About a month ago I mulched my beautiful garden and thought I was all set for the summer months. Then just the other day I went outside to admire my flower garden only to see what looked like dog vomit. There was a blob of yellow brown slime in my garden! Yuck! It looked terrible and it seemed to be growing! What is this growth in my mulch and how do I get it out of my garden?

Slime Mold
When the slime mold appeared it was bright yellow

I have slime mold! Slime mold lives in moist, cool, and shady places on decaying wood, leaves, and organic matter that retains an abundant amount of moisture. They feed on decaying organic matter and bacteria. That is why it is common to see this grow in on mulch. Slime mold has many different colors they can be yellow, orange, red, or cream colored. Slime mold may appear as a slimy mass and as the fungus matures, the slime mold will usually become more hard or powdery in appearance. It will eventually dry to a white, yellow, tan, or dark brown crusty blob.

After the slime mold dries out, it turns black or brownGetting Rid of Slime Mold

There does not seem to be any effective chemical treatments.

You can use a rake to help break it up, or wait a week or so until the mold dries out. Either way, the slime mold will eventually disappear.

Slime mold may grow near plants and flowers, but don’t worry they will not harm them.

I removed my slime mold by scooping it up with a shovel and placing it in a wooded area of my yard.

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