Hi,

last year we had mushrooms, which I had identified (on group and off) as
edible, but ended up not eating because the ones I brought in had loads of
little grubs in.

http://www.chelsworth-lodge.nildram....FairyRing1.JPG shows
this.

The grass showed no sign of this in early spring, being green all over.

However after the last cut, and the hot dry weather, I noticed that some of
the grass looked 'burned' and dry, instead of green.

It was only when looking down from the balcony that I could see a definite
pattern.

http://www.chelsworth-lodge.nildram....FairyRing2.JPG shows
this.

It looks as though there is a ring of sorts centered on the Victoria plum
tree.

Now I though that fairy rings were generally the slowly expanding circle of
underground fungus from a point source, often based on buried dead wood as
the starting point.

In this case it looks as though there is a ring of sorts arounf the plum
tree.

Does this suggest that the roots of the plum have a problem around where the
ring is?

The tree sems O.K. but is not as sprightly as it has been - I suspected lack
of nutrients (based partly on the spread of roots from all the trees, as
evidenced by suckers springing up all over the garden).

Is this ring evidence of a more serious problem, and if so what (if
anything) can I do about it?

TIA
Dave R

[Trees, in rotation from the left, are Victoria plum, Bramley apple, Czar
plum, Greengage, and Queen Cox apple.]
--

The message
from "David W.E. Roberts" contains these words:

It looks as though there is a ring of sorts centered on the Victoria plum
tree.

Coincidence.

Now I though that fairy rings were generally the slowly expanding circle of
underground fungus from a point source, often based on buried dead wood as
the starting point.

Yes, and no. Mushrooms which grow on rotten or buried wood (eg, Pluteus
cervinus) don't form rings, though they might if they started as a point
source on a buried forest....

In this case it looks as though there is a ring of sorts arounf the plum
tree.

Does this suggest that the roots of the plum have a problem around where the
ring is?

No.

The tree sems O.K. but is not as sprightly as it has been - I suspected lack
of nutrients (based partly on the spread of roots from all the trees, as
evidenced by suckers springing up all over the garden).

Cut suckers off - they are rootstock and are unlikely to bear fruit, and
if they do, it won't be Victoria plums. A dressing of well rotted
compost mixed with bonemeal spread over (say) a circle round the tree
extending to the width of the top-hamper - in the autumn. The worms will
come up for the compost and take the bonemeal down.

Is this ring evidence of a more serious problem, and if so what (if
anything) can I do about it?

No. As far as the tree is concerned, you can ignore it. The mushrooms -
well, the mycelium is living on decaying matter in the topsoil.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Thu, 20 May 2004 21:25:40 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

from "David W.E. Roberts" contains these words:

It looks as though there is a ring of sorts centered on the Victoria plum
tree.

Coincidence.

You think? The first photo shows little correlation between brownish
patches and mushrooms, but the aerial view looks awfully ring-like,
and there's no obvious traffic pattern to suggest another cause (shed
door to ?). I was under the impression, however, that mushrooms do
*not* affect green plant life and are simply signs of damp and
generous nutrition in the soil.

*Love* the garden.

"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 20 May 2004 21:25:40 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:

from "David W.E. Roberts" contains these words:

It looks as though there is a ring of sorts centered on the Victoria
plum
tree.

Coincidence.

You think? The first photo shows little correlation between brownish
patches and mushrooms, but the aerial view looks awfully ring-like,
and there's no obvious traffic pattern to suggest another cause (shed
door to ?). I was under the impression, however, that mushrooms do
*not* affect green plant life and are simply signs of damp and
generous nutrition in the soil.

*Love* the garden.

Thanks - so do we :-)

Just been round to next door, and they have the other half of the ring on
their lawn.

About to email them the URLs.

The message
from Frogleg contains these words:

You think? The first photo shows little correlation between brownish
patches and mushrooms, but the aerial view looks awfully ring-like,
and there's no obvious traffic pattern to suggest another cause (shed
door to ?). I was under the impression, however, that mushrooms do
*not* affect green plant life and are simply signs of damp and
generous nutrition in the soil.

Typical growth pattern for a grassland type of fungus.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/