Using mulch in a landscape is beneficial to plants, but always be on the lookout for artillery fungus. The Plant Medic, written by Ricky Kemery, appears every other week.

Gardening Q&A Black specks may be artillery fungus Laura Chaves Missouri Botanical Garden Sep 29, 2024 0 Artillery fungus spore masses stuck to siding Steven Rettke, Rutgers University.

Artillery fungus, also called shotgun fungus or Sphaerobolus stellatus, usually originate in wood-chip mulch of the type that is used around shrubs, flowers and other plants.

Answer: Artillery fungus, or cannon fungus, can be a problem when we have a wet summer and the mulch around your home is either hardwood bark or wood chips. The wood that is a contaminant in these ...

ALAN J. HEAVENS The Philadelphia Inquirer Aug 9, 2015 Aug 9, 2015Updated Aug 15, 2016 0 ...

The solution, according to NCSU, is to use pine or hardwood bark mulch, which does not harbor the fungus as much. Spores can survive up to 11 years, so covering the mulch may only be a temporary ...

Call your local Extension Office for more information about the artillery fungus and mulch alternatives. Chris Ramsey is an agriculture extension agent at UT-TSU Extension in Sullivan County.

Q: I see little things growing in my mulch that remind me of mushrooms, only they have a hollow on the top instead. They’re near my vegetable bed, so should I be worried about infection or so… ...

Do You Need to Mulch Every Year? No, you don’t have to mulch every year, but doing so can benefit your garden. Choosing to mulch isn’t a one-size-fits-all task and depends upon several factors.