A fungus among us.

[Roco]

We are new gardeners. Ro and I planted 3 garlic cloves in pot and it seemed like they sprouted up immediately. About 3 weeks later I noticed 3 grey wimpy looking mushrooms had sprouted at the base of one of the garlic plants. We removed the mushrooms but not the soil.
Ro did some internet research and found something about cornmeal being a natural antifungas whatever. So, we sprinkled that on the top and it has been working is way into the soil every time we water, and things have been fine for about two weeks.
Then, today, I found a new mushroom at the very edge of the pot.
Here are my questions:
1. Will the garlic be edible or should we throw the whole thing out?
2. Can we get rid of the mushrooms and the garlic be ok?
3. How do we get rid of the mushrooms?
4. Also, we water it everyday, is that too often?

Please, help.
-Co

[Kisal]

The garlic will probably be fine, but it sounds like you're overwatering it. When you grow plants in containers, you have to be careful to use a potting medium that drains very rapidly. Never let the pot stand in water that collects in the saucer. If you use decorative cache pots, remove the plant in its 'growing pot" from the decorative container before you water.

The spores of mushrooms and other fungi are everywhere, and usually grow under cool, wet conditions in soil that is rich in organic material. The mushrooms, and most fungi, won't harm your plants at all, and you can just remove them. You can remove them by pulling them with your fingers, or you can scrape them off the soil with a spoon, etc.

It might be a good idea, though, to water a little less frequently. Plants like to be watered very thoroughly, and then allowed to dry a bit over the following 5 to 7 days.

[rainbowgardener]

Kisal said it all, but just to second it, yes watering every day is WAY too often. Either you are watering just a little bit every day, in which case the soil would never get moistened all the way through or you are watering a lot every day, in which case everything is drowning. Water a lot every once in awhile, after the soil has had a chance to dry out a bit.

[F0od]

I dunno about mushrooms being a sign of over watering, but the vast majority of mushrooms aren't parasitic to plants. Most just decompose organic matter, or have beneficial root interactions with plants.

[garden3fairy]

I had the very same thing happen to some potatos I have growing in containers. First of all thanks for the tip about cornmeal, I hadn't heard of that one. And second of all, the tiny little mushrooms came and went on their own. I don't think it's anything to worry about Here's a link to the picture of my mushroom fiasco. I wonder if ur mushrooms were similar to this?

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1 ... 07&theater

and here's a close up:

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1 ... 07&theater

BTW this is my first post so if there's a way to post images differently or without links let me know [/img]

[cynthia_h]

...I wonder if ur mushrooms were similar to this?

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1 ... 07&theater

and here's a close up:

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?id=1 ... 07&theater

BTW this is my first post so if there's a way to post images differently or without links let me know [/img]

I know that some people may not believe this, but there are persons on this forum who don't belong to Facebook and therefore cannot view your photos. If you have them displayed elsewhere on the Web (Photobucket? Flickr? or similar), the webmaster's guidelines for displaying photos will be helpful:

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... php?t=3724

Welcome to the forum; please also look at the webmaster's hints for getting the most out of the forum (I see that you mentioned this is your *first* post ):

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... m.php?f=23

Happy gardening!

Cynthia H.
/mod hat on/

[garden5]

Glad to hear your problem cleared up. I think that it was probably too much watering. In an area by the hose where water always leaks out onto the mulch, mushrooms grow like CRAZY. That's what makes me think it's a moisture thing.

[WinglessAngel]

i had not heard of the corn meal either....i have mini mushrooms growing as well...gonna go try that here in a few mins...thanks guys!