Fungi like it damp and this spring has really delivered on that. They also like it warm and now temperatures are rising. It is mushroom weather.
Although many mushrooms are edible, collecting them to eat isn’t a good idea unless you know what you are doing. I know a few and enjoy these. Others I just look at as they come in so many shapes and colors.
Lawn Ornaments
Little cap mushrooms are sticking up in the overly long grass. Mowing keeps getting delayed by frequent showers. This may be good mushroom weather, but it’s not mowing weather.
Some of these are white and classic mushroom shape. Others look like transparent umbrellas with only their ribs showing.
Garden Ornaments
I put a lot of compost and hay mulch out in my garden. This year there are mushrooms coming up in many places. Some are like those in the lawn.
Tall clubs are coming up along the wood borders of the beds. These are mostly black. Because these indicate the wood is fast becoming mulch for the beds, I’m starting to replace the wood with bricks.
When the bamboo patch was in the garden, another interesting mushroom made an appearance. The stinkhorns are still surviving as a big one came up near one of the containers.
Dinner Foraging
The lawn and garden ornaments are just that. I think some of them are edible, but I’m not sure enough to risk it. However, I am longing to have some wild mushrooms for dinner.
Are the chanterelles up yet? This mushroom weather is surely to their liking. I know some good places to look.
Unfortunately, one of those places got burned over. Are the chantarelles still there? I don’t know – yet. I will have to go out and look. They would be a really good addition to dinner.
