses.  De-thatching is the process of removing the thatch from your lawn.

Prevent lawn thatch by keeping leaves raked and remove some of the grass clippings after mowing.  Although, they don’t directly contribute to the thatch it does add a layer of material on the lawn.  If this material accumulates faster than it decays, it will cause thatch to build up.

Sunbelt Farms recommends performing the tests listed below to determine if your lawn needs de-thatching.

Touch Test-feel your lawn, if it is spongy or bouncy underfoot, it often has a thick thatch layer. Push your finger through the grass, is it impenetrable?  A thatch layer that is difficult to push your finger through needs to be thinned.

Sight Test-visually examine your lawn.  Can you see soil between turf crowns? If you can’t see the soil, you are most likely looking through a thatch layer.

Yardstick Test-Remove a wedge-shaped layer of grass that is about 3 inches thick using a trowel or spade, or simply pry up a small section of the turf.  Measure the thickness and if the result is more than ¾ of an inch you need to de-thatch.

To remove thatch from your lawn doesn’t have to be a complicated task.  You can use a power rake if it is a small job, a larger job may require a vertical mower.  If this is the first time you have de-thatched, you will likely rake up a lot of material.  Keep in mind that you may be removing live turf grass also.  Be mindful to not de-thatch if the turf is weak or under stress or in a drought situation.  De-thatch cool season grass in the fall and warm season grass in the spring.

If your lawn measures less than ¾ inch of thatch, there isn’t a need to de-thatch at this time, just aerate and keep on eye on the thickness.  Keep your lawn healthy, happy and thatch free!

Sunbelt Turf Farm began in St. Clair County. Over 30 years have perfected the art of growing, selling and the delivery of quality turf grass. Customer satisfaction is paramount and we stand behind our turf grass. Expansions into Shelby and Talladega Counties successfully turned cotton fields and pasture land into beautiful green turf. Commercial and retail opportunities, pick-up or delivery, free estimates, fast turnaround and remaining environmentally friendly separate us from the rest.

Taking Care of Bermuda Grass

Taking proper care of your Bermuda grass with proper mowing and watering will help it grow strong and healthy and moreover it will help the grass to sustain heavy traffic or difficult weather conditions with ease so that it remains green throughout the year. It is a well-known fact that Bermuda grass requires little but timely care. And if you provide it with that then you can bet to have the most beautiful lawn.

You can take care of the Bermuda grass in your lawn using the following helpful tips.

 

* When using a fertilizer in your lawn it is better to use a fertilizer spreader to spread it evenly throughout the lawn. If you apply weed and feed use a drop-type spreader at the edge of flower beds for accurate application. A broadcast spreader can throw weed killer into the planting where it may cause damage.

* You can limit the wear of the lawn in winter when it is dormant. You have to understand that the worn spots usually become prime places for weeds.

* Take care that you never mow too close when Bermuda is not actively growing or you can invite problems with weeds. In case the lawn is experiencing drought, mow less often and raise the mowing height up to 2 inches.

* If more than a 1/2-inch layer of thatch is present (thatch is dead stems and debris that accumulate at the soil's surface), thin and clean your Bermuda with a power rake in spring or early summer after new growth begins. You can have this done professionally or do it yourself with rented equipment.