Vomit in the garden. Sounds like someone had a party and a bit too much to drink doesn't it? Nope, no alcohol in my garden so that is not it. And no semi-grown daughters around either to garden in their own way. Then what is it? Have you ever seen a vomit like substance in your garden?
Last year I got an email from a gardening friend. It seems she was a bit upset about what looked like vomit in her garden. Coincidentally Karla (our county extension agent) had just sent out an information paper on this slime mold.
Its scientific name is Fuligo septica, aka dog vomit mold. It is quite common in gardens after rainy periods. It is absolutely nothing to be worried about.
Walking through my garden and spotting it recently was a bit of a shock though. This mold seems to appear overnight in mulched areas. But, by the time you see the mold itself, you can be assured it has been growing for a while. The vomit like substance you see is actually the fruiting body of the mold.
Again, this is nothing to worry about in the garden. The above picture shows the same mold as pictured in the first picture, shortly after the picture was taken it completely dried up. I just leave it alone. So, nothing as dramatic as a night of binge drinking or a sick dog, nope, just some mold and some moisture and some decaying matter and you have 'vomit in the garden'.
in the garden....
Last year I got an email from a gardening friend. It seems she was a bit upset about what looked like vomit in her garden. Coincidentally Karla (our county extension agent) had just sent out an information paper on this slime mold.
Its scientific name is Fuligo septica, aka dog vomit mold. It is quite common in gardens after rainy periods. It is absolutely nothing to be worried about.
Walking through my garden and spotting it recently was a bit of a shock though. This mold seems to appear overnight in mulched areas. But, by the time you see the mold itself, you can be assured it has been growing for a while. The vomit like substance you see is actually the fruiting body of the mold.Again, this is nothing to worry about in the garden. The above picture shows the same mold as pictured in the first picture, shortly after the picture was taken it completely dried up. I just leave it alone. So, nothing as dramatic as a night of binge drinking or a sick dog, nope, just some mold and some moisture and some decaying matter and you have 'vomit in the garden'.
in the garden....
Hi Tina, it will be interesting to see what kind of visitors you get with this title. It's already showing on Blotanical, and I picked it. Thanks for the link for sweet Semi, bless her heart. We call it cat vomit BTW. HA
ReplyDeleteTina - not very pretty pictures but it's good to know it's nothing to worry about and that the plants weren't having a party without you!
ReplyDeleteTina,
ReplyDeleteFungus is out there ready to take over the world! Fascinating and rather repulsive at the same time! Thanks for the info...I've seen some here and there.
Gail
Frances, Thanks so much! I know Skeeter was quite intriqued with the title before it was even posted. A common thing in gardens but folks can get alarmed. I never forgot the Semi thing so thought it would be apt. Funny story.
ReplyDeleteCindy, Now THERE is a thought, the plants having a party without me? They WOULDN'T dare! (I truly hope!)
Gail, Yup, a bit shocking and yes maybe repulsive too. But a pretty common mold around us. Yuck!
Well, Tina, this title certainly caught my eye! I don't know if I've ever noticed this fungus before, although this would be the year I'd be likely to have it--so much rain this summer. Glad to know it's not harmful; I will certainly leave it alone!
ReplyDeleteEwwww, how gross! Can't you remove it after it dries up? I would think that once it rained again it would be lively again. So many allergies to mold, glad I have never seen that.... although this is the year of the covered houses for the fairies! Many Mushrooms, I even have them in the driveway!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the gnomes are partying hardy and doing the barfing!
ReplyDeleteYep Tina, I was captivated by the title but since we see our share of this in the garden, I was correct with my theory on your vomit titled! LOL… We have not seen too much of this vomit in the gardens this year. Do y’all know we are in a drought? ha ha. by now who doesn’t? When I see this vomit, I scrap it up as I fear it would harm plants nearby. Now that I know it is harmless, I can put away my vomit scooper!
Hi Rose, Yup, a shocking title indeed. I have a few others coming up too. Many problems in the garden this summer. Get prepared!
ReplyDeleteDawn, With all the rain you all have had it isn't any wonder all the mold and mushrooms. Wish we could get SOME!
Skeeter, The gnomes partying without me would be acceptable-just no alcohol here. They will have to concoct their own I guess. Sure wish they would have a weeding party and do a little rain dance while they are weeding. Maybe you'll get some rain.
