Mushrooms are the fruit of valuable spores that decay organic material and recycle nutrients into the soil, which is good for plants. However, in volumes, they're unsightly in the garden.
In this episode, we review the icky fungi that can develop in mulch (you may wish to put down your sandwich while tuning in — Ha!) And, we discuss how to prevent and fix the plethora of Funky Fungi in Mulch.
I hope you enjoy the story.
Related Stories
Fixing Funky Fungi in Mulch– Blog Post
Leaf Mold – Better than Mulch– Blog Post
Ep 05. NY Botanical Garden, Fall Leaf Confetti
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I'd love to hear your garden and nature stories and your thoughts about topics for future podcast episodes. You can email me at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Thanks so much for tuning in.
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Mary Stone, Columnist & Garden Designer
AskMaryStone.com
More about the Podcast and Column:
Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries.
It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from mother nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com
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Ep 159. Fixing Funky Fungi in Mulch
Sun, May 05, 2024 8:14AM • 10:19
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
mulch, mushrooms, garden, soil, spores, plants, create, hemlock, fungi, nature, leaf mold, nitrogen, root, joining, cleanups, woodchips, talk, dilemmas, enjoying, mary stone, garden, nature, inspiration
SPEAKERS
Mary Stone
Mary Stone 00:00
Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. I'm Mary Stone and welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about.
Mary Stone 00:26
Hello there, it's Mary Stone on the screen porch, and it's turned into a lovely evening, and Miss Jolee has joined me once again in the beanbag chair on the screen porch. Thank you for joining me. I have been running ragged during the spring season, which isn't unusual, but this year, for some reason, I don't know. I'm not having an easy time keeping up. How about you? Do any of you have the same problem? One of the busy things going on is spring tune-ups and cleanups, and that involves mulching in most cases. Although I am a fan of using leaf mold as we spoke about way back in Episode Five -- New York Botanical Garden - Fall Leaf Confetti, where I talked about how I use leaf mold instead of mulch. I also use some hardwood mulches, and I adore Hemlock mulch, which is part of our conversation today. But first, I want to thank those of you who reached back after last week's chat about Making Friends with Companion Plants. It's fun to hear your stories about your garden plans and all the Companions you're putting together. And I'll have to admit, for me, it served as a refresher as I'm planning my own garden. Anyway, I look forward to sharing this week's story that starts like this.
Mary Stone 01:39
Hello, fellow listeners and readers. It's mulch time, and John from Andover, New Jersey, asked what kind of mulch is best. First and foremost, remember to apply only two to three inches of mulch and stay clear of trunks and stems to prevent disease. That's my polite way of saying no volcano mulch, please. There once was a trend and using cocoa mulch, which can be toxic to pets, and the sweet smell can attract wild animals, so best to stay clear. Then there's the controversial Dyed Mulch, often made from recycled wood products such as wood pellets, old decks, and other construction debris, which can be contaminated with harmful chemicals. Plus, the dye covers up the mystery of the wood products used. Hence, Dyed Mulch is another stay away as far as I'm concerned to keep plants healthy. It is true by the way it has a profound impact on her herbaceous plants, which, of course, are the soft, most tender ones and other woody plants not as much. But I have a pet peeve especially about black mulch because that is so hot. It's kind of like walking barefoot on blacktop. Think of how hard it is for your plants.
Mary Stone 02:46
I prefer cedar and hemlock mulch which have fewer mold spores and other hardwood mulches and don't break down as quickly. But is there a risk of spreading hemlock woolly adelgid using Hemlock mulch? Hemlocks infected with Woolly Adelgid have a white powder on the foliage from the tiny insects that feed on the twigs at the base of the needles. It devastated hemlocks, though the problem has dramatically improved, and thankfully, hemlocks are readily used in the landscape once again. According to the University of Massachusetts Center for Agriculture, in cooperation with the USDA, given that Hemlock mulch is made from the bark of the trunk and major branches, there should be limited or no Adelgid present in those areas. They go on to say that bark mulch should not be used as soon as it is made for a variety of reasons other than woolly adelgid. If six months have passed since the time of manufacturing it, then a minimal movement of the Adelgid would be expected onto another host. Bottom line, Hemlock mulch is safe and favorable to use.
Mary Stone 03:50
What about using woodchips galore from the cleanups of the downed trees? Nature relies on decomposing limbs, trees, and leaves to build fertile soil. However, woody materials are high in carbon and cellulose and need nitrogen and time to decompose, temporarily depleting nitrogen from the soil. Therefore, I wouldn't suggest mixing fresh wood chips directly on your ground. But if you combine woodchips with a high-nitrogen organic material, such as dried blood or fishmeal, they can be tilled into the top layer of the soil and will provide nutrients rather quickly. Some say putting woodchips around trees or shrubs is perfectly fine. They believe any nitrogen hindrance that might occur is limited to the soil surface and has virtually no negative impact on plants with deeper root systems. I don't know, fresh wood chips around plants kind of reminds me of a garden that you see under a drive thru window, you know, at certain fast-food places. It's a step above tomato sauce red mulch but not so pretty. Using woodchips to create a wooden path, a cushion under a playset, or paths between raised beds in your vegetable garden is better. Garden Dilemmas? Ask Mary Stone.com.
