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K-State Turf and Landscape Blog

Tag: slime mold

Are you smarter than a slime mold?

Posted on by kennelly

 

(Megan Kennelly, KSU Plant Pathology)

Look what showed up in my mulch yesterday morning?

 

Hey, what’s that stuff? Slime molds! They can look pretty alarming, and they can pop up seemingly overnight. They are pretty harmless, and you can read more HERE and if you would like a fascinating glimpse into how these organisms work there is a short video clip HERE called “Are you smarter than a slime mold?”

Here is another version of slime mold – these photos were submitted to me this morning over email. Look closely and you’ll see little gray blobs up on stalks:

And, to round things out, here are a few from last year:

 

(Courtesy Ron Reese)

Courtesy Jacob Weber:

 

Courtesy Ron Reese:

Wet and humid = slime mold weather

Posted on by kennelly

Hey, what’s that stuff? Slime molds! They can look pretty alarming, and they can pop up seemingly overnight. They are pretty harmless, and you can read more HERE and if you would like a fascinating glimpse into how these organisms work there is a short video clip HERE called “Are you smarter than a slime mold?”

 

Some other shapes and colors of slime mold:

 

Slime molds!

Posted on by kennelly

Thanks to Ron Reese for sending in these great photos of slime molds! I’ve seen the purple-gray type before but I have not seen the orange one.

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Slime molds do not damage the turf. They do not invade the plant tissue – they eat bacteria on the surface. If they are a nuisance you can use a rake or broom to dust them away, or blast with a hose. Or, just keep them around as a fun conversation piece in your grass.

Slime molds will also grow in mulch, on tree stumps, and on other areas of the landscape.

slime_mold_yellow_mulch

Slime mold, or Country Stampede?

Posted on by kennelly

(Megan Kennelly, KSU Plant Pathology)

Hmm, did a Country Stampeder camp at my house and, uh, regurgitate some beer?

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No, this is just some slime mold activity. Slime molds are primitive organisms that feed on organic matter. They are not fungi, and they don’t feed on plants. There are lots of different kinds. Here is a slime mold in turf:

gray_slime_mold_zoysia_3 slime mold 3

If it’s bothersome, you can scoop it out of the mulch with a shovel, or brush it off the turf with a rake. You might continue to see more growth, though, especially in humid conditions.