Expert advises getting rid of mushrooms in yards

A garden expert says people should pick and throw away any mushrooms growing in their yard after it’s believed toxic mushrooms may be behind a recent dog poisoning in Saskatoon.
 
Rick Van Duyvendyk, owner of Dutch Growers, said it can be tricky to distinguish poisonous mushrooms from non-poisonous species because it depends on the makeup of the soil.

He said mushrooms form in places where there’s lawn clippings or organic material under the soil. People can stop them from coming back by not giving the mushrooms a food source, Duyvendyk said.
 
“Basically in those areas you aerate, you fertilize and you water. Those three things help break down the compost that it’s feeding on.”
 
Duyvendyk said it’s a good idea to get rid of all lawn mushrooms, even if people don’t think they’re toxic.