Organic wood mulches, including cypress, reduce erosion and discourage weed growth in your home landscape. Unlike stones and other inorganic chemicals, nevertheless, they can offer a habitat for undesirable fungi. If you see unattractive foamy or slimy growths on the surface of the mulch, the offender might be a slime mold. These harmless organisms are unappealing, but many simple options for controlling them are readily available.
Kinds of Mulch Fungi
Slime molds (Myxomycetes spp.) Would be the most problematic fungus that can develop in flux, but other species may also colonize organic substances. As an example, because of the sticky, unattractive spores, the artillery fungus (Sphaerobolus spp.) Could be a nuisance when it rises in flux close to houses and parking lots. Some mushrooms and toadstools also develop in mulched areas that aren’t affected frequently.
Mold Growth Conditions
Cypress mulch is probably to develop mold in warm, wet climates in which the timber or bark chips remain continuously moist without becoming soggy. These conditions promote slow deterioration that’s conducive to the development of many distinct types of fungi. Hot, dry weather or cold conditions discourage fungal growth, while mild climates raise the risk of bacterial infestation. The majority of mulch fungi are present and harmless only an aesthetic danger. Removing the fruiting body of the mold or fungus does not ordinarily get rid of the issue unless you adjust the ethnic conditions.
Reducing Moisture
One approach to lower the danger of mold growth on organic mulches is to decrease the available moisture levels. If you regularly irrigate your mulched plants, decrease the irrigation frequency, in addition to the amount of water you supply. Water plants deeply but infrequently to produce more vigorous root systems, and maintain your cypress mulch drier and in better overall condition. You may also switch to a coarser mulch, which holds slightly less moisture.
Increasing Soil Fertility
Molds grow best in circumstances where soil quality is inferior. Increasing the available nitrogen content may discourage mold growth. Utilize a composted cypress mulch instead of new wood chips, or even include grass clippings, mushroom compost, poultry manure or other organic fertilizers. Your shrubs and garden plants will grow to be larger and more lush, and you should see fewer moulds and other contaminants.