Identification: Please help identify and remediate fungus

I have something in my garden that I need some help with. The plant looks like a wasp nest. Last summer, it grew in my garden and shoots black specks all over my vegetables. The black spots take root and eventually kill all my plants. I took out 2 inches of topsoil at the end of the year and it's already back and growing.

Please help identify and possibly suggest a way to get rid of it. Pics are posted below:

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm194/beroyse/Unknown/IMG_8609.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm194/beroyse/Unknown/IMG_8611.jpg

Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Brian

 

How pretty! These are Cyathus striatus (or closely related species). Sorry for the bad news, but you can't really get rid of them.

 

I agree that they look like birds nest fungi. But if so, my understanding is that these fungi are wood decayers, usually breaking down twigs. I suspect something else is killing your plants.
-frog

 

I agree with both comment above? I often find these bird nests fungi growing on wood compost....however....I don't think the spore from these is what's killing off you're living greenery?
Did you by chance get photos of you're vegetable plants with the spots on them?

 

Thank you all for helping me out. I don't have any pictures of the black spots on the plants, but it makes sense that they may have been insects rather than spores. I'm not exactly a master gardener. ;) I'm going to fill the garden in with some new dirt, and I'll see what happens. I'm a little bummed that there isn't a good way to get rid of it.

Do you think I need to worry at all about the fungus growing with my vegetables? I usually grow lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes.

Thanks,
Brian

 

Beroyse,
The University of Kentucky (in Lexington, I think) has a Master Gardener Program. I don't know how close you are, but it's a neat Organization, and they can tell you if there is training available near you. If your interested in Gardening and community training it's a great place to learn and pass on to others what you learn. I am a MG here in Skagit Co NW Wash State and really enjoy all we do.
barb

 

I can assert by negative information, that you don't need to worry about birds nest fungi in your garden: As in, I've never investigated birds nests from that point of view, but I am pretty familiar with the fungi that are on the list of hazards to agriculture and forestry.

Birds nest fungi are wood decayers, generally found on fallen twigs. The body/spread of this fungus does not appear to be large, since the whole fungus is apparently contained within or atop the twig, as opposed to ramifying through the soil.

If anything you could consider them useful in that they are quietly, in a small way, helping to decay wood debris in your garden soil, thus releasing that energy into a form consumable by your plants.

Now that you've brought this up, I'm curious to know more about these beautiful little fungi! I recommend looking at them with a handlens or magnifying glass, especially when they are freshly open, to see the little "eggs".

cheers,
frog