Serissa Foetida - OverNite Growth

Ml_work · 09-22-2008, 12:11 AM

I will not even start in about how picky this tree is, I think everyone has agreed on that. I have had pretty good luck with it so far, but noticed leaves dropping more that usual. I was watering every other day (it stays inside) and it looked a bit dry. So I stared every day for about the past week. Today I saw the yellow mushroom? growing from the bottom of the trunk. If you look close there are 3 or 4 more coming through the soil. It was not there yesterday...it did this over night. I did not take it out yet, wanted to know if it a good thing....or bad?

Thanks,
ML

Mojosan · 09-23-2008, 05:57 PM

"So I stared every day for about the past week."

I assume you meant 'watered every day...'

Well, lots of water and heat/humidity and a spore = toadstool/mushroom. Not surprising.
Why would you think this was a good thing? It won't harm the tree, but it sure doesn't do it any good either. If you leave it, it will eventually generate more spores. and that = more mushrooms.

treebeard55 · 09-23-2008, 07:06 PM

Since fungi don't photosynthesize, they need to get nitrogen from their environment -- like from the fert you give your tree.

Some fungi will attack living woody trees; I lost a mugo pine to one last summer. I'd check the root system post-haste! Also, the presence of fungi usually means that the soil is staying quite wet. You may have a drainage problem that you're being informed of.

Mortalis · 09-23-2008, 11:23 PM

Fungi don't photosynthesize and they don't use nitrogen they consume organic material to grow. Like the organic components of your "soil". If it is not a parasitic variety it will not harm your tree but if it is growing ON your tree it is either parasitic or your tree is very sick. I would recommend a fungicide solution at any rate to be sure.

Ml_work · 09-24-2008, 12:49 AM

Thanks for the information, I had not gotten any replies last night so I pulled it out.
I questioned if it was good as I did not know if it was a normal process. I think the soil is draining good. I had really been watering it because I thought it may be getting too dry.
Thanks,
ML

Mortalis · 09-24-2008, 09:32 PM

I grow mostly ficus myself, only tropical and indoors. If you want them to do well you can be sure by increasing the particulate size next time you repot. You want 75% inorganic and 25% organic material in your mix a lot of people like certain types of things for their mix but realistically it is the characteristics of the material that make the difference. Free draining really means that a lot of air gets into the mix immediately using larger particles makes that assured my smallest size particle is 1/4 inch and the largest which is the majority of the mix is from 3/8 to 1/2 inch. I don't bother to stratify as this arrangement drains very fast. Even with soil that drains this fast I don't water every day only when the soil is dry down to around an inch. This could be different if your pot is only an inch deep though. With larger particles you could realisticaly water every day and be fine depending on your humidity and all. [My personal mix if your interested is 75% LECA and 25% Shultz orchid mix.]

Good luck.

Ml_work · 09-28-2008, 12:42 AM

I think this tree is going to die. Not because of the mushroom, I did get it out. It has been a very hard tree to keep alive since I go it back in March. Leaves start to fall off for no reason. This time many are falling off.....now sure what to do with it now. .
Thanks for all the input
ML

09-23-2008, 07:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
treebeard55 A shepherd of trees Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw IN, USA USDA zone 5b Posts: 101	Since fungi don't photosynthesize, they need to get nitrogen from their environment -- like from the fert you give your tree. Some fungi will attack living woody trees; I lost a mugo pine to one last summer. I'd check the root system post-haste! Also, the presence of fungi usually means that the soil is staying quite wet. You may have a drainage problem that you're being informed of. __________________ Treebeard 55 Christmas -- the prequel to Easter.

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09-23-2008, 05:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mojosan Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mountain West Posts: 21	"So I stared every day for about the past week." I assume you meant 'watered every day...' Well, lots of water and heat/humidity and a spore = toadstool/mushroom. Not surprising. Why would you think this was a good thing? It won't harm the tree, but it sure doesn't do it any good either. If you leave it, it will eventually generate more spores. and that = more mushrooms.

09-23-2008, 11:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
Mortalis Darkness abides him. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The 8th layer Malbolge. Posts: 45	Fungi don't photosynthesize and they don't use nitrogen they consume organic material to grow. Like the organic components of your "soil". If it is not a parasitic variety it will not harm your tree but if it is growing ON your tree it is either parasitic or your tree is very sick. I would recommend a fungicide solution at any rate to be sure.

09-24-2008, 12:49 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ml_work Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 172	Thanks for the information, I had not gotten any replies last night so I pulled it out. I questioned if it was good as I did not know if it was a normal process. I think the soil is draining good. I had really been watering it because I thought it may be getting too dry. Thanks, ML

09-24-2008, 09:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mortalis Darkness abides him. Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: The 8th layer Malbolge. Posts: 45	I grow mostly ficus myself, only tropical and indoors. If you want them to do well you can be sure by increasing the particulate size next time you repot. You want 75% inorganic and 25% organic material in your mix a lot of people like certain types of things for their mix but realistically it is the characteristics of the material that make the difference. Free draining really means that a lot of air gets into the mix immediately using larger particles makes that assured my smallest size particle is 1/4 inch and the largest which is the majority of the mix is from 3/8 to 1/2 inch. I don't bother to stratify as this arrangement drains very fast. Even with soil that drains this fast I don't water every day only when the soil is dry down to around an inch. This could be different if your pot is only an inch deep though. With larger particles you could realisticaly water every day and be fine depending on your humidity and all. [My personal mix if your interested is 75% LECA and 25% Shultz orchid mix.] Good luck.

09-28-2008, 12:42 AM	#7 (permalink)
Ml_work Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 172	I think this tree is going to die. Not because of the mushroom, I did get it out. It has been a very hard tree to keep alive since I go it back in March. Leaves start to fall off for no reason. This time many are falling off.....now sure what to do with it now. . Thanks for all the input ML

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