I was walking in the back of my yard today and almost slipped on this slippery mold-like substance. It is spread out over a vast area. It looks like little piles of slimy poop, but no animal could possibly scatter that much in the area without me seeing it! It’s everywhere! Can you help me identify it? It’s black, in piles about 3 or 4 inches around.

Our response, which we hope was helpful:

It seems like this could be a version of Dog Vomit fungus (nice name right?) – in which case you might take a look at this recent post on our blog: I Have Slime Mold In The Mulch In My Garden!

It could also be a mold called Nostoc, which starts out bluish/greenish but can turn black.

All mold/fungus is slimy and slippery, usually popping up after significant rainfall especially if the area never has a chance to dry out.

What can you do?

For long-term, you may want to look at how that part of your yard is draining. If drainage is poor, you may want to get a landscaper in to correct the slope or lay some drainage piping.

Short-term, try these techniques:

Most organic approaches:

• Apple Cider Vinegar – Use 1-2 Tablespoons per gallon of water. This is a good natural herbicide.
• Corn Meal (any kind of corn meal is OK) – Dry Method: Work 2 pounds of cornmeal into the soil for every 100 square feet. Water well, to activate the fungus killing properties. Wet Method: Cornmeal Juice – soak 1 cup of cornmeal in 1 gallon of water overnight. Strain liquid and use as a spray.
• Milk – 3 ounces of any kind of milk in a gallon of water used as a spray.
• Baking Soda – One tablespoon of baking soda per gallon of water, use as a spray. Follow up with compost at 1 cubic yard per 1,000 square feet to reestablish microbial population, as baking soda is very hard on the soil microbes.

Last resort – non organic:

• Bleaches and Peroxide – great fungicides. 1-2 tblsp per gallon of water.

Good luck!

Joyce & Gayle

I thought I did everything right! I put up two fences around my garden to keep out animals. One fence was a made of three foot chicken wire which I buried about one foot deep and the other was a four foot wire fence that was loose on top so animals could not climb up and get in. I planted six tomato plants, six lettuce, six cucumbers, and six zucchini plants. Everything was great. I mulched with the grass clippings from my lawn and watered regularly.

Then one morning I went out to watch my garden grow and notice all my zucchini plants where gone. Whatever got into my garden ate just my zucchini plants and left the rest of my garden alone.

The only thing I can think of is something got into my garden started chomping away on my zucchini and then got interrupted by a noise.

If I didn’t think of something fast I might lose the whole garden to an unknown critter. I can’t stay up all night and keep guard over my garden! I have a motion detector light that is close by, but clearly that did not help. I need something that moves and makes noise but what? Later that day when I was rinsing out plastic and tins for recycling, it came to me. Pie tins!

And that’s what I did. I hung pie tins on all sides of my garden. They make noise in the slightest of breeze and if something was trying to climb my fence they would surely make a clatter. I also added a small beach ball to roll around gently inside the garden just in case those critters get past my pie tins.

It’s been a month since I installed my pie tins and my vegetables are flourishing including the zucchini plants that I replanted.

I still don’t know what ate my zucchini plants but I’m sure glad I decided to make a pie!

Got a gardening question or issue that you just can’t figure out? Click here to send us a note with your garden problem and we’ll do our best to find you a good solution!

]]> http://www.borntogarden.com/2009/07/one-more-vegetable-garden-problem-solved/feed/ 0 http://www.borntogarden.com/2009/05/i-have-slime-mold-in-the-mulch-in-my-garden/ http://www.borntogarden.com/2009/05/i-have-slime-mold-in-the-mulch-in-my-garden/#comments Sun, 24 May 2009 17:41:01 +0000 Planter1 http://www.borntogarden.com/?p=112 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

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.

Getting 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.

Got a gardening question or issue that you just can’t figure out? Click here to send us a note with your garden problem and we’ll do our best to find you a good solution!

The next step is to plan your garden out on paper.  You will need to make sure you do not plant your vegetables too close together or too close to your garden fence. You will want to be able to move around them to weed and pick your harvest.

Step number three will be deciding whether you will buy already grown little seedlings or start your garden from seeds. If it is early in the season you can start your vegetables from seeds. When you choose your seeds make sure to check the planting zone on the back of the seed packet. You can purchase seed packets in many different stores including garden centers, grocery stores, and home centers.  

