Mushrooms

Nov. 2009

I believe my flower beds have been invaded by the dog stinkhorn mushroom and I can't get rid of them. What do you recommend to rid myself of this pest? It seems to be in the mulch. Will getting rid of the mulch do the trick?

Stinkhorn mushrooms are notorious for popping up suddenly in the garden. They can be quite different in appearance depending on which one you have, but they all have some part which is covered in an awful smelling slime. You often smell them before you see them. Stinkhorns occur "naturally" in North America, but can also be brought in with soil, sod, wood chips, trees, and so on. The foul-smelling slime attracts flies which then can transmit the spores to other areas, so total eradication is close to impossible. When you see them, dig them up including the mulch or the soil they are growing in and dispose of it. The sooner they are gone, the less chance the flies can get in there and repopulate them.

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