Fungi help mulch decompose faster. However, mulch fungus can be an ugly sight in your yard so you may want to get rid of it. There are a few things you can do to help with this problem. This article will give you a few tips to control mulch fungus.
Spores
In order to control mulch fungus, it’s important to control the spores. The best way to reduce spore the amount of spores in an area is to remove fruiting bodies as soon as they appear. Once you have removed them, you should put them in the trash or a compost pile. This will reduce the spore density in the area.
Lime
You can also try using lime to control mulch fungus. Applying lime to the soil will sweeten it, which will usually change the pH level of the soil. This pH level is usually not the best level for mulch fungus to reproduce. You can buy liquid lime mix from a local gardening store and simply sprinkle it on top of the mulch.
Moisture
Another important way to control mulch fungus is to control the amount of moisture. During periods of rain, you should regularly flip and loosen the mulch. This will reduce the amount of moisture in the mulch. This will help prevent mulch fungus from getting any moisture. However, you should be careful when doing this because you may also prevent the roots of the plant from getting any moisture.
Sanitization
Sanitization is another good way to control mulch fungus. You can do this easily by combining water and Clorox. You should first remove any fungi, then loosen the top layer of the mulch so the mixture can penetrate better. You should make sure you don’t get this mixture on the plants as it will likely harm them.
Mulch
It’s best to have only an inch or two of wood mulch if you want to control mulch fungus. Most fungi will not affect mulch when it is only one or two inches. This is because they prefer thicker layers that are more moist. You should also consider using mulch made from bark because it’s much safer than wood mulch.
These are a few tips to control mulch fungus. You should always remove fruiting bodies as soon as they appear, so there won’t be as many spores in the area. You should also use only an inch or two of wood mulch since fungi usually prefer thicker layers that are moister.
Related Article: 5 Common Types of Mulch Fungus
