I have a strange growth on the Rhodi I planted earlier this year.This is my first, and hope not the last. What I need, before I do smoething despert, is to know what to do.Mike
Rhodie question
I left the tag because I am not familier with this variaty of Rhodie.What I mean, they are not like the Rhodies I see in the N. Ga. mountians.Mike
No,they're not, as they are really a group of rhododendrons. They are beautiful, tough and hardy. Three are listed in the PlantFiles.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/103847/
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/PlantFinder/plant.asp?code=C163
That is some kind of fungus growing. Clean it off and remove the plant tag. It will probably not return. If you need the tag for future reference punch a hole in it and put it on a key ring. I keep all my plant tags on a key ring. I also write on the tag the day it was planted. It's an easy simple garden journal at a glance.
definitely a funky fungus. Yuk! It's unfortunate that it picked your first rhody to grow on. When you clean it off, I don't think that it would hurt to spray it down with a mild plant soap either, just to be extra cautious.
Is that like an insectacidal soap?Thats the only soap I've heard of. Thank you Mike
Yeah, that would work to (antibacterial and antifungal properties in that as well). I wish that I could think of the name of one. sorry. The recipe that I've used for years is just 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid per gallon of water and spray. Let set for a minute or two and wipe off with a paper towel or cloth. I'll look around and see if I can find the one that i bought a few years ago. I had some plants that came down with mildew on their leaves after some funky spring weather.
I think it's a slime mold, technically not a fungus (depending who you ask), probably Fuligo septica. It's fairly common on mulch after a lot of rain. I've seen other slime molds on trees in the woods but not this one on a garden plant. I doubt it will hurt the rhodie.
I like the keyring idea, that's great snapple. But I did lose my car keys for a while today...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mould
http://www.personal.psu.edu/sam21/dogvomit.htm
http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/june99.html
claypa - I've had all three of those slime molds at one time or another. Wood mulch can produce the strangest stuff. Those were excellent links.
Claypa, thank you for the info, and was kinda panicing above the mulch.I have this planted in 12' mulch, on top of news papers.Our daughter brought her dog by to stay with us for the day, and he wasn't feeling so good, so there is a chance that is exacly what it is.I have seen similar fungi in the compost pile, and thats more an accet than a problem.Thanks for the heads up, and I just read about a soap remady in Jerry Baker's book.Fun reading, Yard sale $0.50, not bad.Thanks Mike
msucares.com/lawn/garden/coast/02/020406/images/azalea_leaf_gall.jpeg
It looks like some sort of fungus growth coming from the stem of the rhododendrom
I think this is the page UUallace was referring to:
http://msucares.com/lawn/garden/coast/02/020420.html
Yes, thats informitive, and a little more "refined" than Jerry Baker, although his seemed good.Wish I had read where you sweep it off, then soap it.Thanks again.Mike