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Questions and Answers: 2014

Question: We are getting mushrooms in our food bearing garden... We've been removing them in case they are poisonous, but are …

• Question

  We are getting mushrooms in our food bearing garden... We've been removing them in case they are poisonous, but are our food plants safe to eat if the mushrooms are poisonous? Does their poison get into the soil?

  Answer

  Dear noxmtbnk, The mushrooms you are removing could potentially be edible themselves (I can't tell you for sure without seeing the mushrooms). Mushrooms do not poison the soil. They are contributing the health of soil (and the plants) through decomposition and/or functioning as mycorrhizal species that help plants acquire more nutrition. Unless you have children or pets that you believe might consume them, you don't need to worry about removing them. Our society has a real fear of wild mushrooms, but they are no more toxic than the wild plants and weeds growing in and around your garden. Best wishes.