Fungi

The humid conditions in the landscape sets up conditions favorable for many fungi to flourish.

All but a few fungi types are either innocuous or beneficial acting as decomposers of dead material in the soil. A few fungi live parasitically on living plants causing what most call a disease.

The extra humid conditions this year might trigger some less common diseases. These will be infections attacking leaves. Normally hot and drier weather keeps the leaf spotting fungi from being much of a problem.

This season be on the look out for spots forming on leaves. If the spots increase in size there might be a fungus involved. If no increase in size happens over time then it is not a disease; more likely sunbun or salt spotting.

If a disease does occur, do not panic. Afew leaves might be lost but a healthy plant will weather the onslaught until drier times happen.

Other non-pathogenic fungi thrive in these conditions as well. Look for strands of white, bluish-green, orange or yellow to show up on dead organic matter. They are always there but not normally seen as much in most years.

The weather will also intiate the reproductive cycles in many fungi. These structures ar the only time we see the fungus. They are down in the soil all year doing their thing living off organic matter. During the summer wet season they pop up structures in a myriad of shapes, colors sizes numbers.

These include the mushrooms, toadstools, spore mats and jellies throughout the lawns, flower beds and tree wells. Remember the fungi are always there in the soil but simply as decomposers and not hurting living plants. In fact their efforts make the soil richer and release nutrients into the soil for living plants to use.

If you see them simply pull, mow or kick them. For safety sake assume them to be poisonous (though not all are). If pets or children might handle or eat them they should be disposed of.

And to finish on the down side the weather will spur an increase of some molds that put out copious amounts of spores. People with alergies should get prepared. The spores will be lofted into the air and carried long distances on the gentlist of zeqhyrs causing suffering to those who are allergic to them.

It really is an exciting time for a lot of critters and fungi. Hopefully the excitement can be shared from observing the increased life forms. If not then just wait a bit and the more typical dry climate will slow them down and its back to watering, dust and not critters or visible fungi.

Written by Terry Mikel, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 602-470-8086.
Material originally appeared in Arizona Republic
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