Please help identify

[hitesh]

Hi,

Over the past few days, these things have been popping up in our mulch beds and the base of a tree. I'm not positive, but I think each one shows up overnight. Can you please help identify them? Do I need to worry about this?

help !

Thanks, Hitesh

[B.G. Jones]

[hitesh]

Yes, that's it. Thanks BG !!!

Now I know it says that it's harmless, but I happen to have these crazy allergies. Is there a safe way to remove or kill the slime mold before it releases its spores?

I mean I didn't see any of these molds last year and this year we've got about 8-10 so far. I'm just wondering if I'll have even more next year unless I do something.

Thanks, Hitesh

B.G. J> It's a slime mold called "Dog Vomit Fungus". Read here:

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Keep in mind that it likely grew from a spore - so spores were already in your area. Humans evolved in an environment that included those and many other spores.

Still, alcohols are toxic to many fungi - stachybotrus for instance, and MAY not be too rough on the underlying ground. Or, carefully wetting it with a mister(to help reduce particles flying off of it) and using a shovel to dispose of it in a bag might be as good.

many folks begin having various fungi in older mulch from what I've read.

Carl

[hitesh]

Yeah, last summer was pretty dry and we didn't have the mulch so I suppose the spores could have been around but not able to do anything. I forgot to mention that this spring we purchased a dumptruck of mulch ... I wonder if some spores came along as a "bonus" special.

You know a number of my neighbors mulched up this spring also. But a casual glance shows only two other instances of this slime mold. I wonder if the mold likes our yard more than others or that my neighbors are just better at taking care of their yard. Well actually, I know they're better at taking care of their yard, so it's really just a question of 'how much' better. ;-)

What do you think is more likely, that some mold spores lived through a dry summer last year to reproduce this summer - or - that the spores came with the bulk mulch? I'm already leaning towards going back to the bag route for doing mulch next time, but this would perhaps make that decision much easier.

Thanks, Hitesh

Carl 1 Lucky Texan wrote:

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Hard to say - probably a little more likely to have already been in the mulch. It' also depends on sunlight exposure, moisture content, probably other environmental factors.

CARL