Honey Fungus
shrinkingviolet
Posts: 6
Hi, I have the dreaded Honey Fungus in the garden eating my mature trees. Five years ago I lost a beautiful Tree Paeony, then a cherry tree, then a year later an apple tree. Now this year I have lost another cherry tree and a laburnum. I have recently found out that this is caused by Honey Fungus. I had no idea what those pretty mushrooms were last Autumn! It has also infected my Wisteria at the front of the house so I can safely say that it has spread over about 100ft of garden underground. I have heard that Armillatox can help, although I believe it is not meant to be used for this purpose. Does it kill trees and plants in the area or will it just kill the fungus? Also, my Wisteria did the dying swan act there years ago, giving itself an early Autumn, the next year it grew small leaves but no flowers and has subsequently behaved beautifully and flowered twice since then, so could it be saved? I also wondered if vinegar could be used as it works on other mould and fungus. Any help is very much appreciated!
Posts
I've not had honey fungus in my own garden so I have no personal experience to share with you, but I do know that Nutcutlet has it in her garden, and hers is beautiful ........... I think she just lets Nature take its course and tries to grow plants that are resistant to it.
The RHS website has a list - if you have a look here you'll see that the list of plants that are rarely affected is the longest
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/honey-fungus-host-list
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
SV Armillatox has been unavailable to purchase for a couple of years now. The company that makes it only do that one product and when the licencing changed it was too expensive for them to change the usage....or something....!
Either way a fabulous product is no longer available and my paviours are a sight!
I have it in my garden and fighting it is futile. A honey fungus in America covers nearly 3 and a half square miles and is over 2,400 years old. It is best to learn to live with it, it isn't going to go away!
Sadly many of the pretty trees we want to grow are susceptible, but many can be grown in pots - it spreads by root contact, so this reduces the risk. Well cared for healthy trees are thought to be less likely to succumb than stressed or struggling ones and some forms of HF are less aggressive than others.
Remove affected trees or shrubs promptly together with as much root as possible, as this is where the fungus is active. Cultivating the soil between plants may have a small effect in breaking up the bootlaces by which it extends its reach. Grow annuals or non-woody perennials in the space instead to deprive the fungus of food. lf an area has been clear for a couple of years or so, it may be safe to have another try with something not too expensive.
Once you know you have HF, it is tempting to blame it for every death, but there are plenty of other fungi and pathogens ready to step in and finish off our treasured plants. Try to think of it as part of life's rich tapestry - hard, but less stressful if you can manage it - and every departure as a new planting opportunity
What a lovely positive attitude.
Well done BCD. I'm not sure I could be so calm and understanding but I know resistance is futile.
I have a theory that the over-tidy, clear it up, spray it, kill it, attitude of many gardeners destroys a lot of the easier to kill life in the garden leaving it at the mercy of the real bullies. Left to itself it all balances out and nothing reigns supreme.
There is HF here, 2 old willows died of it and possibly a clematis and a ceanothus (inconclusive).
Everything else just goes along, tree paeonies, lots of shrubs and trees. Native trees have probably learned to live with it
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks everyone. I haven't used pesticides or weed killer in my garden for about 15 years, I don't believe in treating everything with chemicals, or keeping everything perfect. However...if we never weeded or tidied the garden, all we would be left with is native, invasive weeds (and big rotting trees, lol) I just feel sad that this fungus is creeping under my whole garden and I don't want it to get the hedge that I planted and watched grow up over the last 12 years. I haven't tried to grow exotic trees, all these mature ones were already in the garden with the exception of the Wisteria. The trees are all on the lawn so I can't imagine digging up the whole lawn to get the roots out so I'll just sit and wait to see what happens. I was kind of hoping for something to slow its progress and wondered if anyone had tried vinegar is as it kills household mould and fungus...and it's natural. Fortunately I have a cottage garden and it's full of perennials so hoping the fungus doesn't eat them too!
PS Do you think I can use the non rotten parts of the tree as firewood or should I just torch it all outdoors?
The latest victim