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Author Topic: Honey fungus lovers  (Read 1473 times)

goatshed

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Honey fungus lovers
« on: March 22, 2013, 10:48:23 AM »
We've just discovered a large area of honey fungus. Looking on the internet I discovered that some people think early purple orchids like it - and I already have some which are seeding themselves nicely. So looking on the bright side, I thought - an orchid lawn! Does anyone know any others that particularly like honey fungus?
It is virtually just lawn now having lost a lilac, hibiscus and greengage, the bay tree and chionanthus are looking healthy though. It's gritty well drained acid soil which gets lots of sun, hot in summer (max 32C) and cold in winter (min -18C occasionally), with a few damper shadier spots by a wall. I also have some dactylorhiza maculata in a bog bed, I think the lawn might be too dry for them.
Any thoughts? Thanks!
PS Digging out the area is not feasible
Creuse, France
-8C (occ.lower) to +35C. High rainfall except for summer.
Free draining gritty acid soil.

brianw

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Re: Honey fungus lovers
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2013, 11:15:39 PM »
I am sorry for you, but you have cheered me up. I have to tackle what I think is a large patch in a new garden this summer. Maybe there is a silver lining in that corner. I was planning to plant resistant plants.
Edge of Chiltern hills, 25 miles west of London, England

Maggi Young

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Re: Honey fungus lovers
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2013, 11:26:55 PM »
The RHS has a handy list of plants both susceptible and resistant to honey fungus, which may be of some help : http://www.rhs.org.uk/Media/PDFs/Advice/HoneyFungusList

Your main problem may be containing the spread, if it is not possible to dig out the area.... :-X :-\
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

brianw

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Re: Honey fungus lovers
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2013, 11:57:24 PM »
Unfortunately mine is next to an area I was planning to use for soft fruit and veg. Root crops are hopeless with it I think. Maybe a raised bed over weed supressing fabric might succeed, although concrete may be necessary. I did wonder about using heavy damp proof membrane for a few years, then lifting it and seeing if there is a matt of "bootlaces" I can then remove and/or treat. I am not sure what the affect of resistant plants is. Does the fungus ignore them and carry on spreading, or does it infect the plants but they cope with it?
Mulberry is resistant (I have one in a large pot) but prunus and malus out. I have a wild plum hedge nearby  :( Yew and holly seem OK so I can still have a native hedge.
Edge of Chiltern hills, 25 miles west of London, England

goatshed

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Re: Honey fungus lovers
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2013, 06:59:34 AM »
Thanks for the replies. How about hazel Brian? We've got hazel everywhere and that seems to survive everything.
The lawn has a barn on one side and a driveway at the top so I think that'll stop it, and a low stone wall on the other which might slow it down (I hope as I've got a young apple, a birch and a buddleia there, which are all the most susceptible!), the fourth edge goes out into the field so apart from an apple tree which is on it's last legs anyway, there's nothing for it there.
The stone wall side is next to the veggie patch. Does it attack root veggies? I haven't seen anything about it.

Anyway, I've decided orchids, as I'd just bought some shrubs to go in there which I'll have to find space for elsewhere now, though one's a young red oak which I might try. The early purples are thriving, so there must be some truth in the fungus loving aspect. I've been reading that introducing other mycorrhiza can help combat it, but which? I'd have thought we had enough other fungi here to compete with it - we get mushrooms, boletus and all sorts growing in the lawn.
I wish I could get hold of a sambucina as I'm sure that would love it there, not many people seem to sell them as they're reputedly difficult - they grow wild not too far away, and we're at 900m high.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2013, 07:08:05 AM by goatshed »
Creuse, France
-8C (occ.lower) to +35C. High rainfall except for summer.
Free draining gritty acid soil.

 


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