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Fuligo septica: A Slimy-Yet-Fascinating Garden Visitor
By Michael Jenkins Fair warning: this one’s gonna be a little gross. You may have had this happen in your own garden: one day you notice a small puddle of yellow goop that looks like, well, dog vomit. The next day, it’s grown to the size of a throw rug and seems well on the way to taking over your garden. A day or two after that it disappears entirely. So what was going on? Well, we had this happen recently here at the Gardzen Test Gardens and it piqued our curiosity. A little research later and we learned that this strange yellow-orange visitor is Fuligo septica or one of its relatives. These molds are fast growing, fast spreading, kinda gross and yet oddly fascinating. They’re also harmless and may tell us a few good things about our garden soil conditions. So, yucky though it may be, let’s dig in and learn a bit more about Fuligo septica, AKA “dog vomit mold”. Gardzen Executive Summary: · Due to the slimy, yellowish mass it produces, Fuligo septica is sometimes called “dog vomit mold” or “scrambled eggs mold”. · Fuligo septica is harmless to people, animals, and mature plants, although it may cover or crowd smaller seedlings or sprouts. · Slime molds thrive in a variety of conditions and climates, and Fuligo septica most often appears in wet conditions growing on decaying organic matter like mulch, compost, or healthy soil. · Dog vomit mold is easy to clean up if you want to remove it, but it generally vanishes on its own fairly quickly. All About Dog Vomit Slime Mold There are roughly 700 known species of slime mold. These simple organism are found around the world in various forms, and they’re noteworthy in their ability to adapt to a wide variety of climates and circumstances. That having been said, different species fill different niches. Fuligo septica has a worldwide distribution, meaning that it is found all over the world with the exception of maybe Antarctica. It does favor particular growing conditions, however. Dog vomit mold most often appears when organic matter is breaking down in a wet environment. The classic presentation in a garden has Fuligo septica popping up on mulch, a compost heap, or even just a well-fed lawn after a period of heavy rain and warm temperatures. Slime molds are simple organisms to begin with, and Fuligo septica is simple as slime molds go. Its spores are spread fairly easily, either on the wind or by several species of beetle. Once established in its new home, dog vomit mold grows quickly. At first the various cells grow together into what botanist call a plasmodium, which is a mass of cells that may move together in order to find sources of nutrition. The plasmodium is likely the first thing we see of Fuligo septica—that yellow spongy, slimy mass that seemed to be taking over our yard. Again, remember that while some slime molds are toxic, this one’s absolutely harmless to people, pets, and plants! Once the plasmodium appears, several things can happen. If outside forces break the plasmodium apart, Fuligo septica may disappear fairly quickly. If slime mold is mature enough it will release spores before it goes. If the plasmodium sticks around till the weather dries out a bit, it may harden into a more durable growth called an aethelium. This will a more solid mass with a light brown or tan color as opposed to the bright yellow-orange plasmodium. As the aethelium degrades, it releases spores that spread so the process can continue. Managing Fuligo septica in Your Garden Like most slime molds, dog vomit mold is more gross-looking than harmful. The only real risk it poses is that it may overwhelm younger shoots or seedlings; other than that it’s non-toxic and harmless to people, animals, or mature plants. The concerns about dog vomit mold tend to be cosmetic; it’s not a particularly pretty addition to your garden space. In its yellowish plasmodium form, the solution is as simple as breaking it apart with a rake and maybe washing the slime away with a hose if you’re in a hurry. Once disrupted, the plasmodium tends to disappear quickly. If the growth of Fuligo septica has already reached the solid aethelium stage, just move it with a rake or a shovel to a disused corner of the garden. You can compos it, but bear in mind that may lead to additional growths of the slime mold in your composter. That’s not a big deal—it helps break down your compost and is a sign of healthy growing conditions—but it’s something to be aware of. Slime Molds, Soil Conditions, and the Wild Joys of Gardening Fuligo Septica is a wonderful reminder that gardening really is about working with nature. Slime molds will appear when conditions are right for them, and while dog vomit mold may look nasty by learning a little more about it we can lower our stress levels. It’s harmless, kinda fascinating in its own way, and easy to deal with if we don’t want it around. If it pops up in your garden, remember that it’s just a sign of healthy soil conditions and decaying organic matter, not something to worry about. Gardening is about discovery and while Fuligo septica isn’t the most attractive garden adventure, it can teach us a bit more about the world around us.
