Any chance of images?

Also tell us what's in the growing mix, also how & when you water.

Is it possible that you have a layer of partially composted material down there?

Dennis

Also what fertilizers are you using? Organic or synthetics?

It was mulched on top (which you can see at the edge of the picture,) but when I dig down there isn't anything that looks like it hasn't broken down. The clumps of gray only surrounded the plant roots.

The plants were never fertilized until they yellowed and drooped- they never appeared to need more than what was in the garden itself- then I gave them MG AP powder diluted to half strength. It didn't help.

This raised bed has been in use for a few years so I don't remember the brands/ bags I used to fill it initially but each season it has been topped with several inches of well broken down compost of various kinds- from our bokashi, steer manure that has sat around for a long time, chicken manure. I'm using Bumpercrop in some beds now but it has not been used in this one yet.

Interestingly, as an experiment, this is the side of that bed that did *NOT* receive any Bokashi compost. The other side (fresnos, hot cherry peppers,) are producing like mad and are very healthy plants.

The Bokashi compost is buried in a separate area (a 4'x4'x12" bed we call The Dirt Maker, nothing is planted there.) Its only used for burying the fermented buckets of kitchen scraps once they have sat for at least 2 weeks. They are buried for at least 3 or 4 weeks, usually longer since I leave them there until I need it somewhere in the garden and it's only used if it's not discernible from regular soil (finished breaking down.) I know people say you can bury it in the garden and plant 2 weeks later but I have not gone that route.

I hand water (only option,) at the base of the plants when I'm sure it's dry (I stick my fingers several inches into the soil to check.) We're in a severe drought with restrictions so I'm pretty conservative with the water.

This post was edited by VedaBeeps on Wed, Jul 30, 14 at 12:53

This totally new to me. Please share what you find.

Dennis

That almost looks like one of the less colorful slime molds or dog vomit fungus....

Josh

Will do, Dennis, but so far I'm not finding anything but that its supposedly good!

I'm wondering if I should replace that section of mix, "dilute" it by adding more of something else or if I simply need to wait it out (in case it is just breaking something down- I wonder if something not completely composted was in the mix the plants originally came in since it was a 6 pack of starter plants.)

It's prime real estate for pepper growing in my garden (full sun,) so I do want to use that section as soon as I safely can.

Josh, it is dry and powdery.

This post was edited by VedaBeeps on Wed, Jul 30, 14 at 14:07

I agree with Josh. Looks like you had some slime mold spores in your mulch. Much of the time, they'll surface and the 1st time you see it, you go, "WTF?!?!" Looks like yours dried out and then when you pulled the plant, it broke up into dust. Nothing to worry about.

I'd wait to hear from Jean001, though. Or post the pic in the soil forum or garden clinic forum.

Kevin

Thanks for the suggestion, Kevin, I'll post over there.

ETA: there is a thread with someone asking about it over there that I added to- unfortunately just lots of guesses but no definite answers.

This post was edited by VedaBeeps on Wed, Jul 30, 14 at 15:03