Hi again, I'm back again with another question. Today when I was watering my container plants, I noticed something really disgusting covering nearly a third of the soil in one of my pots. It resembled a slime mold- it was wet, sticky and a yellow-orange-tan color. I finished watering and went to grab my camera- it now looks crustier. My daughter thought it was very cool and said to her it looked like mushroom bread. It doesn't look anything like a mushroom in my opinion, but does resemble fresh-baked bread in texture. Is it vomit of some kind like it appears or is it Fuligo septica? I have never had so many icky things in my garden- this year I'm seriously thinking about a new hobby. I don't understand why it is happening this summer- I've lived 32 years without seeing a wood ear fungus or slime molds, I wish they'd go away.
lol...I don't know what all you're doing 'RIGHT' here? But THIS I think is you're 'dog vomit slime mould'....give it a few days and it'll be gone. :o)
I know you guys find it fascinating and I am sorry if it offends you when I call it vile. There is no better description than dog vomit, that's for sure. I've never seen anything weird in my garden and now I'm getting quite the education on this forum. There has to be a reason- is something in my garden unbalanced or something? I don't see anything resembling dog vomit in the yards of any of my neighbors!
The area where the wood ear fungus was had no mulch, but I had what was identified as some sort of fungus that decomposes wood around most of my perennials. It was/is white and smelly. It looked like cottage cheese a bit. This slime mold however, is in a CONTAINER. The container was newly purchased this spring, the plants as well as the potting mix all came from the same nursery. I have not put any mulch in the container. I wouldn't have been the slightest bit surprised to find this in my perennial borders, but I was shocked to see it in a container. Slime molds climb like that? It is on one of the steps going up to my deck and the pot itself is at least 2 feet tall.
We have had three of these pop up in our garden in the past few weeks. The first two were bright Crayola yellow and looked just like dog vomit except for the color. They were in the rose garden which is heavily mulched with wood chips. This has been an unusually wet spring for our area of Colorado, USA, and the garden has been very wet and soggy. The third growth popped up today outside of the garden where there is no mulch. It was the color of the picture posted here. Ours seem to break down within a day.
The 'dog vomit' species of mould will show up in grass, mulch, on plants...even on just muddy soil with no visible plant/mulch/compost at all. I've seen it in the woods on rotting wood as well as in odd 'globs' in places that I constantly am walking with no visible wood/leaves...Slimes are very fascinating in that they will 'search' for food sources...the Many-headed slime will actually go through mazes to find food..and if not finding it...back-track to find another pathway to a new location. The Fuligo septica (this one above) enjoys cooler temps so spring and fall....as well as moisture as most slime moulds prefer. If it's a damp area or season...slimes will know. This species isn't known for climbing? But it's spore still travels. I've seen it growing in greenhouses even at Walmart! It's a wonderful composter though, and is being studied more and more for it's contribution to compost and mulch areas.
Sometimes more biodiversity is a sign of a healthier garden. Imagine the sterile cemetery type of environment where only 1 type of plant grew in yards or only one type of animal visits. Its just as likely either the weather is a little different,or the shade from your trees is a little heavier and now this stuff can live. Or you just bought a "contaminated" potted plant. I admit I'd probably scoop it up with a shovel and throw it in a wooded area in my back yard instead of leaving it in the pot.