Every year I get several calls from my customers asking "what’s that slimy stuff on my growing in my bark? It looks like a dog threw up in my shrub bed!"

That "slimy stuff" has a very apt name. It is called slime mold. It may look vicious, but it is harmless.

The following text was taken from the Sylva Corporation. The photo of the slime mold was taken in my yard.

With the rains and heat of summer come the vast array of slime molds (also known as dog vomit fungi) appearing in mulch. They appear in several sizes and colors with no definite shape.The mold may change on a daily basis from a bright yellow netting to a tan powder to a dark brown dried blob. Slime molds get their nutrients from dead organic matter, including mulch.Although slime molds may grow on plants, they do not harm them. Slime molds will eventually disappear on their own. If you want to speed this process, rake the mulch to prevent air drying.

For additional information regarding these molds, try the following websites’ pages on slime mold:

• Palomar
• Colorado State
• USU

Every year I get several calls from my customers asking “what’s that slimy stuff on my growing in my bark? It looks like a dog threw up in my shrub bed!” That “slimy stuff” has a very apt name. It is called slime mold. It may look vicious, but it is harmless. The following text was taken from the Sylva Corporation. The photo of the slime mold was taken in my yard.

With the rains and heat of summer come the vast array of slime molds (also known as dog vomit fungi) appearing in mulch. They appear in several sizes and colors with no definite shape.The mold may change on a daily basis from a bright yellow netting to a tan powder to a dark brown dried blob.
Slime molds get their nutrients from dead organic matter, including mulch.Although slime molds may grow on plants, they do not harm them.Slime molds will eventually disappear on their own. If you want to speed this process, rake the mulch to prevent air drying. For additional information regarding these molds, try the following websites: http://www.waynesworld.palomar.edu/slime1.htm
http://www.coopext.colostate.edu//TRA/PLANTS/slime.html
http://www.herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/FunFacts/SlimeMold.htm

CARING FOR YOUR NEW PLANTINGS

One of the first questions a customer always asks when we finish an installation job has to do with plant care. “How do I take of of my plants? What about watering?”
Whenever we finish a landscaping job for a client, we give a plant care sheet to them which answers most of the questions they have regarding the care of their new plantings. Now that planting season is here, I thought I’d put part of it on my site so it would be available to anyone. This section of my plant care sheet addresses the issue of watering your new plantings as well as a couple of other pieces of advice. Feel free to download it and tack it up in your garage . If you have any questions feel free to give me a call. (507-645-5947). Click on this hyperlink to see my earlier blog on Pruning Basics.

WATERING: We water all plants at the time of installation. Within 48 hours of planting, however, you should water them again by placing a slow running hose at the base of each plant, allowing enough time to thoroughly saturate the root ball. Continue to water once a week to ten days during the first 4-8 weeks. Be careful, especially if you have a clay-based soil! One of the most common causes of new-plant fatalities is over-watering! Don’t water again until the soil around the root ball reaches a “damp-dry” condition. As mentioned above, this normally happens once per week to 10 days, but it does depend on soil, weather, and mulch material. If you’re not sure, take a soil sample to a depth of 2-4″ on shrubs, 6-8″ on trees. Continue watering in subsequent years as needed, especially during hot, dry weather. Make sure your plants have adequate moisture going into fall, especially the evergreens.

SOD: It is important to keep your new sod well-watered, especially during hot, windy weather. Even though over-watering of shrubs is the most common cause of fatalities, under-watering is the cause of most sod loss. Make sure to keep the soil under your new sod moist at ALL times, especially while it takes root. This will most likely involve daily watering for the first week to 10 days, possibly longer. Make sure you water evenly, not letting any sections dry out. Make spot checks by lifting the sod and checking the dampness underneath. Established lawns require about 1″ of water per week. Long, deep waterings are better than short shallow ones.

PERENNIALS: Most perennials require division to keep them healthy. A good indication of the need for division is dying-out in the center of the plant.

RE-MULCH your landscape as necessary to maintain 3″ layer of mulch, which will help retard weeds, retain moisture, decrease rapid changes in soil temperature and give your landscape a fresh and clean appearance.

FERTILIZE all plantings with tree and shrub fertilizer in early Spring and optionally in the Fall. Follow directions on the package. Rhododendrons and Azaleas prefer an acid fertilizer application after flowering.