Dog Vomit Fungus?

There is yellowish-brown-beige stuff on my wood chip mulch. It looks like my neighbor's dog got sick in my garden. Will this hurt my plants?

Melinda:

It's not surprising this common slime mold is often called "dog vomit fungus". This is frequently seen on wood chip mulch, cocoa bean and a few other organic mulches during wet weather.

The fungus feeds on the organic matter in the mulch. It looks disgusting, but it won't hurt your plants. As the weather dries, it will dry up and disappear. To prevent this, lightly rake mulched areas during wet weather. I like to mix rice hulls with my cocoa bean shells. They lift and separate the bean shells and help eliminate the problem.