Help identifying this fungus

12 years ago

Hello,

I planted a straw bale raised bed last August(for winter veggies) and have moved on to the spring/summer plants now. The tops of the straw bales have 3 - 4 inches of compost on top of them and has been doing great. Over the past few weeks I've been seeing mushrooms popping up, no big deal there, but what I saw this weekend was definitely odd. In two spots on separate days I noticed this orange spongy stuff around my squash(crookneck and zucchini) seedlings. It looked like some serious space puke. I have no idea what this stuff is or if it's bad or not. Here's some pics:

Early morning before the sun kicked in:

http://www.exactpixel.com/photos/garden/fungus_strawbale_01.jpg

Right before noon, different day, different seedling:

http://www.exactpixel.com/photos/garden/fungus_strawbale_02.jpg

You can see how the sun is effecting the stuff in the second picture. Looks like orange sherbet pus. :-X

Any ideas on what this is?

Thanks,

Bob

Comments (8)

tomatofreak
12 years ago
Could it be this? http://davehubbleecology.blogspot.com/2011/08/glassy-fingers-orange-goo-and-scrambled.html
piranhafem
12 years ago
I was going to guess slime mold, and after looking at tomatofreak's link, I'd say it's a good guess! Have you seen them travel? When I was a kid living in CT, I watched a big patch of slime mold move across my shady yard in a day. I'd come back an hour later and the whole mass had moved three or four inches. Amazing stuff.
az_bob
Original Author
12 years ago
Hmmm... Could be that. Looks like it. Never saw it move though. Seemed like it had issues with the sun. Here's what it looks like today:

http://www.exactpixel.com/photos/garden/dried_slime.jpg

I thought this was weird since it only popped up in two places and each were right under a seedling.

Thanks,
Bob
tomatofreak
12 years ago
Strange things happen when you play in the dirt! ;O)
az_bob
Original Author
12 years ago
Wow. Did more surfing on this and found out that it's called "Dog vomit slime mold" so I wasn't far off on my description. Ha! Here's more info and pictures that appear to show each stage of what I have.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/slime1.htm

Supposedly harmless. :)

I'm still laughing
tomatofreak
12 years ago
I feel cheated; I've never had anything quite as interesting. ;-)
az_bob
Original Author
12 years ago
I've had slugs, raccoons, aphids, mites, birds, snails, cutworms, cabbage loopers, white flies, rats, and the list goes on... This is in the north central valley! You can have them all if you want! Slow moving dog vomit slime though, I think I'll keep this one. ;-P
tomatofreak
12 years ago
I'll pass; I've got more aphids than I can possibly count! I hate those blasted little suckers.