White fungus coming from rotten wood

 


Hi All,
Our decorative wooden fence made of posts driven into the soil has
rotted.  We
are digging it out (or my husband is!) while I type.  There
are tons of very
white root-like strands running into the roots of
shrubs and threading their way
everywhere.  I assume it is a fungus of
some sort but is it dangerous?  Do we
have to get it out of everything?
Is the soil contaminated?
Or maybe the plants can live with it once the rotten wood has been taken
away.
Hope so!
In hope of enlightenment,
Penny
PS. Research says it might be called 'Mine Fungus'


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--
Pennyconny

 


Pennyconny;894499 Wrote:

We are digging it out (or my husband is!) while I type.  There

> are tons of

very white root-like strands running into the roots of

> shrubs and threading

their way everywhere.  I assume it is a fungus of

> some sort but is it

dangerous?  Do we have to get it out of everything?

away.  Hope so!

Most fungi are fairly specific - ie one that feeds on rotten wood tends
not to
feed on live wood. Fungi are everywhere, as are their spores. You
would not be
able to eradicate all the fungi in your garden.


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--
kay

 


Pennyconny;894501 Wrote:

not 'attacking' the

I would have thought it highly improbable, though not necessarily
totally
impossible.  Getting rid of it from the soil would be
impractical.

Have you ever spread bark chippings between plants? If you have, have a
look -
you'll find the underneath chippings are covered with fine white
stuff - again a
fungus. Many plants  are in a symbiotic relationship
with fungi whereby the
fungus helps the roots pick up nutrients in
return for supplying food to the
fungus. It's just not worth worrying
about fungi  - in most cases they're doing
no harm, in any case there's
not much you can do, and worry just takes a lot of
the enjoyment out of
the garden.


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--
kay

 

wrote:

It sounds like dry rot.  Though it actually needs dampness to get
going. Fungus spores are everywhere.  It doesn't feed on living timber
so no need to worry (unless you ever see it in your house).
Now iif you ever see yellow/orange toadstools round your favourite
shrub, this is "Honey fungus" which feeds on living wood.  Then's the
time to worry.

 

Pennyconny.6b90e07@gardenbanter.co.uk says...

Worry not this sort is fine and will be breaking down the old fence posts
and turning them into plant nutriants, fungi are what makes soil work and
nearly all of them are good, indeed increasing the amount of good fungi
can even reduce the risk of any nasty ones getting a foot hold
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea