
Is that dog vomit in your yard? Mold in the Mulch.
Is it dog vomit? A weird mushroom? Nope. This odd substance is slime mold and chances are, you have this in your mulch beds. Don’t be alarmed though. Slime mold is harmless and won’t hurt you, your animals or plants. Slime mold feeds on the bacteria of decaying plant material. It usually exists as a single-celled organism, unseen by the naked eye. When the conditions are right, a warm, moist shaded area with decaying organic material, such as your irrigated mulch bed, the organism throws a party and multiplies, making itself visible to the naked eye in some unusual forms. Not a fan of the fascinating display of microbial ecology happening in your yard? Not a problem, the solution is easy.
Use a small pitch fork or scoop it up with a plastic bag as you would dog poop and toss it in your trash. Don’t spray it with the hose or it will exude in joy in a very visible manner, spreading to other areas the water travels.