# Tiny white mushroom-like...



## abax (Aug 18, 2022)

whatever growing in and out of some of my Phrag. pots. I assume a fungus. The tiny things don't seem to be doing damage. Perhaps
a repotting is the thing to do? I'm planning on lots of repotting in early spring or should I do it as soon as it cools off a bit?


----------



## Ray (Aug 19, 2022)

Mushrooms in potting media = canary in the coal mine.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2022)

Not really, Ray.
I have this small white umbrella looking mushrooms in a few pots. 
Some of these pots contain rather old potting mix but I do have these mushrooms growing out of newly repotted (barely a few months old) pots also. I suppose the pores are all flying around in the air and find their way to random spots in my collection.

Bark, whether new or old, is dead plant material and as long as there is moisture, it will be their food source. 
I don't know the exact biology behind this particular fungus so I don't know what they prefer, but take shitake mushroom cultivation for an example.
People who farm this fungus drill holes on the "fresh dead" tree related to oak (there are about 8 species of trees that are used for cultivating Shittake mushroom in Korea, Japan and China), not long dead half decomposed one, and plant the spores in the holes. 
The trees to be used for mushroom farming are harvest in the middle of winter and then dried for minimum of one month. 
Fungus are among the first decompoers of dead organic materials. So, fresh bark is a great source of food for them. 

By the way, my plants with the little mushroom growing out of the pots are doing great.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2022)

abax said:


> whatever growing in and out of some of my Phrag. pots. I assume a fungus. The tiny things don't seem to be doing damage. Perhaps
> a repotting is the thing to do? I'm planning on lots of repotting in early spring or should I do it as soon as it cools off a bit?


They are decomposers of the dead material, so bark or moss in your pot is what they are breaking down.
They won't directly cause any harm to your plant. If you find their presence annoying, then, I say repot them now.


----------



## abax (Aug 19, 2022)

Happy it's too damn hot to repot now. I suspect repotting now might do more harm than good. RAY please explain.
Some of the pots with fungus are in Orchiata, charcoal, perlite that's only a year old and and two or three are blooming.


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Aug 19, 2022)

Well, in Ray's defense, though, the fact that there is an active community of fungus that are producing reproductive forms (mushrooms), it means that the decomposing process is well on its way or excellerated. 
Hence, he might have hinted that it is an indicator of old potting, hence, better repot the plant. I do see the logic behind it in principle.
If the plant looks good and is doing well, and you decide that the temperature extreme might do more harm than good to the plant, then, I don't see any problem delaying the repotting. 
Or, if it indeed has very old repotting in poor shape, then, repot now and keep the plant indoor with AC if that is an option for you?


----------



## abax (Aug 19, 2022)

I wasn't attacking good man Ray. I just wanted a specific reason to repot at this time of year in KY. Perhaps I'm
being unreasonable and am really afraid to repot now due to heat stress...also 'Roseum' is blooming and just
keeps producing new flowers. Can you tell I'm stressed about this????!!!! :>(


----------



## Ray (Aug 20, 2022)

That was a simple guide I have often used. However, Orchiata bark is naturally populated with penicillium and trichoderma, so unless you can see it has physically broken down, they should provide a degree of protection from some pathogens, and would not necessarily rush to repot.


----------



## abax (Aug 20, 2022)

Thank you, thank you Ray! You are a treasure.


----------



## Guldal (Aug 21, 2022)

abax said:


> Thank you, thank you Ray! You are a treasure.


In all fairness: so was Happy!


----------



## abax (Aug 21, 2022)

YES! thank you happy.


----------



## Ray (Aug 21, 2022)

For the record, I didn't perceive any attacks!
That's one of the things I like about this particular group - lots of (mostly) knowledgeable folks with their own assessments of things, and a willingness to share without intending harm (although folks might still perceive that at times).


----------



## NYEric (Aug 22, 2022)

Did Neal say he was growing Shitakes!? I'll take a pound!!


----------



## abax (Aug 22, 2022)

Me too! I love mushrooms. Yummmmm.


----------



## merc (Oct 6, 2022)

did they look like this? i was wondering what these were. fungi makes most sense.


----------



## abax (Oct 6, 2022)

No or perhaps it looks like that inside the pot. Outside the pots, the fungi actually look like tiny, white mushrooms growing
through the holes in the sides of the clay pots.


----------



## NYEric (Oct 7, 2022)

Those look like spider eggs.


----------



## Djthomp28 (Oct 8, 2022)

merc said:


> did they look like this? i was wondering what these were. fungi makes most sense.View attachment 36351


That looks like snow mold to me.


----------



## My Green Pets (Oct 8, 2022)

merc said:


> did they look like this? i was wondering what these were. fungi makes most sense.


Merc I have this too on some of my bulbos' bark.


----------

