Alternative Materials Bring Trouble

• Leaf Mold

In an effort to stay “green”, some homeowners may be tempted to add leaves or other material to the mulch pile. Doing so is never a good idea. Rotting leaves form a crust on top of the mulch preventing water from penetrating into the soil.

• Mushrooms/Toadstools

  Mushrooms may be good in a salad but are an unwelcome guest in a garden. Mushrooms and toadstools are found in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. They range in size from less than an inch to several inches tall. While some are soft and fleshy and apt to disappear almost as quickly as they appear, others can remain in mulch for days, weeks or an entire growing season.

  What’s the best way to rid your garden of mushrooms or toadstools? Dig them up! Place the fungi and surrounding mulch into a plastic bag. Then place the bag and all of its contents into the trash.
  
  

• What is Artillery Fungus?

“Artillery Fungus is a white-rotting, wood-decay fungus that likes to live on moist landscape mulch,” says Dr. Donald P. Davis of Penn State University. It is very common in the U.S., especially in the East.

While some folks would have you believe it is spread by contaminated bark mulch, the truth is studies have shown that Artillery Fungus prefers wood as opposed to bark mulch. Using mulch that has been made from recycled wood increases your chances of bringing the fungus into your yard – especially during wet years!

Dead trees, dead branches, and rotting wood are a breeding ground for the fungus. If the infested material is used for mulch, it may grow rapidly when spread especially during cool moist conditions. Just 1/10” in size, the spores may already be present in your yard without you even being aware of its presence. It is found on infested plant leaves, animal droppings, decaying leaves or grass.

According to Davis, spores can be brought to the home on infested nursery plants by clinging on the undersurface of leaves -- if the nursery had a problem with Artillery Fungus.

So what is the best defense against Artillery Fungus? Know your source: buy quality all-natural bark mulch. Avoid those products that are made from recycled wood. Stay away from those materials containing things like roadside debris, crushed pallets, leaves, grasses, or dead branches.