## Will Mushrooms Hurt My Vegetable Garden?
Mushrooms are a type of fungus that can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and gardens. They are typically composed of a cap and a stem, and they come in a wide range of colors and shapes. Some mushrooms are edible, while others are poisonous.
Mushrooms can have a variety of effects on vegetable gardens. Some mushrooms can be beneficial, while others can be harmful.
### Beneficial Mushrooms
Some mushrooms can form a symbiotic relationship with plants, known as mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizal fungi attach themselves to the roots of plants and help them to absorb nutrients from the soil. In return, the plants provide the fungi with carbohydrates. This relationship can be beneficial to both the plants and the fungi.
Mycorrhizal fungi can help plants to:
Absorb more nutrients from the soil
Grow more vigorously
Resist pests and diseases
Tolerate drought and other environmental stresses
Some common types of mycorrhizal fungi include:
Amanita muscaria (fly agaric)
Boletus edulis (porcini)
Cantharellus cibarius (chanterelle)
Lactarius deliciosus (saffron milk cap)
Russula emetica (sickener)
### Harmful Mushrooms
Some mushrooms can be harmful to vegetable gardens. These mushrooms can produce toxins that can damage or kill plants.
Some common types of harmful mushrooms include:
Armillaria mellea (honey fungus)
Fusarium oxysporum (fusarium wilt)
Phytophthora infestans (late blight)
Pythium ultimum (damping-off)
Rhizoctonia solani (damping-off, root rot)
### How to Identify Harmful Mushrooms
It can be difficult to identify harmful mushrooms, as they can often resemble edible mushrooms. However, there are a few general guidelines that you can follow:
Avoid mushrooms that have a ring around the stem.
Avoid mushrooms that have white gills.
Avoid mushrooms that have a slimy or foul odor.
Avoid mushrooms that are growing on dead or diseased plants.
If you are unsure whether a mushroom is harmful, it is best to err on the side of caution and avoid it.
### How to Control Harmful Mushrooms
There are a few things that you can do to control harmful mushrooms in your vegetable garden:
Remove any mushrooms that you find.
Dispose of mushrooms in a compost pile or by burning them.
Avoid overwatering your garden.
Keep your garden free of dead and diseased plant material.
Apply a fungicide to your garden if necessary.
### Conclusion
Mushrooms can have a variety of effects on vegetable gardens. Some mushrooms can be beneficial, while others can be harmful. It is important to be able to identify harmful mushrooms and to take steps to control them. By following the tips in this article, you can help to protect your vegetable garden from harmful mushrooms.
### Additional Information
Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful:
[Mushrooms in the Garden](https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/mushrooms-garden)
[Beneficial Mushrooms for the Vegetable Garden](https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/mushrooms-vegetable-garden/7195.html)
[Harmful Mushrooms in the Vegetable Garden](https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2016/jul/mushroom-control-vegetable-garden)