Lawn fungus - Ask Extension
I just noticed two spots in my lawn with BLUE grass.. when I went to pull it up a big puff of powder followed and my hand was black... what kind of fu...
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Lawn fungus #474080
Asked July 28, 2018, 5:20 PM EDT
I just noticed two spots in my lawn with BLUE grass.. when I went to pull it up a big puff of powder followed and my hand was black... what kind of fungus is this and is there a way to kill it without spending a fortune and having to buy something that treats 2,500- 5,000 sq ft. when just maybe one foot is involved... a home remedy I am attaching two pictures of the grass. Thank you. Sarah
Arapahoe County Colorado
Expert Response
This is slime mold. TOTALLY harmless to the turf and really a kind of cool thing to have in your lawn (show the kids, if you have some!). It is simply using the grass plants as a ladder and "launching site" for its spores - to get them up into the wind.
Slime mold is harmless to people and pets - and to any other plants. It "feeds" on organic matter in the soil. We see slime mold occasionally in the summer when we get frequent rain storms and it is hot and humid. It's a much more common thing in the midwest and eastern US. Here is more on it if you are interested:
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-112-W.pdf
Hope this has been helpful!
Thanks,
Tony
Slime mold is harmless to people and pets - and to any other plants. It "feeds" on organic matter in the soil. We see slime mold occasionally in the summer when we get frequent rain storms and it is hot and humid. It's a much more common thing in the midwest and eastern US. Here is more on it if you are interested:
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP-112-W.pdf
Hope this has been helpful!
Thanks,
Tony
