Hi all i am new so please be easy on me. I was digging up a dead conifer today for a client and there was little yellow balls all over the root ball. That when you pinch them they pop and there dry inside does anyone know what they are please help thank you

On 6/7/2009 1:24 PM, bob the builder wrote:
Hi all i am new so please be easy on me. I was digging up a dead conifer
today for a client and there was little yellow balls all over the root
ball. That when you pinch them they pop and there dry inside does
anyone know what they are please help thank you


Sounds like some form of fungus (e.g., toadstool). If you pop one, try
to avoid breathing in the dust they eject; it might be toxic.

They will disappear after all the conifer roots have decomposed. If you
want to get rid of them sooner, scatter some soil sulfur in the area.

--
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

Thank you for your reply. They look like tiny pea size sweet corn and when you squeeze them there bone dry. Do you think that they could of killed the conifer as there is a at least 30 odd in a row. Once again thank you

On 6/8/2009 11:55 AM, bob the builder wrote:
David E. Ross;849884 Wrote:
On 6/7/2009 1:24 PM, bob the builder wrote:-
Hi all i am new so please be easy on me. I was digging up a dead
conifer
today for a client and there was little yellow balls all over the
root
ball. That when you pinch them they pop and there dry inside does
anyone know what they are please help thank you
-

Sounds like some form of fungus (e.g., toadstool). If you pop one,
try
to avoid breathing in the dust they eject; it might be toxic.

They will disappear after all the conifer roots have decomposed. If
you
want to get rid of them sooner, scatter some soil sulfur in the area.


Thank you for your reply. They look like tiny pea size sweet corn and
when you squeeze them there bone dry. Do you think that they could of
killed the conifer as there is a at least 30 odd in a row. Once again
thank you


Mushrooms generally grow only on dead or dying matter. They usually do
not kill healthy plants.

(Earlier, I used "toadstool" instead of "mushroom" to be sure you
understood that they might be toxic. While they might not be a serious
danger, I would exercise some caution when handling them.)

--
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

thank you again. can i ask one more please. what are the signs of honey something or other on conifers (sorry my mind gone blank and cant think of its real name)

On 6/9/2009 10:03 AM, bob the builder wrote:
David E. Ross;850028 Wrote:
On 6/8/2009 11:55 AM, bob the builder wrote:-
David E. Ross;849884 Wrote: -
On 6/7/2009 1:24 PM, bob the builder wrote:-
Hi all i am new so please be easy on me. I was digging up a dead
conifer
today for a client and there was little yellow balls all over the
root
ball. That when you pinch them they pop and there dry inside does
anyone know what they are please help thank you
-

Sounds like some form of fungus (e.g., toadstool). If you pop one,
try
to avoid breathing in the dust they eject; it might be toxic.

They will disappear after all the conifer roots have decomposed. If
you
want to get rid of them sooner, scatter some soil sulfur in the area.
-

Thank you for your reply. They look like tiny pea size sweet corn and
when you squeeze them there bone dry. Do you think that they could of
killed the conifer as there is a at least 30 odd in a row. Once again
thank you
-

Mushrooms generally grow only on dead or dying matter. They usually
do
not kill healthy plants.

(Earlier, I used "toadstool" instead of "mushroom" to be sure you
understood that they might be toxic. While they might not be a
serious
danger, I would exercise some caution when handling them.)

thank you again. can i ask one more please. what are the signs of honey
something or other on conifers (sorry my mind gone blank and cant think
of its real name)


Actually, I might be a little more familiar with fungi than with conifers.

The only thing I can think of relative to a conifer and "honey" is
honeydew. This is a black mold that develops when aphids feed on a
tree. The aphids excrete a sugary syrup, which is why they attract
ants. When ants don't collect all the syrup, it drips onto lower leaves
and branches of the tree where it becomes moldy. The black mold can
stain pavement under the tree. The syrup itself is called "honeydew"
because (1) it's sugary like honey and (2) it forms little droplets like
dew.

I get it on my Podocarpus. Honeydew is not peculiar to conifers. This
can be a problem with Chinese elms, which is why you should not park a
car under a Chinese elm tree in the spring or early summer. I've even
seen the black mold from honeydew on citrus. Furthermore, other insects
can cause the black mold, including scale and whitefly.

--
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