If you decide to start your garden indoor from seeds, you can use small paper cups and some potting soil. Following the directions on the seed packets will get you off to a good start. It will take several days for the seeds to germinate, but soon you will see little leaves and stems start to poke out of the dirt and develop.

Whether you purchase seedlings or seeds you will need to wait until all danger of frost is gone for your area to start planting your seedlings into your garden. Make sure to check the spacing of the plants from the seed packets or the plant tabs. You may also want to attach the empty seed packet or plant tab to the area of the plants you have planted. This will help you remember what plants have been planted where.

If you follow these steps you are on your way to a productive, healthy garden.

You don’t need a big backyard to have a vegetable garden. If you don’t have an area around your home to plant vegetables, consider container gardening. You can grow many delicious vegetables or herbs in containers in very little space. You can use a window sill, deck, patio, or porch.  All you need is sunlight and rich soil.

If this is your first year for a garden you will need to choose your site.

Sunlight:

Choose a site that gets a lot of sunlight. You will want at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.  Although 8-10 hours is much better.

Close to Home:

Pick a site that is close to your house. Having a site close to your house will be easier for you to water, weed, and keep critters out.

Soil:

Loose, well drained, and rich soil is what you will need to have a successful garden. Adding organic matter will improve clay or sandy soil.  

Water:

You will want to locate your garden near water. The closer to the spigot or other water source, the more chances of you watering your garden often.

Avoid low spots, like at the bottom of a hill. These areas will stay cooler longer and water may pool in the area. 

If you are planting your garden on the same site as last season, remove all dead plant material. Add organic matter and turn the soil. Don’t forget to rotate the crops from last season. This will avoid soil borne diseases and maintain a good soil balance.

For container gardening, you can use almost any type of container. The size of your container will depend on the vegetable that you will be growing and also the spot that you have for your container to be placed. If you are looking to grow tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, you could use a 5 gallon container. Remember your container will need drainage holes and about 1 inch of gravel on the bottom to help with drainage.

Millions of birds are killed or injured each year by flying into glass windows.

There are many ways to prevent this from happening:

Here are some ways to decrease the reflective ability of glass windows:

Place decorative window films or decals on your window. Non reflective decorations will help the birds avoid the glass.

Close curtains or pull blinds or shades down over windows.

 Place screens in windows to make them less reflective.

Soap your windows during the nesting season. You can use soap or salt mixed with water to spray on your window. When your window dries it will leave a film. You will need to repeat after it rains.

Move bird feeders; move them either 20 feet or more away from windows or 3 feet or under from the window.  This will not prevent non feeder birds from flying into windows.

Place a silhouette of a Hawk, Owl or Crow on the window. Most birds will want to avoid them.  If you can’t find a stick on, you can make your own. Just trace an outline of a large Hawk, Owl or Crow on black paper and attach it to your window.

Move Plants that are inside away from the window so birds do no attempt to fly towards the plant.

Making your own feeder can be a simple and fun project for the whole family.

Here are simple bird feeders that I have made with my family:

To make a pinecone birdfeeder, you will need:

Large pinecone

Creamy peanut butter

Bird seed

String

Spread the peanut butter generously all over the pinecone. Then roll the pine cone in the birdseed, attach a string to the top of the pinecone, and hang from a tree branch.

To make a tray bird feeder, you will need:

Pie tin tray

String

Bird seed

Put 3 holes in the edge of the pie tin and attach string to each hole. Fill the tray with birdseed and hang from a tree branch.

Another option is to:

Pour the leftover bacon fat from a hearty winter breakfast onto stale bread or sliced bagels and then a sprinkle of some birdseed over the mix makes a high energy winter feed that the birds really enjoy when the ground is covered in snow.

You can serve up these treats either in an old aluminum pie tin or suspend them from a branch with a piece of yarn.

These homemade bird feeders won’t keep squirrels from the seed. But they are a fun family project.

You want to place your feeder in an area that is easy to watch the birds feeding and see when you need to refill the tray or hang more pine cones. Hang your bird feeder where the family can watch the birds and will know when to add more seed.

