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Slime Mold Facts


Many enthusiastic gardeners are often surprised and dismayed to see a yellow or orange slime quickly spreading over their garden. It often appears overnight and leaves the surrounding areas covered in a strange looking substance. The color can vary between white and brown and is often mistaken for ordinary fungus. It is a simple organism that can make a garden look unhealthy but does not cause actual harm except if it covers or shades plants and grass for too long.

Slime mold is a substance that is similar to fungi which often appears on lawns, mulch and decaying wood nearing the end of summer. Slime mold can only harm plants by spreading over them and shading them from natural sunlight. Slime molds often form and grow on the mulch that is spread around vegetation such as trees. They are not parasites but they do not look in any way attractive. Humid conditions are ideal for slime mold to thrive, develop and reproduce. Slime mold may look disgusting but they are relatively harmless to plants and trees.

Slime molds reproduce using spores which germinate when they become wet. Tiny organisms occur that can float over water consuming any bacteria that they come into contact with. When these organisms fuse together, a plasmodium begins growing which also digests bacteria and can move across wet substances. In favorable conditions, the plasmodium can move quickly over an area until conditions become dry. Upon reaching dry conditions, the plasmodia turn into spore producing organisms which are blown in the wind to transport new spores elsewhere, starting the whole process all over again.

Eliminating Slime Mold

Slime mold eventually disappears by itself but many people would prefer to rid themselves of this unsightly growth as soon as they possibly can. When slime mold has grown on mulch or turf, simply raking the substance over will rid the area of its appearance. This increases the air circulation in the soil and allows it to dry out fully. Water can also be used to literally wash the slime mold away and the best way to protect wood from slime mold growth is to keep it dry and well covered. It can also be minimized by watering the grass early in the morning so that it has dried out before night fall. Regularly raking soil and mulch early in the day can also lower the chances of slime mold appearing as it gives it frequent opportunities to dry out.