What's this growing in my garden?

Novaman

Hi all can any body help? This growth had started in my back garden since last summer it seems fungus like with dark brown top and very hairy white underside.

It is spreading quit fast in patches I think I may be spreading it when I now the lawn. It looks awful.

Any ideas? Thanks
NM

pwurple

Looks like fungus alright. Maybe some kind of funnel mushroom. Dark cap, white gills?


Assuming you don't want a mystery mushroom farm for a lawn, I'd look at your lawn conditions. Nature often means that the item best suited to the conditions will thrive. So what is making that mushroom thrive, and your grass give up?

Is there enough drainage in your lawn, or is it too dry?

solargain

Is there rotting timber in the top soil . I find it here where there is

Novaman

Thanks for the replies, no I don't think it's fungus as it has very dark coloured leaf like growth with the very hairy white underside.

It could well be drainage after this winters past rain, I don't like using weed killers but I think I have no choice here, I will also look into some lawn treatment as my grass doesn't seem to be doing well

I can't find anything else about it as yet I'd love if some one could recognise it 😄

Rancid

Looks a lot like this:

http://www.lichens.lastdragon.org/Peltigera_canina.html

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=414

http://www.lawnsciencesouthmanchester.co.uk/blog/dog-lichen-peltigera/?doing_wp_cron=1461136285.3226048946380615234375

Greys0n

i think it's fungus

Novaman

Thanks folks, dog lichen it is

Time to get to work aerating and improving the lawn

alchemist33

Beat me to it. It's dog lichen alright. I believe you treat it the same way you would moss.