Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottle ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottle ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Isabella

Mushroom growth is a sign of very healthy soil. I personally enjoy
seeing them almost as much as wildflowers in all their form and beauty.
:-)

Are the bases of your bean teepees wood? If so, they are probably
feeding off of _that_, not your beans.

If the beans look good, enjoy and ignore them!
--
Peace! Om

"Crime does not pay as well as Politics".
-- Anon.

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottle ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Isabella

Here's a place to start looking for photos:

http://mycology.cornell.edu/

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.

Jan

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

"Omelet" wrote in message
...

Mushroom growth is a sign of very healthy soil. I personally enjoy
seeing them almost as much as wildflowers in all their form and beauty.
:-)


Mushrooms sprouted all over my gardens since the rain 2 days ago. I wish I
knew how to tell the poisonous ones from the ones good to eat.

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article ,
Jan Flora wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottle ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Here's a place to start looking for photos:

http://mycology.cornell.edu/

I've spent over an hour poking around there and have yet to find a
single database of fungi photos for the US midwest, let alone a
taxonomic reference so that I might at least identify the class of fungi
I'm looking at. This website is sorely outdated, I'm afraid. Nearly
half of the links I've clicked on are dead. Nonetheless, I'll keep
looking as time permits. I've seen hundreds of photos and have yet to
find a single one that looks anything remotely like what we have.

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.

Thanks.
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottled ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mushroom growth is a sign of very healthy soil. I personally enjoy
seeing them almost as much as wildflowers in all their form and beauty.
:-)

Are the bases of your bean teepees wood? If so, they are probably
feeding off of _that_, not your beans.

Yes the 10 foot stakes are wood. I suspect you are right. The fungi
are very hard, woody. And weird. :)

If the beans look good, enjoy and ignore them!

Gosh have we had nice beans this year. I've already frozen over 25# and
put up some as dilly beans in addition to eating them fresh in some form
nearly every day. Our black-eyed peas are ripening now so that'll be
fun. :)

Isabella
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

"Isabella Woodhouse" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jan Flora wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge
fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've
been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottle ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't
imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

Here's a place to start looking for photos:

http://mycology.cornell.edu/

I've spent over an hour poking around there and have yet to find a
single database of fungi photos for the US midwest, let alone a
taxonomic reference so that I might at least identify the class of fungi
I'm looking at. This website is sorely outdated, I'm afraid. Nearly
half of the links I've clicked on are dead. Nonetheless, I'll keep
looking as time permits. I've seen hundreds of photos and have yet to
find a single one that looks anything remotely like what we have.

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.

Thanks.
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

Look at species Ganoderma for starters.
Steve

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article ,
"Marie Dodge" wrote:

"Omelet" wrote in message
...

Mushroom growth is a sign of very healthy soil. I personally enjoy
seeing them almost as much as wildflowers in all their form and beauty.
:-)


Mushrooms sprouted all over my gardens since the rain 2 days ago. I wish I
knew how to tell the poisonous ones from the ones good to eat.

I know what you mean.
There might be a local mushrooming club...
--
Peace! Om

"Crime does not pay as well as Politics".
-- Anon.

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.

Thanks.

Could be a puffball!!! Those are edible, but I'd want to be sure.
--
Peace! Om

"Crime does not pay as well as Politics".
-- Anon.

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.

Thanks.

Could be a puffball!!! Those are edible, but I'd want to be sure.

Nope. I know what those are. This is very dense and heavy. I'm still
looking.... as time allows.
--
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust"
-T.S. Eliot

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.

Thanks.

Could be a puffball!!! Those are edible, but I'd want to be sure.

A true puffball will be solid inside, like a marshmallow, when you cut
it in half. An immature amanita can have a little fetal looking thing
inside. The amanitas are deadly poison. Puffballs are good eating if you
pick them when they're really fresh. (We have puffballs all over the
place here.)

Never eat a 'shroom that you aren't sure of. It's not worth the risk.

Jan

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.

Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom
for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know
what
it is.

Thanks.

Could be a puffball!!! Those are edible, but I'd want to be sure.

