Slime Molds
Need to know:
- Slime molds feed on decaying organic matter.
- Appear most often after a warm summer rain.
- Usually last one to two weeks.
- Slime molds aren’t normally a problem, if needed can be removed by raking, sweeping, or mowing.
Overview of slime molds
The presence of slime mold is more of a curiosity than a problem. Slime molds are primitive organisms that are considered fungi. They feed on decaying organic manner and other organisms in the thatch layer and soil.
Symptoms of slime molds
Slime molds often appear after a warm summer rain. At first a slimy growth, called the plasmodium, appears. This slimy growth dries into a powdery mass of spore-bearing structures that coat grass blades. Slime molds usually last one to two weeks and often are observed in the same spot year after year. Typically 4-6 inches patches of the fungus are formed. Although there are many species of slime mold on turf, Physarum cinereum seems to be the most common. Slight yellowing of turf can occur as the slime mold blocks grass underneath it from being able to do photosynthesis. The grass will almost always recover though if the slime mold is removed.
Signs of slime molds
Slime molds are often brightly colored and the fungal body can be seen coating patches of a lawn. When the masses are young, they are sticky but dry out as they age.
Management of slime molds
Control measures are not usually necessary. If desired, slime mold can be removed by raking, sweeping with a broom, or mowing. However, it is possible that the slime mold will reappear under humid and warm conditions.
Lina Rodriguez Salamanca Extension Plant Pathologist and Diagnostician
Dr. Lina Rodriguez-Salamanca is a diagnostician and extension plant pathologist with the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic (clinic.ipm.iastate.edu), a member of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN, ...
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