Lawn mushrooms in your yard? Here is what you need to know

What do fairy rings and dog vomit have in common? They are forms of mushrooms and fungi that we saw last year in Park County. Whether they have a magical/mystical connotation or a putrid description, they are the fungus among us. This year’s wet spring may be a repeat of 2023 and a similar outcome.
Mushrooms, fungi, and slimes are formed when a susceptible host (organic matter), a favorable environment (wet, humid weather), and a pathogen (spores) come together. Without all three, the conditions are not favorable for growth. This is very similar to planting a garden or a lawn, the exception being the use of seeds, not spores. The organic material that nourishes fungi may be old tree roots or stumps, dead vegetation, buried lumber in the soil, crawl spaces, mulch, grass clippings, or wood decking.