When it comes to gardening, there’s a lot to learn. Even people with a green thumb may need to know how to revive a dead plant or wonder what on earth that powdery mildew on plants is. Have you ever noticed fungus balls suddenly appearing in your yard, garden beds, or even indoor-plant containers? Where do they come from and what should you do about them? The good news is that they’re not as concerning as they might sound. While they’re generally harmless, you’ll definitely want to exercise caution in certain instances. There’s another name for those little white fungus balls in soil: mushrooms. Mushrooms have two parts — an underground mass that lives for a long time in soil, and above-ground balls or buttons that appear and disappear quickly. They’re actually great for your soil because the underground portions of the fungi live off dead material like fallen branches and leaves, decomposing them. That decomposed matter, in turn, provides nutrition to your lawn and garden plants. The presence of mushrooms means your soil is healthy. Mushroom balls in the soil can last a couple of hours, a week, or even two weeks. The good news is that they're never a problem for plants in the garden. However, beware of a white, yellow, brown or black blobs that form in layers on your law. That’s called slime mold, and it can block sunlight and cause your grass to turn yellow. It’s easily removed by mowing, light raking, or by hosing it down.
