Mushroom madness appears to have taken over with many fungi literally popping up overnight. A close inspection of the garden is likely to reveal a range of fungi, most are relatively harmless to garden plants as they are saprophytic or non-pathogenic, which means they feed on decomposing organic matter not live plants, one of the main reasons why they appear in mulch.

The presence of Saprophytic fungi is a good indication of the biodiversity in the garden. It's estimated that there are around 120,000 different kinds of fungi; the most recognisable would be the mushrooms and toadstools. Of these some are edible but many can be very toxic so the general rule is if in doubt don't eat it.

Despite the poisonous tendency of many fungi they are very interesting organisms and can be safely admired without issue.

The remarkable structures that form the fruiting body of mushrooms, toadstools and other fungi, are only part of the picture. Think of these fruiting bodies as an iceberg, what you see above ground is just the tip as the main fungal structure called the mycelium is a tangled web of threadlike filaments called hyphae.

The mycelium grow where the fungus food source is, in the soil, rotting wood or other decomposing organic matter. The fruiting bodies such as mushrooms are called sporangia and contain the thousands of spore that fungi reproduce from. If the presence of mushrooms, toadstools and other fungi are a cause of concern simply remove them by hand, chemical control is not necessary.

There are of course those fungi that can damage plants, rust, black spot and powdery mildew can ravage roses and other ornamentals to the point of disaster. These are known as parasitic or pathogenic fungi because they attack living plant material.

Prevention is always better than cure so applying good cultural practices can lead to preventing infection. Ensure good air flow around plants, avoid overhead watering of foliage, excessive watering and over-fertilising as this can encourage fungal infection.