identifying white spores in the soil - Ask Extension
I need help identifying the condition of my soil. When removing the spent tomato stalks, I discovered that about 6 inches under the soil, there was a ...
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identifying white spores in the soil #854881
Asked November 07, 2023, 2:00 PM EST
I need help identifying the condition of my soil. When removing the spent tomato stalks, I discovered that about 6 inches under the soil, there was a white powdery substance. There was also clumps that when you pulled them apart it was powdery inside. Can you help me identify whether it is harmful or beneficial?
Yes, we have cats but our garden beds have netting over the surface so the cats don't use it as a litter box.
Washington County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Randi and thanks for your question and pictures of the white powdery residue in your garden beds. On first glance at the pictures, I am inclined to say it is mycelium, the "roots" (if you will) of fungus. This would mean you had some organic matter that the fungus is decomposing and would not be a problem for your soil, as they will complete the process and enrich your soil.
This begs the question, though, of what could be in your soil that they would be so attracted to. Did you add leaf mold, mushroom compost or manure to your soil? How did your tomatoes do this year? Did you add anything else that was unusual? Were there clumps of anything in the soil you added to your beds? Do you rotate your crops or have you been growing tomatoes in the same bed for several seasons?
At any rate, if your tomatoes did fine, there is probably nothing to worry about. If there were problems, you might want to wait a couple years before you try tomatoes in that bed again.
This begs the question, though, of what could be in your soil that they would be so attracted to. Did you add leaf mold, mushroom compost or manure to your soil? How did your tomatoes do this year? Did you add anything else that was unusual? Were there clumps of anything in the soil you added to your beds? Do you rotate your crops or have you been growing tomatoes in the same bed for several seasons?
At any rate, if your tomatoes did fine, there is probably nothing to worry about. If there were problems, you might want to wait a couple years before you try tomatoes in that bed again.
Thank you ! Yes, we did tomatoes and have had tomatoes in that bed for the last three years. We have limited sun so that's the sunny tomato spot.
We ordered our original raised bed soil from ProGro so not sure what they put in it. We do add compost from our own compost bins but that is mostly food scraps, some leaf matter, a smattering of soil and spent plants. We give it all a good long time to break down.
I had planned on covering the beds with mulched leaves in the next few weeks but maybe that's not such a good idea. Should I leave the beds uncovered for the winter?
Hi Randi- No, I think your idea of leaves covering the bed is a good one. Otherwise, the rain splatters the top soil and leaches out all the great nitrogen from your bed. The only thing I would suggest is to shred the leaves first so the ones on the bottom are easier for the earthworms and bacteria to break down. Then, come spring, you will have ready made compost to dig into your beds a couple weeks before you want to plant.
You also might want to plant something not in the Solanaceae family in that bed for a year. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers are all in the same family. Green beans anyone?
You also might want to plant something not in the Solanaceae family in that bed for a year. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers are all in the same family. Green beans anyone?
Me again!
My red and green Beech trees drop annoying but normal beech nuts every year. The squirrels love them.
There are no beech nuts this year? Any idea why? First time in 30 years.
There are also no berries on my holly, again for the first time in 30 years....hence no robins gorging on holly berries.
Randi Ausland
Thank you ! Yes, we did tomatoes and have had tomatoes in that bed for the last three years. We have limited sun so that's the sunny tomato spot.We ordered our original raised bed soil from ProGro so not sure what they put in it. We do add compost from our own compost bins but that is mostly food scraps, some leaf matter, a smattering of soil and spent plants. We give it all a good long time to break down.I had planned on covering the beds with mulched leaves in the next few weeks but maybe that's not such a good idea. Should I leave the beds uncovered for the winter?
Hi Randi- Beech trees! How wonderful. Beeches and Oaks are known for years of many nuts (mast years) and years of fewer or even no nuts. This can be due to weather as they don't like dry soils. It can also be a way they control their procreation as they need to have some seeds survive and it's easier if they have a low year to decrease the animals that feed on them and then every once in awhile have a mast year so some of the nuts survive.
My recommendation is to see what happens next year, especially if you didn't water the trees this summer, which was exceptionally dry. Even our mature trees need water in this new changing climate unless we get a good rain during the month.
As to the holly, if the plants look healthy, they may not have gotten pollinated. Do you have any male plants nearby? The bees need to move pollen from the male plants to the female flowers and unless you have your own male plants, someone else's holly has been your pollinator. It may also be that the holly flowered at a time when the weather, temperature or other factors did not let the bees do their jobs in which case, the robins will need to find another food this year. It happens!
See what next year brings and fingers crossed that we will get more cooperative rainfall and weather next year.
My recommendation is to see what happens next year, especially if you didn't water the trees this summer, which was exceptionally dry. Even our mature trees need water in this new changing climate unless we get a good rain during the month.
As to the holly, if the plants look healthy, they may not have gotten pollinated. Do you have any male plants nearby? The bees need to move pollen from the male plants to the female flowers and unless you have your own male plants, someone else's holly has been your pollinator. It may also be that the holly flowered at a time when the weather, temperature or other factors did not let the bees do their jobs in which case, the robins will need to find another food this year. It happens!
See what next year brings and fingers crossed that we will get more cooperative rainfall and weather next year.
Thank you! This makes me feel a lot better. I’m not sure how I tell a male holly plant from a female holly plant. There’s a couple of them right next to each other
and they’ve always produced holly berries in the past.
Maybe they got a divorce.
As far as the Beech trees, they do get water in the summer. They are pretty close to the house so they get the benefit of the sprinkler system.
I have the most beautiful green Beech that is huge. Every few years I fork over the money to have her pruned and babied. She’s the queen of the neighborhood.
Hi Randi- I found this article from a landscaping company that explains holly pollination and flowers pretty clearly. I didn't know they were dioecious but it also sound like the more stressed the plants, the more berries. Maybe it's a good thing you had no berries this year... happy plants?
https://www.waverlyfarm.com/blog/american-holly-one-rule-for-pollination-and-fruiting
https://www.waverlyfarm.com/blog/american-holly-one-rule-for-pollination-and-fruiting
Since you are now my own personal garden advisor, I thought I'd ask if you could point me in the direction of instructions for pruning my raspberries? They produce twice a year, around July and again at the end of September.
I researched on-line but I'm getting mixed messages. It might depend on what part of the country you live in.
Hi Randi! Good to hear from you and thanks for your question about pruning raspberries. Turns out it's not the part of the country you live in, but the type of raspberries you have. I'll attach a website with information, but there is a raspberry pruning on-line video that relates specifically to Oregon which might be helpful too. I think it has a cost but it might be worth it if the article is confusing.
It sounds like your berries are "everbearing", so skip down to the pruning section and then scroll to the section called "Everbearing Raspberries". Mine are not everbearing, so we prune in January or February and leave 5 canes in a group 12 inches apart. It looks like you can also prune now, but look at the great pictures in the everbearing section for tips on how to do it. And as with all pruning, if you don't get it quite right, it will grow back for next year!
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1306-growing-raspberries-your-home-garden#pruning-training
Have fun,
It sounds like your berries are "everbearing", so skip down to the pruning section and then scroll to the section called "Everbearing Raspberries". Mine are not everbearing, so we prune in January or February and leave 5 canes in a group 12 inches apart. It looks like you can also prune now, but look at the great pictures in the everbearing section for tips on how to do it. And as with all pruning, if you don't get it quite right, it will grow back for next year!
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1306-growing-raspberries-your-home-garden#pruning-training
Have fun,
