Q.How to get rid of weird “mushrooms” in my flower beds?
My neighbor and I have two different types of very stinky “mushrooms” coming up in my flower beds Perhaps they came from the mulch although we try to buy the good stuff. One is a coral color, very pretty actually, but has a terrible odor, akin to a dead animal. The other is shaped like a…..dont know how to describe it politely…penis. It also has a terrible smell. My neighbor tries to dig them out and finds clusters of little white “eggs” underground. I just take a plastic bag and pick up everything above ground. We can’t decide which way is better. Please help us find out how to eliminate these plants.
We live about 4 blocks from the ocean in Myrtle Beach SC.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
Yes, these are called Stinkhorns. They also have a more vulgar name as well, because of their phallic nature. :) Those "eggs" are part of the next set of mushrooms to show.
Digging these out will help, but I suggest wettable sulfur and dolomitic lime. This will make the soil undesirable to mushrooms, but wonderful for plants. If there are no plants in the area that are in danger of being harmed then boiling water will kill all life in soil. This is not recommended if you want to keep anything in that area alive, but it is an option.
There are several other methods for removal. There are many different types and species. They all look very different, but they all have the "eggs" in common. So even though it may not match the picture in the article, it will still help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/fungus-lichen/removing-stinkhorn-fungi.htm
