Hi,

Over the past few days, these things have been popping up in our mulch
beds and the base of a tree. I'm not positive, but I think each one
shows up overnight. Can you please help identify them? Do I need to
worry about this?

http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756064
http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756040

Please help !

Thanks,
Hitesh

It's a slime mold called "Dog Vomit Fungus". Read he

http://www.personal.psu.edu/sam21/dogvomit.htm


hitesh wrote:
Hi,

Over the past few days, these things have been popping up in our mulch
beds and the base of a tree. I'm not positive, but I think each one
shows up overnight. Can you please help identify them? Do I need to
worry about this?

http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756064
http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756040

Please help !

Thanks,
Hitesh

Yes, that's it. Thanks BG !!!

Now I know it says that it's harmless, but I happen to have these crazy
allergies. Is there a safe way to remove or kill the slime mold before
it releases its spores?

I mean I didn't see any of these molds last year and this year we've
got about 8-10 so far. I'm just wondering if I'll have even more next
year unless I do something.

Thanks,
Hitesh


B.G. Jones wrote:
It's a slime mold called "Dog Vomit Fungus". Read he

http://www.personal.psu.edu/sam21/dogvomit.htm


hitesh wrote:
Hi,

Over the past few days, these things have been popping up in our mulch
beds and the base of a tree. I'm not positive, but I think each one
shows up overnight. Can you please help identify them? Do I need to
worry about this?

http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756064
http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756040

Please help !

Thanks,
Hitesh

hitesh wrote:

Yes, that's it. Thanks BG !!!

Now I know it says that it's harmless, but I happen to have these crazy
allergies. Is there a safe way to remove or kill the slime mold before
it releases its spores?

I mean I didn't see any of these molds last year and this year we've
got about 8-10 so far. I'm just wondering if I'll have even more next
year unless I do something.

Thanks,
Hitesh


B.G. Jones wrote:

It's a slime mold called "Dog Vomit Fungus". Read he

http://www.personal.psu.edu/sam21/dogvomit.htm


hitesh wrote:

Hi,

Over the past few days, these things have been popping up in our mulch
beds and the base of a tree. I'm not positive, but I think each one
shows up overnight. Can you please help identify them? Do I need to
worry about this?

http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756064
http://hitesh.smugmug.com/gallery/1685936/1/82756040

Please help !

Thanks,
Hitesh



Keep in mind that it likely grew from a spore - so spores were already
in your area. Humans evolved in an environment that included those and
many other spores.

Still, alcohols are toxic to many fungi - stachybotrus for instance, and
MAY not be too rough on the underlying ground. Or, carefully wetting it
with a mister(to help reduce particles flying off of it) and using a
shovel to dispose of it in a bag might be as good.

many folks begin having various fungi in older mulch from what I've read.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

Yeah, last summer was pretty dry and we didn't have the mulch so I
suppose the spores could have been around but not able to do anything.
I forgot to mention that this spring we purchased a dumptruck of mulch
.... I wonder if some spores came along as a "bonus" special.

You know a number of my neighbors mulched up this spring also. But a
casual glance shows only two other instances of this slime mold. I
wonder if the mold likes our yard more than others or that my neighbors
are just better at taking care of their yard. Well actually, I know
they're better at taking care of their yard, so it's really just a
question of 'how much' better. ;-)

What do you think is more likely, that some mold spores lived through a
dry summer last year to reproduce this summer - or - that the spores
came with the bulk mulch? I'm already leaning towards going back to
the bag route for doing mulch next time, but this would perhaps make
that decision much easier.

Thanks,
Hitesh


Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:

Keep in mind that it likely grew from a spore - so spores were already
in your area. Humans evolved in an environment that included those and
many other spores.

Still, alcohols are toxic to many fungi - stachybotrus for instance, and
MAY not be too rough on the underlying ground. Or, carefully wetting it
with a mister(to help reduce particles flying off of it) and using a
shovel to dispose of it in a bag might be as good.

many folks begin having various fungi in older mulch from what I've read.

Carl

hitesh wrote:
Yeah, last summer was pretty dry and we didn't have the mulch so I
suppose the spores could have been around but not able to do anything.
I forgot to mention that this spring we purchased a dumptruck of mulch
... I wonder if some spores came along as a "bonus" special.

You know a number of my neighbors mulched up this spring also. But a
casual glance shows only two other instances of this slime mold. I
wonder if the mold likes our yard more than others or that my neighbors
are just better at taking care of their yard. Well actually, I know
they're better at taking care of their yard, so it's really just a
question of 'how much' better. ;-)

What do you think is more likely, that some mold spores lived through a
dry summer last year to reproduce this summer - or - that the spores
came with the bulk mulch? I'm already leaning towards going back to
the bag route for doing mulch next time, but this would perhaps make
that decision much easier.

Thanks,
Hitesh


Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:

Keep in mind that it likely grew from a spore - so spores were already
in your area. Humans evolved in an environment that included those and
many other spores.

Still, alcohols are toxic to many fungi - stachybotrus for instance, and
MAY not be too rough on the underlying ground. Or, carefully wetting it
with a mister(to help reduce particles flying off of it) and using a
shovel to dispose of it in a bag might be as good.

many folks begin having various fungi in older mulch from what I've read.

Carl




Hard to say - probably a little more likely to have already been in the
mulch. It' also depends on sunlight exposure, moisture content, probably
other environmental factors.

CARL


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)