Mary Stone 05:04
So, talking about mulch brings to memory a dilemma of one of my clients that did turn into a column topic that we have time to share. And I'm going to go into that. But I have to say the best part of this story is seeing the images of the photographs I took of Jeanne's mulch but make sure you're not eating any food because some of them are kind of, let's just say, gross. Anyway, Jeanne of Blairstown shared a fungi dilemma, an alien-looking plethora of mushrooms amongst her garden mulch. Mushrooms are the fruit of valuable spores that decay organic material and recycle nutrients back into the soil, which is good for plants. However, in volumes, they're unsightly in the garden. The good news is most mushrooms are not toxic and do not cause disease, though a few are poisonous if eaten, so keep curious critters and kids away.
Mary Stone 05:59
There are many types of mushrooms that can evolve in your mulch, from the classic toadstool to smelly fingerlike stinkhorns that attract insects. There are the puff balls I loved to pounce as a kid to release black clouds of spores. Then there's the bright pink, orange, or yellow slime mold that looks like a dog hurled. Sorry if you're eating breakfast. Groups of birds’ nests mushrooms that look like little eggs inside cups. The dreaded artillery fungus creates clusters of minute orange-brown or cream cups with black specks in the center, which shoot tarlike spores onto siding, walkways, and even on cars that are impossible to remove.
Mary Stone 06:39
Mulch should never be more than two or three inches thick as I mentioned previously, as too much inhibits air circulation needed for root health. Plus, too-thick mulch will create a mat that hinders moisture from getting through to roots, and it kills microorganisms that prevent spores from going into fruit, meaning you'll have more mushrooms. Moisture, cold temperatures, and shade provide an ideal environment for mushrooms. Hand watering at the roots or drip irrigation rather than sprinklers will help limit mushroom colonies. While fungicides are used in lawns to treat short-lived fungi like leaf spot and root rot, they won't help fungi that create mushrooms. Instead, rake mulch periodically to interrupt the fungal cycle, inhibiting them to fruit. If mushrooms have formed, remove, and toss them into a bag to dispose of them to prevent further spreading of spores.
Mary Stone 07:31
Mushrooms prefer acidic soil. Adding lime can make the soil more alkaline, but it would negatively affect other acid-loving plants. And that, by the way, is a pet peeve of mine. Do not add lime without testing the soil first, and you can do that at your local extension office. It's just a thing people do as a habit and it's not always effective.
Mary Stone 07:54
They say two tablespoons of baking soda mixed with a gallon of water won't change the chemistry or pH of the soil, but it will disrupt the ideal conditions for fungal growth. While you can refresh decaying mulch by adding a half inch of fresh mulch on top, once mushrooms become running amok, it's time to remove and install new. Add the old mulch to the compost pile, turning every few months to create compost soil. Using organic compost soil instead of mulch is a nourishing alternative for your plants. And it's already broken down. So, mushrooms will have much to feed on. Penn State researchers discovered blending four parts of mushroom compost, also sold as mushroom soil, with 10 parts of mulch significantly impedes artillery fungus and other annoying fungi because it contains beneficial microbes that destroy it. Plus, mushroom soil, the byproduct of edible mushroom production, will boost plant growth. If you can't beat them, join them. Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com.
Mary Stone 08:59
Well, Jolee is getting very fidgety in front of me. It's been a long day for me, and she's been waiting for me to give her some exercise. So, I'm going to go outside and enjoy this lovely, cool evening. I hope wherever you are, you are enjoying the surroundings around you and enjoying nature as it unfolds in the spring or whatever season you are in. Yes, Jolee, do you want to go outside and play? I was hoping she would talk - she has a howl that is so hilarious to see. Talk to me. Anyway, my kind listeners, thank you for joining me. I so appreciate it and I hope you have enjoyed your time as well and please keep some stories coming. I need your help. I need your help. I would love to be able to share more garden and nature stories. Thanks again. See you next time.
Mary Stone 09:49
You can follow Garden Dilemmas on Facebook or online at GardenDilemmas.com and on Instagram at hashtag Mary Elaine Stone. Garden Dilemmas Delights and Discoveries as Produced by Alex Bartling. Thanks for coming by. I look forward to chatting again from my screen porch. And always remember to embrace the unexpected in this garden of life. Have a great day.