I have mushrooms growing in my vegetable beds!!

[adebourget]

Wow - there are actually mushrooms growing near my peas and lettuce! I installed an irrigation system this year and I guess I didn't realize the beds were that wet. We've also had a lot of rain in Southern California lately.

I've reduced the watering time on the irrigation system by half (now 30 min per day).
Any other suggestions?

I wonder if these mushroom are edible?
I'm not sure how to post a photo to this forum so you can see - if you have instructions for that let me know and I'll post.

Thanks!

[DoubleDogFarm]

I'm not sure how to post a photo to this forum so you can see - if you have instructions for that let me know and I'll post.

Look here, https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724

I would say your mushrooms are more likely not edible, unless you added mushroom compost to your garden. Be careful.

I'm also thinking its not the over watering causing the mushrooms, but something incorporated. Hay, mushroom compost, wood chips and maybe manure.

Eric

[adebourget]

Interesting.

I looked up the mushroom and it appears to be:
Conocybe albipes ("Conocybe lactea")

Apparently they often collapse in full sun after popping up before dawn. I know they weren't there yesterday!

So, is this anything to be worried about? Or just an interesting development in my garden. I do have new raised beds and new soil, so your explanation of something introduced makes total sense.

Thanks!

[DoubleDogFarm]

So, is this anything to be worried about? Or just an interesting development in my garden.

I would say NO worries. We have a forum here all about Teaming with Microbes. https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=43

Eric

[tomc]

I wonder if these mushroom are edible? I'm not sure how to post a photo to this forum so you can see - if you have instructions for that let me know and I'll post. Thanks!

I can not say if the volunteer mushrooms in your garden are safe to eat.

I will say they will not hurt or make your vegetables un-safe to eat.

Annual vegetables have a different relationship with mushroom families than woody plants do. But all living plants have some mutual relationships with mushrooms in general. They too are part of the microherd you've been hard at work supporting in an organic garden.

Most of a mushroom you will probably never notice in the soil. A toadstool is just the fruiting body of this specie.

If it looks objectionable, simply weed it out.

As to how did they get in your garden? At some time in the past either a tree grew there, or bark mulch (or lumber waste) was buried there, mycellium which has a close working relationship with trees are simply sending off the children (spoor) to their new homes.