Fungus, fungus lots of them - I'm doomed!

[craigw60]

Are they edible may be you cold make up a big pot of pasta sauce. I suspect Jamie has the solution dry your tree out for a bit.
Craig

[kvan64]

Uhmm, I'm not so keen of that kink of mushroom source. I'm however glad that it's not too harmful as I've thought. Good god!

[Joel]

Thanks bonsai4life! Glad i could help.

Joel

[kcpoole]

Magic Joel thanks
this is why I like online forums as we have an unlimited knowlege resource to draw from.

Ken

[ceb]

this fungus actullay comes from the soil and partily bark in the soil. Try some watered down white vinger (50/50 ratio)with sunlight
Black dog

[kvan64]

Yes, thanks Joel for the helpful info. And bDog, will the acid of the vinega harm the plants? What type of plants should I avoid using this practice?

[craigw60]

Hi Ken,
I use vinegar to treat moss on the trunks of my trees with no apparent side affects. I would apply it with a brush so as not to get too much on the surface of the pot.
Craig

[Pup]

I also use it to kill moss and Liverwort at full strength. I also I use it to get the salts from the pots.
Quite a few of the Chinese pots need to be weatherd to get rid of said salts. By leaving them on the benches with nothing in them.
The time for this varies, when you put a tree in them and the salt starts to emerge wipe it with vinegar,
and your trusty CREAN mate.
Vinegar will also get rid of some juvenile weeds, I have found no adverse affects of trees.

Cheers Pup

[kvan64]

Thanks Craig and Pup. My misus will be looking for the bottle of cooking vinegar tonight

[sreeve]

Hi Pup - does this apply to all plants ie natives

Do you use it full strength and being a wannabee, I presume either white or brown are equally OK

Regards
Steve

[Joel]

Vinegar only works on contact. Sure it will kill the fruiting bodies (the bit that looks like a birds nest) but the rest of it (which is all throughout your pot) will still be alive. Again, this is not harming your tree. Fungus are present in every soil.

Joel

[Ron]

Not worried about these now after this thread, this is just for interest's sake:

One of my first bought bonsais was English box in a small pot (about 15cms x 10cms) from Kmart in early January this year. I've done nothing to it except water and feed it and just noticed a batch of these things this morning. If I pull them out I find they're attached to small pieces of wood in the mix.

[bonscythe]

Another alternative to Vinegar is to use Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) which can inhibit the growth of certain microorganisms. It's at the supermarket, cheap and usually in the toothpaste aisle. Mix it 1:5 (w/ water).


Edit: Ron, sounds like you have hit the nail on the head...spores in the mix--->mycelium on the bark/wood--->mushrooms in your box--->spores on everything etc..

[kvan64]

Yes Ron, remove them before the pores (eggs of these 'bird nest fungus') mature. They can spread very quickly. Even though they may not be harmfull directly to plants, they can cluster up and cake up your soil badly.
Cheers

[sreeve]

Thanks Bonscythe - sounds like a raid on Woolies is in order
Regards
Steve