Have the aliens landed on my pine mulch?

LilBittyBean 6/9/2020, 6:48 pm

Inspecting my SFG after three days of rain and have been kind of grossed out to see this ick in two of my raised beds.

The areas where they've popped up are bare and awaiting planting. Appears to be a fungus rather than some sort of pest. Anyone know what it is? My plant ID apps don't identify fungi.

Have the aliens landed on my pine mulch? Fungus10

OhioGardener 6/9/2020, 8:47 pm

Those appear to be tiny mushrooms. Fungi has a symbiotic relationship with mulch, as part of the decomposition process of the organic material. Once the weather clears up, and the soil begins to try out, you can just lightly rake the surface to break the mushrooms down into the soil.

LilBittyBean 6/9/2020, 9:02 pm

Thank you, OG! I feel better now. I was worried that I might need to set fire to my beds! (Only kinda sorta joking!) Twisted Evil

mollyhespra 6/9/2020, 9:27 pm

They're kinda cute. Did you use mushroom compost? Maybe they're edible?

LilBittyBean 6/9/2020, 10:41 pm

I used a combo of homegrown compost (which more than certainly included mushrooms) and compost from our wonderful, local, organic nursery. Not at all sure if they are edible and I'm not going to try it. My paternal grandpère harvested boletes and morels in the swamps and woods. Grandmère would cook them into a gravy or stew and serve them up. My mom was always scared of eating the harvest and that kind of washed off on me, even though I knew she was probably wrong. After all, my grandpère lived to be 97, dying from emphysema. Those mushrooms did not kill him.

**AtlantaMarie** 6/10/2020, 7:25 am

Oh, this is good! A sign of health for your garden!

LilBittyBean 6/10/2020, 9:57 am

I'm glad to know that, Marie!

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Have the aliens landed on my pine mulch?

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Re: Have the aliens landed on my pine mulch?


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