How to Get rid of Mushrooms in the Lawn with Vinegar?

Are you searching for a solution to get rid of mushrooms in the lawn or garden? Vinegar can be applied to remove mushrooms without killing the grass and vegetable plants.

Are unwanted mushrooms in your lawn becoming an eyesore of you? Ok, it also can be a threat for your pets and children as some wild mushrooms are poisonous. 

So, if you want to get rid of these unwanted fungi by ensuring- not killing the grasses, not irritating soil, not harming the environment, and most importantly keeping the underground root mass of mushrooms to break down organic matter buried in your lawn, you can depend on vinegar. 

Though there is a question on the level of effectiveness, it will not dishearten you. You can control the growth of mushrooms with vinegar.

But, keep in mind that using a high concentration of vinegar will kill the grass of your lawn. So, read the article carefully so that you can succeed without any mistakes.  

How does Vinegar Work Against Mushrooms?

You might know that vinegar contains acetic acid.

The vinegar you use in the kitchen like apple cider vinegar contains 5% to 7% acetic acid. Industrial vinegar contains 10% to 70% acetic acid, natural horticultural vinegar contains 10 to 30% acetic acid.  

When you spray vinegar on the surface mushroom, the vinegar will burn out the mushrooms and kill them. But the surprising thing is the surface mushrooms that you can see in the naked eye are the fruit of the mushroom.

The main body of the mushroom is the mycelia that stay under the earth. Spraying vinegar on the surface mushroom cannot kill the mycelia. As a result, mycelia can further produce mushrooms.

  • You should apply vinegar again and again to control their growth. The benefit of not killing mycelia is that it works to break the organic matter under the surface of your lawn.
  • However, vinegar will help you to damage the spores of the mushroom. Mushrooms propagate with these spores.
  • So, when you control the spores they cannot propagate and spread in the lawn. 

Now, you may have another great question.

 Can vinegar provide a permanent solution?

Nothing is actually a permanent solution against mushrooms.

Mushrooms grow in humid, damp places, where decaying organic matters exist.

  • As the lawn is damp, the sky is gloomy in the rainy season you will find it most in your garden. 
  • If the drainage system of your lawn is good, with enough sunlight, and less organic matter you will not face the problem too much. 

If you want to get rid of the mushroom permanently with the vinegar you have to sacrifice your grass.

A high concentrated vinegar needs to pour into the affected area. Here, you can try 30% industrial vinegar. That will kill mycelia.  

Process to Get Rid of Messroom With Vinegar (Step by Step)

Let’s explore how you can apply vinegar to the lawn to get rid of the mushrooms step by step.

1. Collect the Necessary Materials 

You need some necessary materials to execute the process effectively and safely. Don’t worry, I think all these materials are near your hand.

Here is a list of thing that you will need-

  • Vinegar
  • Sprayer/soft brush/ sponge ( read thoroughly to choose the right one)
  • Hand gloves
  • A bag or bucket
  • Goggles (For more safety)

 2. Consider the Weather Condition before Applying Vinegar 

Mushrooms generally grow on the lawn or any place in the rainy season.

In case rain comes immediately after you have applied vinegar on the mushroom, it will not work. Because the applied vinegar will wash away. 

So, choose a perfect time when it is not raining or has no chance. You can use the weather forecasting information of any authority sources in your area. It works.  

Choosing a sunny day and morning is the most perfect time for the application of vinegar on mushrooms. It will ensure sunlight and sunbeam for a long time. 

 3. Prepare an Effective Mixture 

Preparing a perfect solution that works is the hardest part of the process.

Because, requirements of acetic acid vary with including but not limited to weather, the humidity of the soil, condition of the affected area, and so on. 

Maximum experts recommend using one part vinegar to four parts water. I also suggest you apply low concentrated vinegar at the beginning stage. 

You can use apple cider vinegar or any kitchen vinegar. Then depending on the output, you can increase the level of concentration.  

4. Choose the Perfect Tool for Applying Vinegar

You may know vinegar is used as a natural herbicide. If vinegar comes into contact with your grass while applying vinegar on the mushrooms of your lawn, the grass will also burn down.

With a sprayer, it is not easy to protect the grass. So, you can use a brush or sponge to apply vinegar to the mushroom. That will help you to protect the grass. 

But, when your lawn encounters numerous colonies of mushrooms it may be difficult for you to use a brush or sponge. Here, I will say if you cannot but spraying, choose a sprayer that has a flat tip.

As a flat tip sprayer 60 degrees spray, it will help you to accurately hit the target.

 5. Take Necessary Safety Measures when Applying Vinegar in Lawn

Protect yourself 

Dealing with high concentrated vinegar is not a children’s play. It can burn skin and can damage the cornea of your eye, in case it comes to contact.

Besides, some mushrooms are poisonous and in case of contacting skin, they cause irritation.  So, protect yourself with hand gloves and eye goggles. 

Save your Metal fence and Lawn Furniture 

It was mentioned before that vinegar contains acetic acid. As a result, they react with some reactive metals like iron, aluminum, tin, and so on.

Moreover, the varnish of your lawn furniture can be damaged. So, be careful and take necessary precautions to protect your valuable assets.  

7. Effectively Apply Vinegar to the Mushrooms

If you want to save grass, then apply low concentrations of vinegar and apply vinegar carefully to save your grass. 

If you are preparing a new lawn or planning to reseed, then you should directly pour the vinegar in the mushroom-affected area.

In that case, you can use 30% horticulture vinegar. You can dig the mycelia up before applying vinegar to this system. It will bring you an excellent result.  

It is a good practice to aerate or lose your soil along with applying vinegar to ensure good drainage of your lawn. Additionally, plunking the mushrooms and disposing of them off will also help you to control their birth. 

Summing-up

At the bottom line, I would like to say, turn to be a researcher and start applying vinegar in your lawn to repel mushrooms.

At the beginning stages use diluted vinegar only.

If they fail, increase the connotation of acetic acid of vinegar.

Choose a perfect day having enough sunshine to apply vinegar. Besides, be careful to protect yourself, your grass, and your furniture while applying vinegar to the lawn.

Please, comment below if you have an experience or are going to take experience. Don’t forget to inform us of your result.

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