White fungus on wooden fence - help!

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

We have a mostly artificial garden with natural wooden posts around our decking. We have just had our first winter living here. We've started to clean the garden now that the weather has cleared up, but there is a LOT of white fungus growing on the wood - it's quite rubbery in texture. Can anyone advise how to get rid of it? We've been trying a fungus fighter spray but its not helping

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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

5 years ago

The lawn looks artificial. Is it? Is it a material that can breath? Could it be soggy underneath it and hence wet behind the timber?

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Amy Courtney
Original Author
5 years ago
Amy Courtney
Original Author
5 years ago
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I assure you that this fungus has nothing whatsoever to do with the tent caterpillars. Or even the sapsuckers that have obviously been busy! What it DOES have to do with is the site of the broken branch or badly pruned limb. The fungus is the fruiting body of an organism feeding on live or dead wood deep within the tree body. I honestly don't know if this is simply decomposing the dead interior wood, or is a disease causing fungus. The fungus was introduced into the tree's system when that branch broke off, or was carelessly pruned. I can tell you that there is nothing you can do to 'fix' or 'cure' the tree. However, depending upon the species, trees can live more many years with this kind of activity going on. Keep your tree well-mulched, if you don't already. Don't try to remove the fruiting body as you may cause further injury to the tree. There is no spray that will get rid of it, either. The mass will eventually disappear, but the fungal organism remains deep inside the tree forever. It is likely to 'fruit' again around the same time every year.
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
That is one of the primary side effects of untreated wood in direct contact with wet soil - it promotes the growth of fungal wood-digesting organisms. You will see the same thing appearing on fallen logs and dead trees. You can't spray to remove them but you can scrape them off.

But they will grow back. And the wetter the climate, the faster they grow.
Embothrium
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Also means the wood has reached a certain level of deterioration of course. It's like mold on the outside of food items - what you are seeing on the outside isn't the biggest problem. And removing the visible part doesn't take away the problem of what is going on on the inside.
windberry zone5a BCCanada
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Beautiful life form. Why to kill it?

Btw, what do you mean by "artificial garden"?
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
5 years ago
It's one of the turkey tail fungi, a type of bracket mushroom. As said, they only feast on dead wood, either in the form of dead trees (usually hardwood) or lumber. There is absolutely nothing you can do to stop the progress of the fungus, doing so simply adds unnecessary chemicals to your environment.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
5 years ago
wood rots ... no way around it ... especially when you stick it in the ground ...

frankly .. imo .... you have only two options..

first.. go zen on it.. and accept and enjoy mother nature composting the wood ... IF... and WHEN you start to enjoy it.. for what it is ... perhaps you can enjoy it ... too many peeps dont consider a shroom to be a valuable 'show' in the garden ... i hesitate to say a valuable plant.. because technically.. shrooms are not plants.. go figure on that ....

the other option ... remove and replace with a non wood product ... the anti-zen way ... lol ...

in my experience.. you can not beat ma nature ... so why fight it ...

you have about 10 years before the wood fails completely .. so there is no hurry ...

i dont quite understand.. from the pix.. if the wood is retaining the soil behind it.. if so.. many of us have gone the route of retaining wall blocks for such ...

ken
Fori
5 years ago
It's very interesting! I'd let it be and enjoy it as a cool conversation piece and then replace the wood with something more durable when it's too far gone to serve its purpose.

The wild fungus with the rustic wood makes a nice counterpoint to the orderly artificial stuff. It's ARTSY!
containertime
5 years ago
Some people forage for turkey tail mushrooms for medicinal reasons. Of course, NEVER eat a mushroom unless you are certain of its identity. Otherwise, I agree with the others. Just let it be.

White fungus on wooden fence - help!

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

Comments (10)

Amy Courtney
Original Author

Amy Courtney
Original Author

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

Embothrium

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

Fori

containertime

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White fungus on wooden fence - help!

Comments (10)

Amy CourtneyOriginal Author

Amy CourtneyOriginal Author

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Amy Courtney
Original Author

Amy Courtney
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