During warm, wet conditions each year, many gardeners are surprised and sometimes alarmed when strange growths on their ornamental wood mulch, lawn grass or even their landscape plants are discovered.
The Plant Health Clinic in Fayetteville receives numerous phone calls each year from gardeners and landscapers panicking about these peculiar "slimy" or "crusty" masses that seem to appear overnight in their garden areas or lawns. Although these creepy masses are considered to be a fungus-like organism, they possess animallike characteristics that make them interesting to watch and examine.
Slime molds are saprophytic; that is, they feed on decaying organic materials, bacteria and yeasts. These curiosities are not considered plant disease organisms. They can sometimes smother plant parts or become a nuisance in the landscape or lawn. These organisms grow externally on plants that are close to the ground, such as strawberries, turf grass and vegetables.
The most common slime molds encountered in the landscape and garden belong to the genera Physarum sp. and Fuligo sp. The slime molds are often encountered in moist, shady areas such as crevices in mulch, rotting logs and leaf litter. Slime molds in the genus Fuligo produce fruiting bodies on wood mulch that are yellow or cream-colored, crusty masses that resemble dog vomit or scrambled eggs. These are the most commonly seen slime molds in the landscape.
Sometimes slime molds may use landscape plants for support, giving them an unsightly appearance. Physarus sp. is the most common slime mold on turf grass. The fruiting body is dark gray to black and contains purple spores. These slime molds resemble soot and occur in small groups or rings in the grass.
Since slime molds are primarily considered a nuisance, the best way to control these curiosities is to break them up and dry them out. Rake and dispose of the fruiting bodies on wood mulch. Slime molds can be discouraged from forming by keeping the mulch dry. If the slime molds continue to persist despite efforts to keep the much dry, gardeners may wish to change to non-wood mulch in the landscape. When slime molds occur in the lawn, rake or sweep the thatch when the grass is dry. A stream of water can also be used to wash the powdery spore masses from the grass.
Contact the Garland County Extension Service office for additional information about slime molds in the landscape.
4-H information
There are several 4-H clubs for Garland county youths who are 5 to 19 years old. For more information on all the fun 4-H activities that are available for youths, call Linda Bates at the Extension Office on 623-6841 or email her at [email protected].
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge. They're open to the public and guests are welcome. For more information, call the Extension office at 623-6841 or email Alex Dykes at [email protected].
EHC information
Are you interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For information on EHC contact Alison Crane on 623-684 or email her at [email protected].
Society on 11/18/2019