 |
Yellow Goo in your Garden |
By Ruth Hales, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension horticulture agent.
Have you ever seen a yellow, gooey mass in your lawn or in the mulch around your trees? Often it is described as an orange-yellow growing blob.
This strange creature is called a slime mold. One particular slime mold looks brown, often resembling shredded brown bark mulch. After a heavy rain, this creature changes its color to a bright yellow. Its texture becomes gooey, much like the consistency of an egg yolk, and it will begin to grow in size.
Slime molds are organisms that feed on organic matter. Therefore, although ugly, they actually are beneficial to your garden. No pesticides are needed to control slime molds.
To reduce the number of these slimy creatures in your yard, rake and dry out the area where they have been living. Hot, dry summer weather will decrease the number of slime molds naturally.
Photo: Sheri Hunter
