AusBonsai

After recent rains I found alot of up-side-down cone shape fungus (seedpots) in my progagating and bonsai pots. Each of these contain upto 10 black shiny seeds. The worse thing is the soil beneath them is full of white mould (could be part of the fungus) and the soil be come fermentated or something similar. It's bad. Really bad.
Anyone else experiencing similar issue? I am seriously needing help for treating these!!!
Edit: add pics

From what I can see it doesn't seem to be affecting the trunks? Maybe a Autumn rescue repot when the leaves drop to get them into new soil?

Bretts wrote:From what I can see it doesn't seem to be affecting the trunks? Maybe a Autumn rescue repot when the leaves drop to get them into new soil?

Bretts, they grew on and into the bark of my big English Oak. I tried to pull them out (didn't take pics) but the soil is clustered and full of white mould. It looks like a lot of my trees are affected. The problem is the seeds (thousand of them) even if I repot, it's hard to make sure none are left!!!

Do you have a name for the blighters?

Bretts wrote:Do you have a name for the blighters?

No Bretts, I don't know their scientific nor common name

DK have you tried treating this with a all round fungicide? im not sure of the actual fungi but i think i have similar aswell so it woul be helpfull to know what it is, mine is isolated to one fig in a grow pot though did all your trees have dynamic lifter? i have noticed it was the ones with heavy DL that have got it.

jamie

G'day fellas,
I too have had these in a few of my pots ....had them worst in a jacaranda about a month ago, soil surface about 80% covered with little cups that had exploded, the seeds which then stuck to the underside of the leaves. I removed top layer of soil and scraped all the seeds off and the tree is kickin along alright...thankfully

Cheers
Gott

Geez ... they're horrible. Like something out of an alien movie. Please keep those blighters in Queensland!!

I know it's no joking matter so seriously, Kvan, I hope you find a cure real soon and your trees aren't damaged.

Yes Ron, it seems that only us here in QLD have them now. Jamie, I haven't tried fungicides yet. Does it work for your case? I realised that only the pots that I used Searles' First Prize potting mix got it. I think it contains too much orgarnic matters. I won't be using that again.
Gott, did you check the soil again to see if it all gone and not containing something like in my pic?

DK, i havent hit it with a fungicide, i let the soil dry out more than normal and i removed it all as it caked up well as it was on the dynamic lifter i had placed, i think a good quality fungicide would get it out but i think with removing it and replacing with fresh medium will be the way to go, it has worked for me anyways.

jamie

Kvan I'm not to sure mate haven't looked deep into the soil...might have to. Is that not like a mycorrhiza in your soil? that beneficial fungus.

Gott

Gday KVan!

Hard to tell from the photos, but your mix looks too fine and full of organics to me. I wonder if the mix you mention came already seeded (spored?) with the fungus, or if it is so poorly drained that it allows the local fungus species to propagate. Just my observation (quite possibly wrong).

Good luck!

Fly.

That thing is obviously not beneficial jamie otherwise the plan is not ...dead. Fly, I think it is because of the mix as the growing basket has a lot of holes for drainage (too many holes actually). Now I will use a different mix and hope that it does not spread to my other pots.

Hi all,

They are the fruiting bodies of Birds Nest Fungi (Nidulariaceae family). They are quite common and harmless to your trees, being saprophytic (lives of dead matter....decaying wood/leaves). The only possible issue would be the hyphae strands causing a problem with the drainage, and possibly making the soil hydrophobic. Repot if you are worried or notice the soil is becoming water repellent. Personally, i wouldnt bother. The call is yours.

If you dont want this in any of your pots, you could switch to an inorganic mix for a season, to starve the fungus. It will not feed on the roots of your trees.

Joel

Thanks Joel you are a very smart guy.....I didn't think it was too harmfull just a bit annoying....

thanks again for your knowledge...much appreciated
oh yeah happy b'day
Cheers Gott