Wee Finds In The Garden

  Before finding the wasp nest yesterday, I had made a lovely discovery in the far corner of the garden.  While down on my knees weeding where the squash used to be, some tiny fungi caught my eye.  The wee things always are a source of interest so I made a mental note to bring the camera back into the garden once I completed my task.  Well, needless to say, the encounter with the wasps wiped the brain clear of any finds.  This morning, however, getting pictures of the fungi was first on the list of things to do.  Photographing the tiny things was no easy task as the mosquitoes were trying to eat me alive but patience was the key.  

  Bird's Nest Fungi are odd looking things.  At first, they are tiny, brown nodules that eventually develop creamy white sheets across the top.  As the days go by, the membranes split to reveal the "eggs" or spores in a nest shaped bowls which gives the fungi their funny name.  Contrary to what was once thought, the cups do not "shoot" the spores out but raindrops bounce them out of the cups.  The spores drop to the ground and then new fungi sprout.  This creates clusters of the tiny cups in shaded garden areas that are heavy with mulch.

  I have heard that a lot of folks try to get rid of the bird's nest fungi from their mulched areas.  This, is something that confuses me as the fungi is actually creating fertile soil from the mulch which is a win/win situation for true gardeners.  I have no problem with the (literally) pea-sized fungi.  They do not smell bad like some other mushrooms and are creating nice soil for the garden.  They can stay in my gardens!