Horticulture : News
DATE: July 06, 2010
HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370
BY: Amy Aldenderfer
County Extension Agent for Horticulture
Mulches, mushrooms and molds
Mulching offers many benefits for landscaping in your yard and gardens. Some of these include retained moisture, weed control, improved drainage, lower soil temperature, erosion prevention and protection from mowers and trimmers. As they decompose, mulches also release minerals into the soil and leave behind humus which is good for plants.
Wet weather can cause mulch to produce some undesirable consequences. Gardeners most often spread mulch in spring and fall. The combination of seasonal rains and fresh wood chip or bark mulch can result in the proliferation of nuisance fungi on the mulch surface.
Some forms, like stinkhorns, bird’s nest fungus, earth stars, toadstools and slime molds are unattractive but fairly harmless. Other types, like the shotgun or artillery fungus are truly a nuisance. The artillery fungus shoots tiny masses of black spores onto nearby surfaces like home siding and cars. When fungus mycelium permeates a thick layer of dry mulch it can block water saturation and cause irrigation problems.
Hardwood mulches, especially when they are finely ground, contain a large amount of cellulose which decomposes rapidly and leads to nuisance fungi. Composting this type of mulch will result in the growth of competing bacteria and other molds that can inhibit the development of fungi.
Gardeners who want to avoid unsightly growths on their mulch can purchase composted mulch products. Mulches low in wood content and high in bark content are less vulnerable to fungi. Finely ground wood products should be avoided unless they are composted first. Fresh wood chips need to be wetted down and fertilized if they don’t contain fresh leaves. Compost this mixture for six weeks before applying to landscaping.
Mulch should be applied no more than 2 inches in depth and should be soaked immediately after application to enhance the colonization of beneficial bacterial. Avoid sour mulches with an acrid odor. They are highly acidic and can injure plants.
For more information about how to care for you home landscape and gardens, contact your Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service by phone 270.765.4121, email: Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu or on the web: www.hardinext.org.
Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.
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