Green blobs
JJP0010
Posts: 3
I have got dark green jelly like blobs just in the front garden and the seem to be spreading. The garden is north facing and there is a large tree outside the property which the council has confirmed they will be chopping down due to a cavity. Anyone know what may be causing this please?
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Posts
Hi
Could we see a photo please, with something (coin/matchbox etc) to show an idea of scale?
To post a picture on here you need to click on the green tree icon on the toolbar above where you type your post. Afraid it doesn't work for iphones - yet.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi - just took this using a 50p..
It looks like a load of what used to be called blue-green algae in a pond. My first thought was the charmingly-named but really interesting slime moulds but they don't look quite like this,
Dunno.
It's Nostoc algea which is indeed a blue-green algea but one which typically grows on gravel and very poor soils.
http://www.downgardenservices.org.uk/bluegreenalgae.htm
Difficult to deal with. You best bet is to improve the soil with lots of compost etc.
Long thread about it a while back:
http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/problem-solving/slimy-fungus-on-gravel/5082.html
Bob, that long thread is not good news, is it? I also have these blobs of jelly, on the gravel drive, where I have used RoundUp. Those two factors seem common with this problem. Since I cannot improve the soil, I shall try soda bicarb., as suggested on that thread. But how on earth do I get rid of weeds now?
By hand with a daisy grubber or hoe. A nuisance but no chemicals.
Outdoor girl, that's not on, the area is too large. The large oil tanker has to turn around here when it delivers, because it cannot reverse up our long access road. Plus which, I am of the age where gardening on my knees is a no-no, that's one of the reasons I enjoy all my pots.
Thanks, Tetley, I didn't look at that one. Just goes to show you shouldn't throw things away - we have a container of dairy detergent tucked away in the barn, how lucky is that? And maybe good for liverwort as well, so 2 for 1. This is my lucky day! (Plus which we didn't get the horrific torrential rain which was forecast.
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Thank you for the comments. I am actually in the process of planning to lay a gravel drive way over this area so it’s a bit worrying that it still thrives on gravel! I’ve only been in the property for a year so not sure if Roundup has been used in the past but the soil is very hard so this may contribute. Now I’ve got a name for it been trawling the internet and it seems to be a real global pain and not yet come across a definitive answer. Not keen on using bleach or strong chemicals as have kids and pets, so I’ve just ordered a blow torch of Amazon and will release the pyromaniac in me and see if I can incinerate the suckers! Will keep you posted.
I had the same stuff thriving and spreading in an area next to my driveway and some on the driveway itself. Every time it rained, the blobs would return, plump and green. After reading a very long thread on here with many suggestions on how to kill it. I decided to try my usual go-to for natural remedies first. I raked up the disgusting stuff and then powdered the area over with baking soda. I followed with vinegar just for extra vengeance. I knew I wouldn't be able to tell if it was successful until we got rain. Well, about about two weeks and two rains later, I'm singing victory is mine. It has not returned.