Coast Gardener
Slime mold won't hurt your grass
Coast Gardener Newspaper and Web Column - April 20, 2002
The warm spring sunshine has gardeners quite busy. Conditions are still wet, but time is of the essence, especially when trying to get vegetables growing before temperatures soar this summer.
Many
gardeners are still contacting the Extension office regarding those little
critters called mole crickets. They are wreaking havoc in lawns all across
the Gulf Coast this spring. Please refer to my archived
column dated March 2 for information on identification and control.
Master Gardener volunteers have been answering several calls on slime molds. This condition is beginning to show up in area lawns, since we have had warm days and cool nights combined with moist conditions.
What is the good news? Slime mold will not harm your grass or ornamental plants. Slime mold can take on several different appearances depending on where it is growing and how long it has been around.
The most common slime mold in Mississippi turf is a species of Physarum. These microorganisms are not saprophytic, that is, they do not live on plant material. Instead, they feed on decaying organic matter and bacteria.
Slime molds are easy to recognize. They can be seen in turf where the grass blades are covered with a dusty gray layer. This layer may take on a crusty appearance after a few days.
There are many genera of slime molds, and another common type is Fuligo, which forms circular patches of yellow to pink growth in landscape beds. The latter species of slime mold is more commonly found in landscape beds where shredded hardwood has been used as a mulch material.
What should you do about slime molds? Generally no control measures are needed. However, in unusual cases, the layer of crusty growth may become heavy enough to shade grass blades and cause yellowing. If this should occur, or the appearance is simply objectionable, sweeping with a broom easily breaks up slime mold growth, or the affected area may be sprayed with a mild detergent solution (1 tablespoonful of liquid detergent per gallon of water), which will destroy the growth. Or, you may simply wait for a few days of warmer, dry weather and slime molds will disappear on their own.
These archived gardening columns were written by Chance McDavid, former Harrison County Extension Agent.