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 Sun, 7 Jun 2009 21:24:39 +0100, bob the builder spuked forth:
Spent time release fertilizer capsules most likely.
Charlie
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.
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.)
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.
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