Nope. I know what those are. This is very dense and heavy. I'm still
looking.... as time allows.

Look up "birch conk" or "artist's conk." IIRC, that's what Steve means
by the Latin name he gave you. Something along those lines. Here's some
pictures/photos of conks:

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/bracfung.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingzhi

http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/st...amushroom.html

Sorry about sending you a bummer link... I was trying to do three
things at once and didn't chase any of those links on that site to make
sure they were good or worked.

A funny looking thing that doesn't look like a mushroom is still a
fungi, just not what you think of as a mushroom.

What sort of wood is it growing on? That's always a big clue with fungi.

Jan

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

Isabella Woodhouse said:

Out picking beans yesterday, I noted the appearance of three huge fungi,
one at the inner base of each pole, on one "teepee" of my pole beans.
This is the first I noticed them so I have no idea how long they've been
there. Seems like it can't be too long since I pick beans at least
every other day. I've searched and searched but cannot seem to find a
pictorial database of fungi so I can identify these critters. They are
a mottle ecru and light adobe color and look similar to those oyster
fungi in that they are kind of layered. But I can't be sure what (or
why) they are since I can't seem to find a large library of pics for
comparison.

Maybe something like hen-of-the woods, or some other type of
shelf fungus?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maitake -- these can get huge


The beans are great and don't seem to be affected--- yet anyway. It is
interesting that they are growing at the base of each pole. The beans
on this particular pole are mostly rattlesnake beans but I can't imagine
the relevance. I wonder if it is some kind of symbiotic relationship.
They are so large, I fear spading them out will ruin the roots of my
bean plants. One is a good 9 inches in diameter. And I can't take a
pic right now since my DH has the camera and is away on business.

As others have said, they are most likely growing in relation to the poles,
not the beans, and nothing to worry about right now.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

After enlightenment, the laundry.

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

sometime in the recent past Isabella Woodhouse posted this:
In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article
,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half on a
dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a bowl over
the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours), then see what
color spores drop out of the cap.
Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are no
recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is nearly the
size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a 'shroom for
ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi who will know what
it is.
Thanks.
Could be a puffball!!! Those are edible, but I'd want to be sure.

Nope. I know what those are. This is very dense and heavy. I'm still
looking.... as time allows.
Isabella, even with the best pictures, if you could find them, won't be
enough to correctly identify any mushroom except some of those with unique
structures. But, we could be of a lot more help if you could post a picture
at any one of dozens of free sites. No plug intended, but I set up an
account at http://good-times.webshots.com/ with little trouble and have room
for many postings.

--
Wilson N44º39" W67º12"

Garden Oddity: What the heck is it?
 

sometime in the recent past Wilson posted this:
sometime in the recent past Isabella Woodhouse posted this:
In article ,
Omelet wrote:

In article ,
Isabella Woodhouse wrote:

For positive ID, you need to get a spore print. Cut the stalk off a
mushroom cap; put the cap, gills down, on a piece of paper or half
on a dark piece of paper and half on a white piece of paper; put a
bowl over the 'shroom cap. Let it sit for awhile (up to 12 hours),
then see what color spores drop out of the cap.
Thanks so much for responding. These are not mushrooms. There are
no recognizable caps or gills. These things are huge. One is
nearly the size of a loaf of bread.... and growing.

Or if you have a natural history museum or college with a
biology/botany/horticulture dept. in your area, bring them a
'shroom for ID. There will be someone around who's a fan of fungi
who will know what it is.
Thanks.
Could be a puffball!!! Those are edible, but I'd want to be sure.

Nope. I know what those are. This is very dense and heavy. I'm
still looking.... as time allows.
Isabella, even with the best pictures, if you could find them, won't be
enough to correctly identify any mushroom except some of those with
unique structures. But, we could be of a lot more help if you could post
a picture at any one of dozens of free sites. No plug intended, but I
set up an account at http://good-times.webshots.com/ with little trouble
and have room for many postings.

Oops! Just looked a little closer to the postings and I see that you already
have an account with Webshots.com. Will be waiting for you 'shroom pics.

--
Wilson N44º39" W67º12"