Q. I found this thing in the picture I sent to you under my
Joshua tree this morning. It is about 6 inches long? Is it mold?
I only water three times a week for 5 minutes
Joshua tree this morning. It is about 6 inches long? Is it mold?
I only water three times a week for 5 minutes
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| Yellow “Thing” Under Joshua Tree |
A. I get a picture of this once a twice a year, usually in
the spring when it is cooler, there has been rain and there is plenty of wood
chips for it to feed on. This is called a slime mold. Kind of resembles vomit.
the spring when it is cooler, there has been rain and there is plenty of wood
chips for it to feed on. This is called a slime mold. Kind of resembles vomit.
+compressed.jpg) |
| Slime mold on wood mulch at the orchard. |
They can
range in colors from yellow to orange and are related to mushrooms in a very
loose sense. Like mushrooms they are a decomposer and feed off of decaying
organic matter like wood mulches or undecomposed organic matter in the soil. We
see them in the orchard a lot feeding off of decaying wood mulch.
range in colors from yellow to orange and are related to mushrooms in a very
loose sense. Like mushrooms they are a decomposer and feed off of decaying
organic matter like wood mulches or undecomposed organic matter in the soil. We
see them in the orchard a lot feeding off of decaying wood mulch.
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| Slime mold in a lawn. It is feeding on decaying grass either as thatch or clippings or both. |
No
treatment is necessary. It is a good guy since it breaks down woody debris.
Does not attack living plants. If you want to be an industrialist, destroy it
with the back of a rake and rake it into the mulch and soil. It will probably
come back at some time but like a pest would but it is a pest only because we are afraid of it. I will post pictures of some on
my blog.
Thank you. Have this all over my grass at the moment and was really perplexed 🙂
Does this leave a powdery black residue on the lawn when it is mowed?
It can. This is a type of "mushroom" and it reproduces with black spores. No worries. If there is nothing there to break down in the lawn and it is relatively dry nothing will happen. If it starts again just hose it down or rake it and break it up.It could smother the grass on that spot if you let it grow large.
Does this leave a black powder when mowed as residue on the lawn?
when you mow over it does it leave a black powder residue on the lawn?
Yes, from the spores released. Depends on how mature it is. If it is older and ready to release these black spores it will when you mow it.
Yes, as it matures it will release black spores as "seeds" for propagating itself. Of course if there is no debris..food…it wont spread.