yellow mold growing on ground


  #1  
Old 07-15-03, 09:07 AM
phil mcc
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yellow mold growing on ground

I have a bright yellow mold growing sponaneously up through the hardwood mulch in random areas around the yard. The texture looks kind of like cauliflower and grows in patches up to 12 sq. inches. After a few days it turns whitish, gets crusty and then eventually into black dust. I dug through a patch of it during the yellow phase and it appears to originate in the soil and then works its way up through the mulch. What causes it and can I neutralize it? Can I treat the yard with somehting that will prevent it from re-occurring? Is it harmful to children or pets? Please help. Thanks.
 
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Old 07-15-03, 09:39 AM
C
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Welcome to the forum.

So far this season, I have had three of those in the beds, growing on top of the wood mulch. The first one several weeks ago, the last two in the past three weeks. I guess it is a fungus of some sort. They sat there and changed color and apparent firmness, then split open and dried up. The dogs were not interested in them. Apparently, nothing is different after their passing.

It may be that stirring the mulch could disturb the environment enough to prevent the growth. The spores will sit around until conditions are right and grow later on. Of course, that may be never, if the conditions don't present themselves. We have had a lot of rain here in the past 6 months. I think that all of the rain had kept everything so moist that some fungus plants such as mushrooms are showing up. We would never see them otherwise.

A fungus is just another component in the biological process of decay which affects the wood mulch as it does everything else that is not living.

Your county extension agent may be able to enlighten you more on this.

I would ignore them and tell the children not to play with them.

HTH
 
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Old 07-15-03, 10:03 AM
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Yellow mold on Hardwood mulch.

Hi phil Welcome to DIYs Garden Forum

We hear and see many types of fungi growing in & on the different types of natural mulches. What is it? It is nature at work, breaking down the wood so the nutrients can feed, the Green plants.

Some including myself, have found a new as of last year a natural wood mulch, made from Eculyptus wood. It has been very wet this year yet no sign of fungi. Like all wood mulches it may in time start to decay, but for now it resist the Fungi we see most often in hardwood mulches.

Their are anti fungal sprays but they can, being a killer of living matter, & kill off important soil life. So it's possable to damage other plants as well. Factor that into the leaching out & need for retreatment & you may want to look into a mulch with a built in Fungal resistance.

There is a company I just saw a flash on the news. They are using recycled car tires, coloring the cleaned rubber chunks & selling it for a fungal proof mulch. BTW the Eculyptus comes in colors also, & natural colors.

If you want to go the Chemical route, I suggest that a call to your local County Agent. They know what products work best in your area, & can advise you on the least toxic method of control.
 
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Old 07-15-03, 06:30 PM
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"bright yellow mold" - sometimes called 'dog vomit'.
Just like mushrooms, it/they won't hurt anything.
Rake over them or just let them dry up in a few days and disappear.

fred
 
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Old 07-16-03, 09:08 AM
phil mcc
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Thanks for the replies

Thanks to all for your info. on the yellow mold growth in my yard. Very helpful and puts me at ease!
 
 

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