Slime Mold – On Lawn

Q: Recently we had our grandchildren over and they ran all over our bermuda lawn. When they came in the house their sneakers were black. I covered a broom  with a white towel and brushed it over the grass. It also was covered with black dust. Could this be some sort of fungus?

A: A great guess! I’ll bet the dust particles are spores of harmless slime mold. The phenomenon is common in spring when cool nights and warm days abound.

The fungus decomposes dead stems and thatch in a lawn. Slime molds are associated with too much water but a heavy dew can trigger it. The best control is the easiest: wash it off the grass with a water hose.

harmless slime mold