Grayish-white fungus on MM

ChanaGoanna 5/25/2016, 1:52 pm

Hello all! I'm a newbie trying to get my first four SFG beds going. I've been busy deer-proofing and dealing with a flood after I filled the boxes, and today I noticed this over the soil/MM in one box. It's in a couple of the others too, but worst in this one. Is this something to be concerned about? Should I just mix it in before planting? I apologize if this has already been addressed; I did a search but the closest I found was a post showing the same kind of things in starter soil.

Grayish-white fungus on MM File_m10

CapeCoddess 5/25/2016, 2:55 pm

$glad you\'re here$ CG! What part of the world are you gardening in?
I see your issue...but I haven't experienced it in my area and don't know what it is. Looks moisture related to me though. Someone will come along that can help you and they will probably ask what you used for compost.

Your box and MM look good! What DID you use for compost?
CC

ChanaGoanna 5/25/2016, 3:48 pm

Hi CapeCoddess (hilarious name!) and thank you for the warm welcome! I'm in northeastern NJ, zone 6b.

For compost, I used a mix of mushroom compost, Hamptons Estate compost, Chickity Doo Doo, and Nature's Care Really Good Compost (made by Miracle Gro, so the name is debatable). I realize some of those ingredients probably aren't optimal, but it was all I had access to, since at some point over the winter, some genius decided to fill my compost bin with sticks. :-\

I tossed everything together one box at a time, so my compost mix varies a bit from box to box.

**Scorpio Rising** 5/25/2016, 7:08 pm

Just looks like a micro fungus from your compost. I am not concerned! Fungi and molds are good for the health of the soil and come from our compost naturally! Rake it in and do your thing! $glad you\'re here$

ChanaGoanna 5/25/2016, 7:32 pm

Well, since I used mushroom compost, I guess that makes sense. :-)

Thank you! I will do as you suggest.

**sanderson** 5/25/2016, 8:56 pm

Hi Chana, Welcome to the Forum from California! $glad you\'re here$ My guess is that the material is not harmful. As the Mix matures, there will be all kinds of microorganisms living in the soil, doing their wonderful magic.

**Kelejan** 5/25/2016, 9:44 pm

$glad you\'re here$ Chana happy hi

from Kelejan :canada:

in British Columbia, Canada.

It is all part of something called the Soil Web. It means your soil is alive and that is a good thing.

If it bothers you to see it, just mix it in like Scorpio Rising suggests.

ChanaGoanna 5/25/2016, 11:13 pm

Thanks, sanderson and kelejan, for the welcome and the advice! Both are much appreciated. Smile

**AtlantaMarie** 5/26/2016, 10:35 am

Hi ChanaGoanna. Welcome from Atlanta, GA!

Glad you've already found the archives...

ChanaGoanna 5/26/2016, 11:52 am

Thanks, AtlantaMarie! I do try not to be the annoying newbie who asks the same question for the 8,472,583rd time. :-)

BTW, I'm originally from Birmingham. I sure do miss that long growing season now that I'm gardening.

**sanderson** 5/26/2016, 8:41 pm

Chana, Please add your city or at least state, to your Location so folks have a better idea of where you live. Thanks, Very Happy

**Scorpio Rising** 5/26/2016, 8:45 pm

**sanderson** 5/27/2016, 4:14 am

Thank you!

**walshevak** 5/27/2016, 2:55 pm

Scorpio Rising wrote:Just looks like a micro fungus from your compost. I am not concerned! Fungi and molds are good for the health of the soil and come from our compost naturally! Rake it in and do your thing! $glad you\'re here$

+1 I had the same thing on my new mix. I suspect it is the chicken as I've see it on that when it got damp. Just stirred it back in and planted.

Kay

ChanaGoanna 5/27/2016, 3:08 pm

Thanks, Walshevak! I'm very relieved that I won't have to start from scratch with another 8 ft^3 of Mel's Mix! [insert plotzing icon here]

**sanderson** 5/27/2016, 9:14 pm

Chana, For your winter reading enjoyment. Right now you are just getting started, but when you have a breather, you can check out all of the micro life in the soil and their roles.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t20218-microbes-you-gotta-see-this-one?highlight=microbes

Edit addition. I really want to stress that reading this book is just, well, extra. You can have a wildly successful gardening career without ever reading it. Somehow, Mel's format for gardening is really well constructed. His formula for Mel's Mix is so spot on. Why is it so spot on? Well, this book just is extra information about what goes on behind the curtain (in the soil). The microbes are the heavy lifters. By replenishing the Mix each year/planting with more quality composts, we are helping these unseen heroes do their job.

So, reading it is just a casual recommendation. In fact, do. not. read. it.

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