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I have noticed that there is a thin white/gray colored thin fungus like substance growing at and around the base of my roses on the mulch. The fungus is thin and is in the shape of ocean waves. If you touch it, it releases a white/gray cloud into the air.

Zone 8-A South East Texas North of Houston. Very Humid, temps 90-95.

Thanks-
Kevin

Well, what you have there is the fruiting body of some sort of commensile soil fungus. The dust that is released when you touch the fungus is actually millions of spores that will grow into fungal hyphae.

Keep in mind that the fungus may not actually be a pathogen to your roses. I would actually take a small sample of it (in a ziploc bag) to your local nursery. But, if your roses have no ill effects, I don't think it will be a problem.

Probably a microrhizal fungus, so it will actually benefit your rose (depending on which one it could help with water or gas exchange, fixing nitrogen from the soil or most likely just breaking down that wood mulch to soil, all noble pursuits...)

HG

I have posted a photo of the fungus on my website. Please let me know what you think. The picture is on the bottom of the website.

https://info.conroeisd.net/~kschoppe/

Thanks for looking.
Kevin

I have emailed the photo to a friend of mine, he may shed some light on the subject. I'll let you know what I find out.

I stand by my first guess...

Yes, the fungus is most likely a saprobe ( a fungus that feeds on decaying plant matter ). My friend said that he wouldn't be able to say anything more about it until we were able to look at it under a microscope.

If you are really interested in what it is, you can get in touch with Scott (through CONTACT US) to find my email address and then mail me a sample of the fungus in a zip loc bag and Bryce and I can look at it and tell you exactly what it is.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry to much about it unless your roses are showing ill effects. If this happens, the only thing to do is to dig up all the soil around the roses (which will entail digging out the roses) and replacing the soil with new soil.

Ah, the old saprophitic fungus; comes in many shades, just be glad you didn't get the bright orange one we see here sometimes...

Scott

I love that little icon Scott.


How is it going with your saprobe Kevin?

It comes and goes. Sometimes I see a orange foam like stone shaped fungus growing too.

What I have been doing is remove the fungus, and replacing it with fresh stuff.

I guess all of this fungus is a side affect from using hardwood much?

Yes to a degree; this happens with mulch that generally has been sitting a year, not the A grade stuff. Could be worse; you could have gotten artillery fungus that shoots it's sticky grey spores ten to twenty feet where they dry like cement and disfigure siding, car finishes, etc. Not nice...at least your's is harmless...

The orange stone is the one I was talking about...pretty, ain't it...

Scott

I personally think that all fungi are pretty, in their own right Then again, I also think that insects are cute.

Actually Kevin, removing the fungus from the top of the soil (as you have already learned) will not actually remove the fungus itself. What you are removing is the fruiting body. The actually Mycellia (cells) are in your soil. If you want to be rid of it, remove the soil.

That said, if it is not causing your roses any harm, just leave it there. It will turn all that wood that you put in your garden into nutrient rich soil that your roses will thrive in.

Should I squash it? It just looks out of place, I have black hardwood mulch down. The newest layer is about 2-3 deep, and was placed on the less than 60-90 days ago.

When I went up to Tyler, Texas (See other post) The Rose Garden there was using pine needles as their mulch. Should I consider using pine needles? We have that in abundance here is SE Texas. They call this area the big piney woods.

I live in a gated community by a lake, so we don't back up to a forest though, but I can get a trashbag and bag some needles from a local forest.

What are your thoughts on pine needles? I know they are not as pretty as finely shreaded mulch, but is it better for roses?

Scott?

I'm not a rose expert but, if Roses like acidic soil, that would be good for them. Remember that when you are building beneficial soil for your plants you want to balance your greens with your browns. So, include some manure or coffee grounds with the needles.

Also, acids tend to lock up certain nutrients in the soil such that plants cannot use them. We'll see what Scott has to say on the subject.

Actually, I would recommend you going down to your local Library and seeing if they have this book: Secrets to Great Soil: A Grower's guide to composting, mulching and creating healthy, fertile soil for your garden and lawn. By Elizabeth Stell

Actually the jury is still out on the pine needle/acidic soil thing; seems we may have been fed a bunch of hooey for years (got this question on the radio show last week and did a quick e-search and found some stuff that says pine needles are just good food and not overly acidic at all. I have started using them on my woodland gardens (they look great and, hey, I have pines) and I like the fact that slugs appear to dislike them; my hostas have never looked better. Roses are not woodlanders and like it a touch sweeter, but again, new studies indicate it's ok. CERTAINLY better than hardwood chip which encourages the fungii with it's acidity AND robs nitrogen that you must then replace. A step up, I think...

Scott

Well, there you go. I had heard about the acidity debate with Pine Needles as well. Anyway, looks like they will be just fine for your Garden Kevin. Be sure to mix some greens like lawn clippings in with them as well. The result will be an incredibly nutrient rich soil.

And I really recommend that book that I mentioned above. I just finished reading it last night and it has the diiferent soil requirements for a host of plants/gardens. Can't remember what it said for Roses but, it should be an easy book to attain.