If your feeder hasn’t attracted birds within a few days try sprinkling some seeds on the ground nearby to attract them to the area. Attract many varieties of birds by hanging different styles and types of feeders this attracts both perch feeders and ground feeders

Click here to browse our Gift Guide for Gardeners page and find gifts for garden lovers of all ages. There are many sales and many offers for free shipping!

Happy Holidays!

A healthy Poinsettia plant can last for months or even years!

‘Tis the season for Poinsettias! These beautiful plants are synonymous with the Christmas season and if you’re not giving anyone a Poinsettia, chances are, you’ll be receiving one (or more!).

So we’ve put together some information about caring for this lovley plant – pass the info along to anyone you gift with a Poinsettia this year.

Some background and history of the Poinsettia:

• Poinsettias are the most popular flower plant during the Christmas season. They are the largest flowering plant crop in the U.S., with sales of over 63 million pots!
• Native to the warmer southwestern U.S. climates and Mexico, Poinsettias are susceptible to cold and frost. So don’t leave them in your car while you shop – bring them home as soon as you buy them.
• Poinsettias are named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first Ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant back to his Greenville, S.C plantation. He grew them and gave them out as gifts.
• Poinsettia Day is December 12th. It was declared in honor of the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett on December 12, 1851.
• Poinsettias are not poisonous as many believe. But eating them could give you a stomach ache.

How to Choose Healthy Poinsettia Plants

• Look for lots of dark green leaves and bright colored flowers. If the leaves or flowers are dry or brown around the edges, choose another plant. Look for flowers that are completely open. Poinsettias are slow to open, but once they bloom, the flowers will remain full and attractive for several weeks.
• If the weather is cold, make sure to wrap up the plant well for the trip from the store to the car. Even short exposure to cold and wind can damage your Poinsettia.

How to Care for Your Poinsettia

• Poinsettias are easy to keep. They retain their blooms long after you have put away the Christmas decorations, possibly lasting until Valentine’s Day. Keep them in a sunny room with an ideal temperature range of 60 – 70 degrees. Don’t put them near drafts, and don’t put them near high heat, like a furnace vent or fireplace.
• Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry between watering. If they begin to dry out, water them and they will bounce right back. If the leaves turn lighter green, give more sunshine.
• During the summer move your plant outdoors to a sunny location or plant it directly into your garden. Give it a good trimming. Use general purpose fertilizer every 2 to 3 weeks.
• Bring the plant indoors before the first frost. Poinsettias cannot survive a frost.

Forcing Poinsettias (to bloom at Christmas time)

Forcing Poinsettias to bloom is a difficult task. Many have tried, but few succeed. But, if you want to try, follow these instructions:

• Any time in late September put the plant in total darkness for 12-14 hours a day. **Any small light can upset the process. During the day, it should get six hours or more of sunlight. Continue this process daily until early November, then bring it out into the room. Now with a little luck, your Poinsettia will be in full bloom during the Christmas holiday. Fingers crossed!

Tip: A black plastic bag works well. Place the plant in the bag and  twist tie it at the top. Each morning, remove the twist tie and lower the bag to the floor.

Got a tip for caring and keeping Poinsettias? Click here to send it to us or feel free to leave it as a comment to this post.

Good soil drainage is important to growing bulbs. If your soil has a lot of clay you can improve it by adding compost and peat moss.

Here are some more useful tips about planting your spring bulbs in the fall:

• Purchase high quality bulbs.
• If you are looking to group you flowers you can plant your bulbs in a trench instead of digging individual holes.
• Check the package label for the correct depth.
• If you have no directions, go ahead and dig the holes a depth of about 3 times the height of the bulb.
• Make sure the soil is loose and add organic matter.
• Add bulb fertilizer to the bottom of the hole mixing it in the soil.
• Place the bulb in the bottom of the hole, right side up. (point up, roots down)
• Refill the hole, tapping down the soil lightly.
• Water thoroughly. A little more than usual for about 1 week.
• Place mulch, pine needles or straw on top of the ground where you planted your bulbs. This will give your bulbs protection from the freezing ground.

Don’t forget to remove the mulch in the spring!

Need some gardening advice or just a useful tip or two? Leave us a comment with your gardening question or click here to contact us. Either way, we’ll give you personalized gardening advice.