On 9/14/2009 2:14 PM, Dorothy Iams wrote:
I so wish some one can help me with this awful problem. About 4 years
ago I had to have a huge Norway Maple cut down on my front lawn. (A
strong windstorm had blown most of the branches down onto my roof and
porch.) The wood cutter at my request left wood chips in the hole
left by grinding down the stump. I didnt know that was the wrong
thing to do. I filled the remainder with soil and compost. Everything
i have planted in the space has died. Last spring I covered it with
sod. It died. The circumfrence of the arid area is getting smaller
but it is infested with rock-hard mushrooms that look like chili
pizza. The last advice Ive gotten is to plant a southern magnolia, a
sumac, and Carex ornimental grass. I did that yesterday. I was also
told that the plantings will need more nitrogen than usual because the
wood chips suck nitrogen out of the soil. When I dug down a foot to
plant the magnolia, there was perfectly good soil with many
earthworms. Could it be the soul of the tree that has come back to
haunt me? Cause I dont know how to get grass to grow in that spot.
Here a shot of the mushrooms. How can I make them go away. If you
click on the "sizes button" you see a close up of the top and bottom
sides of these darn mushrooms. I would greatly appreciate all
advice. Thanks, Dorothy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cardarc...7622244145345/
If you must really eliminate the "mushrooms", dust the area with soil
sulfur and then dig it in about just an inch. Sulfur is a fungicide,
and the "mushrooms" are fungus.
However, sulfur will slow the composting process going on in that area
since composting depends in part on fungus. If it were my own garden, I
would leave the fungus alone. Eventually, all the wood chips will be
compost; and the fungus will then stop growing.
In the meantime, add a high-nitrogen fertilizer to the area. Not only
will that replace the nitrogen that is tied up in composting the wood
chips, but it will also speed the composting.
--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary