Why fungi can be a gardener’s best friend

eptember is the month when most fungi produce fruiting bodies. many appear above ground as mushrooms or toadstools and, sometimes, may cause alarm. but, if any appear on your lawn, pause before you destroy them.

they may look sinister or unsightly. However, almost all are harmless — and many can even be helpful.

Some people dislike them, especially on their lawn.

Yet many of the fungi that produce these fruiting bodies are beneficial.

the toadstools, mushrooms and other fruiting bodies are tiny parts of a vast underground network of living threads: the mycelium. the threads infiltrate topsoil and feed on decaying matter. Like other soil-borne organisms, they digest dead wood and other plant tissue, recycling mineral nutrients that are essential for healthy plants.

A small number, however, can be parasitic. the most feared, honey fungus, or

Armillaria mellea, can destroy susceptible shrubs and trees. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to eradicate.

You can recognise honey fungus from the small buff to ochre toadstools, usually appearing in dense colonies and close to tree stumps.

In an autumn garden, though, larger mushrooms or toadstools can be interesting and beautiful.

they are a sign that your soil is rich in organic matter.