Gardening Advice - Wild Mushrooms

Autumn is the season when most wild mushrooms appear and after the terrible tragedy that occurred this year it would seem appropriate to issue a warning. Most wild mushrooms are unpalatable, some are delicious and some are poisonous. The most poisonous are members of the amanita family of which the death cap is the worst. Even touching it and not washing your hands after can make you ill. This family all have white gills unlike the brown gills on the more familiar mushrooms we buy. You should only collect wild mushrooms of you are with someone who is experienced. Mushrooms are fascinating and the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeological Society have regular mushroom forays led by an expert at venues all over the Island.

There has been consternation countrywide over a new pesticide being used by farmers. It contains aminopyralid and will kill weeds on grass land. It is not licensed to be used on food crops. The problem comes when livestock eat it and the resulting manure is sold directly to allotment holders or gardeners. The weedkiller can still be actively damaging to the crops grown in it. The symptoms are distorted foliage with cupped leaves. I know of no cases of this on the Island and believe the product has now been withdrawn.

This is a good month to plant shrubs, in particular evergreens and conifers. The soil still retains some of the heat built up over the summer which will encourage strong root growth. Prevent falling autumn leaves dropping into ponds by covering them with netting. Scoop out any that have dropped in with a net. If leaves fall to the bottom of the pond they will make a brown sludge at the bottom and reduce the amount of oxygen in the pond.