Excellent topic. I had literally dozens of patches of the stuff the year I brought home Starbucks grounds weekly. I would lug home 50-pound garbage bags of wet coffee and spread them on my new bed.
ReplyDeleteMy slime mold was always dayglow yellow. I threw a shovel of mulch over the stuff. ICK! Hard as it is to believe, even when your soil is vomiting, it is very healthy:)
Marnie
Marnie, The mold was eating good at your house! All those grounds. I get them too and love them in the garden. Vomiting soil being healthy? Yup, I think it is fine. Shows life is going on in it all.
ReplyDeleteWhat a title Tina! lol I've seen that fungus before in my garden too. It is pretty gross looking and does resemble dog vomit. Don't you think it seems to really settle in mulched areas the most? Thanks for the explanation, very informative and good to know it is nothing to be concerned about.
ReplyDeleteThat does look sick. LOL I have not seen any in my garden but I will keep an eye out for it(-: Thanks for sharing!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Tina --had patches of this out back in the mulched area this year. I thought a dog passing by got sick --since everyone thinks my backyard area is where you relieve your dog, hahaha. It is gross but at least now I know I have nothing to worry about --another fungus alive and well in the yard:) A really good day --last free day for the kiddos before the school year begins. And, they were up early --I would've let them sleep in if they wanted to, hahaha. Everyone is getting excited! Better finish up laundry --today is bed linens --takes alot of time. See ya!
ReplyDeletePG, Yes, this mold definitely loves the mulched areas. I occasionally get it in the lawn where trees used to be, but mainly the mulched areas-not leaf mulch though, the shredded wood mulch. Probably more bacteria.
ReplyDeleteCindee, Yup, it is sick looking alright. Now it is all black and really icky, but not so noticeable.
Anonymous, It will surely love your mulched area out back. Yup, last free day. I am enjoying. My old mutt let me sleep in until a whole 7 am! Usually he gets me up at 5:30, when the Jimster gets up. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE LOVELY CARD!
Eww!!! How gross. I'm glad that it doesn't harm your garden though. But still yucky all the same.
ReplyDeletePS the second picture of the white mold is in the shape of a chicken. haha!
ReplyDeleteYucky looking stuff. I have seen it here but not in my garden. It was in grass where mold formed every yr. Now that spot is ok. Guess the neighbors cutting down over growth helped. I just have mushrooms but only in front yard. Even though we've had rain it is still very dry. Sandy soil, either too dry or too wet. I won't complain, with tender loving care it will grow things.
ReplyDeleteHey all! School is done for another term! Yahoo! Enough on philosophy and all that jazz. Hard to do classes online let me tell you.
ReplyDeleteDP, Chicken shape it is!
Lola, It is quite common and around quite a bit, harmless.
We had it in this yard a few years ago - the previous owners had put down black plastic landscaping fabric under wood mulch and the dog vomit mold grew strong enough to lift the plastic.
ReplyDeleteYour post may belong under the Public Service Category if you can prevent panic, Tina!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
I had some of that on a Russian sage a while back and knocked it off. The sage is doing fine and no problems. Ugly stuff though!
ReplyDeleteI haven't encountered this mold yet, but Va is mold central so maybe I just haven't looked in the right places. It's amazing how fascinating gross things can be--I spent 15 minutes watching a dung beetle doing his work this morning with a present Ranunculus had left. I almost went in for my camera (the beetles roll the dung backwards, using their back legs--it's actually really cool)--but I thought it might be too gross for a posting. Clearly, I have to keep up better with my blogging!
ReplyDeleteSo you were taking a summer school course, Tina? Congrats on finishing--I love the feeling at the end of a term.
Hi Cosmos! You should've got your camera on the dung beetle. I find it all fascinating, the gross and the pretty and it is all educational too. I saw dung beetles in Iraq and loved watching them. They were HUGE over there. Yes, I am a perpetual student. GI Bill has to be used somehow. I do like to learn-hence blogging, but it is nice to get credit too! Two more courses for fall, landscape construction and social work. Should be fun. ttyl and next time grab that camera!
ReplyDeleteI would snap pics of a dung beetle! Too cool a bug, maybe a bit smelly but cool though...
ReplyDelete