From

Location

Message

Date Posted

South Hill, Virginia

Please look at the latest entry (or close the end anyway) in my growers diary and let me know if you can tell what that thing is. Some kind fungus or something. I would appreciate any expert advice I can get.

6/3/2002 1:09:12 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

Rich: i believe what you got there is a slime mold? Physarum polycephalum

go to this link and look at the fourth pict down, i believe that's you blob?

http://www.herb.lsa.umich.edu/kidpage/slimemold.htm

Glenn Peters

6/3/2002 1:48:53 PM

Western Pa.

SV

I agree, and I'm willing to bet it road in on your mulch!

kilr

6/3/2002 1:58:00 PM

Ankeny, Iowa

I have seen the same thing growing at the base of a Birch tree in my yard. I think it came from the mulch that I spread around the tree last fall.

6/3/2002 2:48:18 PM

South Hill, Virginia

Thanks Glen and kilr...that is exactly what it looks like. Though the link you sent me says it isn't harmful it doesn't take into account that my wife doesn't want it there and SHE CAN be harmful (to me anyway). Any tricks to getting rid of it, or will it pass in time?

6/3/2002 2:48:43 PM

syracuse, ny

i know this won't help, but it was a darn-funny post,
anyway! i suppose i would throw some Captan,or
other popular fungicide on it-----by the way, the mushroom is the 'flower' of a fungus------so i think the fungus is among us, at least in with your tomatoes! just think how efficient your garden is right now......wow!

6/3/2002 7:26:17 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey SV Jerry Baker loves mushrooms and Puff balls sez it shows the soil is active with the right bugs...usually an old dead rotten tree down there..pull it dry it in the sun and smash it all the smoke you'll think you're at a Kiss concert! chuck

6/3/2002 8:57:57 PM

Arkansas

Definitely ectoplasm! Call Ghostbusters!

6/4/2002 12:12:09 AM

South Hill, Virginia

Chuck,

That was the Grateful Dead concert you're thinking about.....I vaguely remember going to a few of those;)

6/4/2002 4:46:44 PM