A healthy lawn contains many types of life, from worms and lizards to bacteria and fungi. Many of these forms of life earn a bad reputation from our daily encounters with their less than pleasant counterparts such as wood rot on the porch and mold on that loaf of bread that sat out a little too long. In a healthy lawn there is a balance between all these forms of life that help it flourish. When in balance, bacteria and fungi help organic material become useable nutrients for our plants, essentially providing free fertilizer.
Some of the preferred foods for microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi are dropped leaves, cut grass and manures. When provided with these foods either from natural leaf drop that is mulched in with a good quality mower or imported in with Milorganite or cow manure, you are sure to have a happier and healthier lawn. Not only do these tiny forms of life help with nutrient release, but they can also help with moisture retention and general drought tolerance. So when we see mushrooms in a lawn we know that’s just nature doing its part to keep things health and happy.
