What is this in my veg beds?!

SBAM · 2023-04-07T15:08:24+00:00

I’ve been away for a few days, and come back to this fungus(?) growing in my raised beds. What is it and how do I get rid of it?

NanTheWiser · 07/04/2023 16:17

I’m not a fungi expert by any means, but a google of cup-shaped fungus throws up a lot of hits. Particularly the genus Peziza of which there are many. They appear to like wood, so if you’ve used bark or similar, maybe that’s the reason. Not sure how you would get rid of it, though.

TonTonMacoute · 07/04/2023 19:35

I would just dig it in, the more organic matter in the soil the better.

larkstar · 07/04/2023 19:58

https://abneyfungi.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/peziza-vesiculosa-blistered-cup/

They mention it appearing on woodchip. Fungi appear on dead wood so generally, I think, aren't much of a hazard to living plants... I've always been uneasy about fairy rings appearing around a silver birch tree I have in the middle of my front lawn though... So I trowel them out... Every year.

What have you put down.. Is there any buried dead wood there or have you put wood chips or bark down? I put a lot of bark down generally and I've not encountered this fungus before.

Peziza vesiculosa, Blistered Cup

This has been a very common species on the wood chip piles in the past. Every handful of woodchips sprouted its own growth. It hasn’t been so obvious in the past few years. It has made a reap…

https://abneyfungi.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/peziza-vesiculosa-blistered-cup

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/04/2023 20:32

I've always been uneasy about fairy rings appearing around a silver birch tree I have in the middle of my front lawn though... So I trowel them out... Every year. All you’re doing is taking off the fruiting body. The fungus itself is still underground. I wouldn’t waste the time, myself.

larkstar · 07/04/2023 20:49

@MereDintofPandiculation Yes, I'm aware that's the case - I just think the more fruiting bodies, the more spores. I don't know what's for the best - it doesn't take long to get them all up - I've seen advice both ways. For other reasons I've actually considered taking the whole lawn up anyway - there's barely 2" of top soil. It's a North facing lawn that's often in the shadow of the house so generally very mossy - good conditions for fungi. I'm going to treat the moss this year - something I've not done before - that might help.

LostMySocks · 07/04/2023 21:11

Have you used peat free compost? These often contain an element of composted wood. I regularly get little toadstools like this in my seed pots

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 07/04/2023 21:18

It's just a sign that you have a healthy, thriving soil ecosystem going on. Fungi in the soil helps uptake of nutrient by plant roots. No need to do anything about it.

MereDintofPandiculation · 07/04/2023 22:19

larkstar · 07/04/2023 20:49

@MereDintofPandiculation Yes, I'm aware that's the case - I just think the more fruiting bodies, the more spores. I don't know what's for the best - it doesn't take long to get them all up - I've seen advice both ways. For other reasons I've actually considered taking the whole lawn up anyway - there's barely 2" of top soil. It's a North facing lawn that's often in the shadow of the house so generally very mossy - good conditions for fungi. I'm going to treat the moss this year - something I've not done before - that might help.

I wouldn't worry about the spores. They're so tiny they drift on the wind "for ever" - you can more or less assume that the spores are everywhere. If you've got the conditions, you'll get the fungus.

Have you identified the fungus yet? Are ou worried it's honey fungus?

It doesn't sound a good place to have a lawn!

ppeatfruit · 08/04/2023 09:55

I can't remember the exact number but in every spoonful of earth there are literally billions of types of bacteria; comprising all types of known, like fungal, which relate to wood dead and living, and unknown. We wouldn't be here without it.

Larkstar ( please don't treat moss, or anything, with toxic herbicides it just likes dampness) it usually goes with the dry weather. Also it's green isn't it?

LoobyDop · 17/05/2024 11:34

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I’ve just found lots of this growing on the bark mulch we put down. Google doesn’t want to tell me if it’s toxic to cats, does anyone know?

TeeBee · 30/04/2025 12:12

There are many species of cup fungus, with varying levels of toxicity. Cats will generally stay away from them but they can cause stomach upsets if they get too curious. I'd exercise caution around them. I've got some in my raised beds. I know they are useful to the soil but they are messing up my beds and crowding out my veg so I'll be sprinkling baking soda on them the next time they rear their annoying heads.