WSU Extension Q&A: My leaf pile appears moldy
Q. I was taking advantage of one of the nice days and started cleaning up piles of leaves along my fence. At the base of the pile, there was a large amount of white, moldy growth. Should I be worried?
A. No. Your leaf piles have been decaying and breaking down without the benefit of a compost pile. You may have heard the term leaf mold, which is the brown, crumbly residue left when leaves break down. The white mold you encountered is just one of the molds helping with the leaf decomposition and may be more prevalent this year because of the rain in recent months.
Other organisms that help break down the leaves are bacteria and macro-organisms like millepedes, centipedes, ants, sowbugs, earthworms and more. Gardeners with bark or wood chip mulches in their landscape may also note white mold beneath the mulch. This is an indication the mulch is breaking down and enriching the soil with organic matter. There is no need to do anything about it.
Q. When should I start my tomato seeds indoors to produce transplants for my garden?
A. Depending upon the last expected spring frost date, count back and sow seeds six to eight weeks before that date normally arrives. The plants should be grown in a warm area and receive eight hours of sunlight daily or they will grow too tall and leggy and will result in a poor quality transplant.
Q. What is the walnut husk fly?
A. The walnut husk fly, Rhagoletis completa, is most easily identified by the damage it causes to the husk and nut shell. It darkens the husks and makes them difficult to remove from the nut shell.
Q. How do you manage clover root curculio in alfalfa?
A. Options are limited for managing clover root curculio in alfalfa. The first thing is to avoid planting a new alfalfa crop next to old alfalfa stands, particularly those with confirmed infestations. Sandier soils will probably have less trouble than heavier soils like silty-clay loam. Proper irrigation and fertilization should help with harmful root damage.
Healthy plants may recover from some feeding damage, however, injury on roots may cause other diseases to infect roots. Unfortunately, there are no insecticides registered for use against the larvae. I recommend a web search for publication PNW 663 Clover Root Curculio.
Questions should be called in to the WSU Extension offices in Kennewick at 735-3551 or Pasco at 545-3511.
This story was originally published February 20, 2016 at 10:49 PM with the headline "WSU Extension Q&A: My leaf pile appears moldy."