Mushrooms thriving in Edmonton's wet weather are good for your soil, expert says

While you may besimmering with impatience waiting for warm summer days, you may have noticed that something is thriving in the cool wet weather.

Mushrooms. Lotsof mushrooms.

But, believe it or not, they are good for your soil.

"We might not like the perception of mushrooms, but the fact is, they're doing us a service," said Perry Stothart, general managerofClassic Landscape Centre."You can pick them if they're bugging you, but if not, I'd say, just enjoy them. Enjoy the summer in other ways.

"Mushrooms are the fruiting body of natural fungi that live in the soil. They help break down organic matter in our soil to release nitrogen so it helps feed our turf and plants."

If you really wantto remove them,hand-pick them, Stothart says.

There'sno way to prevent them from popping up further, especially if there is morerain, hesays.

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Soseeing as they're already in thegarden, can you eat them?

While some mushrooms are certainly edible, gardenersshould refrain from frying them upunless they know exactly what they're doing.

'Like treasure hunting'

Beverly Anderson, anavid forager,learned which mushrooms are edible through her 10-year involvement with thetheAlberta Mycological Society.

"It's like treasure hunting and science rolled into one," said Anderson, who has been foraging mushrooms for more than 50 years.

"You learn about all the different species of mushrooms, you learn how to type them, you learn their qualities," she said.

Anderson says the wet weather brings her joy and excitement, knowing more mushrooms are available for picking.

"It's thejoy of knowing there was going to be all these mushrooms once the rain came and they're starting to flush out so the reward is here," she said.

Anderson said "the mushroom club" wouldgoon regular camping tripsandcook dishes with what they've foraged for a potluck.

"There are times when we've had gourmet chefs as a part of faculty, so we're very, very well-fed," Anderson said.

"You learn, it's just years and years of being there in the field and forest, you learn as you go," she said.