My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.

On Jun 14, 7:35?am, "Mike S." wrote:
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.

It's hardly possible to protect anything from fungus, fungal spores
are wafting everywhere and are extremely resiliant. I don''t even
want to discus why you're storing mulch in your "room"(do you have a
mulch fetish), but living healthy plants are for the most part immune
from fungal damage (or there'd be no plants), and when plants do
develop fungus there are treatments readily available, but they would
have developed a fungus regardless of mulching, more often it's from
improper/over watering and inadequate sunlight.

On Jun 14, 7:35 am, "Mike S." wrote:
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.

More important would be to keep it out of your lungs, you don't want
to breathe a snootfull of spores, other than that it should be fine
for the garden, were it mine I would just give it a rinse to hold the
dust down and put it to use.

"Mike S." wrote in message
ups.com...
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.


I found the same thing in bags of cedar mulch that were damp, and stored in
my garage. I mulched almost everything in the garden with it and had no
problems at all. The sun will take care of it, I guess. If you're nervous
about it, spread thin layers first, wait a few days for it to dry in the
sun, and then add another layer. If you're new to gardening and find that
squash, cucumber & melon plants die with white powdery stuff on their
leaves, be aware that this is common for that plant family, and probably has
nothing at all to do with the mulch.

ups.com...
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

Quite possibly. But before you get too exercised,

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 04:35:25 -0700, "Mike S."
wrote:

My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.

It sounds like actinomycetes, which is a fungal thread found in
decomposing vegetation, which easily you can place mulch in the
category. This fungi is beneficial. Most fungi is.

On Jun 14, 5:02?pm, jangchub wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 04:35:25 -0700, "Mike S."

wrote:
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.

It sounds like actinomycetes, which is a fungal thread found in
decomposing vegetation, which easily you can place mulch in the
category. This fungi is beneficial. Most fungi is.

Well, yes and no, depends on the host... fungus is great in the
compost bin it's lousy between toes and crotches. LOL

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:01:04 -0700, Sheldon wrote:

On Jun 14, 5:02?pm, jangchub wrote:
On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 04:35:25 -0700, "Mike S."

wrote:
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.

It sounds like actinomycetes, which is a fungal thread found in
decomposing vegetation, which easily you can place mulch in the
category. This fungi is beneficial. Most fungi is.

Well, yes and no, depends on the host... fungus is great in the
compost bin it's lousy between toes and crotches. LOL

This is rec.gardens and not rec.toes and crotch.

In article .com,
Sheldon wrote:

Well, yes and no, depends on the host... fungus is great in the
compost bin it's lousy between toes and crotches. LOL

Beware the friendly pervert.

-Billy
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:22:56 -0700, Billy Rose
wrote:

In article .com,
Sheldon wrote:

Well, yes and no, depends on the host... fungus is great in the
compost bin it's lousy between toes and crotches. LOL

Beware the friendly pervert.

-Billy
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

What's wrong with you?

jangchub expounded:

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 22:22:56 -0700, Billy Rose
wrote:

In article .com,
Sheldon wrote:

Well, yes and no, depends on the host... fungus is great in the
compost bin it's lousy between toes and crotches. LOL

Beware the friendly pervert.

-Billy
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

What's wrong with you?

I don't think all of the posts from Billy Rose are actually from Billy
Rose......
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 04:35:25 -0700, Mike S. wrote:
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

Could be. But even if it is, there are approximately 1.5 million species
of fungi out there, very few of which are pathogens. In fact, I've had
fungus for both breakfast and lunch today... yeast in my bread.

Chances that the fungus in your mulch will be pathogenic to your garden
plants are pretty low. Most likely it's one of the wood-rot fungi,
busy turning your mulch into compost.

Kay

Most fungus is not harmful. Especially after being a year old.

Many tree problems are associated with the following:

Troubles in the Rhizosphere
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/RHIZO.html

Unhealthy Trees from the Nursery / Improper Planting
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman/sub1.html and
Look up "Tree Planting"
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/RHIZO.html

Improper Mulching - http://home.ccil.org/~treeman/sub3.html and
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/M/index.html Look up "Mulch"

Improper Pruning
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/tree_pruning/

Improper Fertilization (See A Touch of Chemistry)
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/CHEM.html

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

"Mike S." wrote in message
ups.com...
My bag of mulch has white specks in it that looks like powder. I don't
recall seeing it on there last year. Could it be some sort of fungus?

I bought it and opened it last year. I stored the mulch in it's
original bag and then placed that bag in a trash bag and tied it up.
I've kept the bag in my spare room since I got it last year.

If the mulch has a fungus, wouldn't it be bad to use on plants such as
tomatoes and peppers? I'm growing tomatoes and peppers in large pots
and was going to use this mulch in the pots. I'm worried about the
fungus infecting these plants.